Two years after forming NOFX, he moved to Santa Barbara, leaving the band. In just one year without Sandin, the band had already gone through two drummers (Scott Sellers and Scott Aldahl) and in 1986 the band talked Sandin into rejoining NOFX.
He has been NOFX's permanent drummer since his return in 1986, and played drums on every NOFX full-length album and EP released, including the 2007 live album They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!. The band Dogpiss featured a song about him called "Erik Sandin's Stand In" on the Fat Wreck Chords compilation album Short Music for Short People.
Before the recording of the 1992 album White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean, NOFX frontman Fat Mike gave Sandin an ultimatum. He had to quit heroin or be replaced. After realizing that NOFX was the most important thing in his life and with assistance of Brett Gurewitz and Lynn Strait, Sandin entered rehab at The Ranch in Desert Hot Springs, California for treatment of heroin addiction. Sandin has not used the drug since. As it can be seen in the video series Backstage Passport, he conducts a more sober and "clean" life than his bandmates, often going back to the hotel after a show instead of hanging out and partying with the rest of the band.

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