The Queers had a reputation as heavy drinkers and regular drug users, and by 1993 the members had developed problems with heroin use.

Records head Larry Livermore, who was in the studio with the band for 1993's Love Songs for the Retarded and for Beat Off, later recalled that singer and songwriter Joe King had decided to sober up, but that while he was able to cut back his alcohol consumption, heroin remained an issue for both him and drummer Hugh O'Neill: When Joe decided to clean up, there would be no half measures.

The guy who'd helped litter the cover of Love Songs for the Retarded with empty Budweiser bottles laid down the law: no booze allowed in the studio or backstage anytime he was playing, recording, or practicing.

[3] "The intervention felt doubly awkward", wrote Livermore, "because Joe, who'd organized and led it, hadn't been off heroin that long himself.

"[7] In addition to Beat Off, Panic and Vapid would perform on the Queers' subsequent live album, Suck This (1995), and Vapid—having been forced out of Screeching Weasel—would play on 1995's Surf Goddess EP.

Above all I was baffled by his refusal to let the Queers record the guitar and vocal overdubs that were fundamental to their Beach Boys-meet-the-Ramones style.

[3]Dissatisfied with Weasel's stylistic approach, King and Livermore made plans for another recording session with Giorgini at his Sonic Iguana Studios in Lafayette, Indiana, later that summer to work on songs with fuller arrangements, resulting in the Surf Goddess EP.

[7] He did not learn this until royalty payments were issued for the album's sales and he, unlike the other members, did not receive any: Of course I thought this was a mistake at first, so I called Lookout Records to find out what was going on.

[3] Vapid later stated that when he returned from touring with the Queers, Weasel claimed that he had developed a drinking problem and gave him an ultimatum: stop drinking or be replaced in Screeching Weasel; Vapid chose to quit, and said that when Dirnt was brought in to replace him "that is when I knew what the 'drinking problem' malarkey was all about.

"[14] "The official story was that Vapid had voluntarily left," said Livermore, "but when I saw Dan a couple days later, he could barely hold back his tears.

There could have been other things going on behind the scenes that I was unaware of, but kicking Vapid out of Screeching Weasel looked to me like a pointless power play.

[7][10] Reviewing Beat Off for Allmusic, Kembrew McLeod rated it 3 stars out of 5 and commented that it "takes a step back, or so it seems, from the melodic growth shown between Grow Up and Love Songs for the Retarded.

Actually, the ratio between melodicism versus dissonant, high-speed punk is probably the same as on Love Songs, but Queers fans have come to expect more.

artists in rescinding their master tapes and licensing rights from the label, invoking a clause in their contract citing delinquent royalty payments.

For its reissue, Beat Off was given new artwork including a different cover photograph (also taken by Julie #9), and new liner notes written by Ben Weasel extolling the virtues of King's songwriting and authenticity.

[10][11] Although Dan Vapid is credited on the album with having performed guitar and backing vocals, producer Ben Weasel removed his tracks from the final mix.