Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
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| Me First and the Gimme Gimmes | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Punk rock Pop punk[1][2] |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Label(s) | Fat Wreck Chords |
| Associated acts | Lagwagon NOFX Foo Fighters Swingin' Utters No Use for a Name |
| Website | GimmeGimmes.com |
| Members | |
| Spike Slawson Joey Cape Chris Shiflett Fat Mike Dave Raun |
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Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. Drawn together by a mutual love of 1960s and 1970s music, the Gimme Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. They have covered songs from such artists as Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and John Denver. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione.
The Gimmes have a habit of wearing quirky matching costumes during their live shows. Some of the themes match the albums, such as their latest set of cowboy outfits for Love Their Country or in drag as various characters from musicals in Are a Drag. They have also done pajamas, red suits, cheerleader costumes, shiny suits with fezzes, and during one show on the Warped Tour, dressed as AFI. Easily the most common and popular costume set is their matching Hawaiian shirts, of varying styles and lurid colors over the years.
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[edit] History
The band wasn't originally planning on releasing albums, appearing only on compilation albums for their first year. In 1995, however, the band began releasing singles named after the singer they had covered. They produced Billy, Diamond, Paul, Denver, Barry, Shannon, Stevens, and Elton in this manner. Their first full-length album, Have a Ball, was released July 29, 1997.
Each album by the band is themed differently: Have a Ball focuses on classic 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s songs by singer/songwriters like Elton John, Neil Diamond, and John Denver; Are a Drag consists entirely of showtunes, Blow in the Wind consists of 60s classics, Take a Break consists entirely of contemporary R&B songs by artists such as Boyz 2 Men, Lionel Richie, and Vanessa L. Williams; their fifth album, Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah, was recorded live at an actual bar mitzvah and consists of pop music from the 1960s through the 1980s by artists such as REO Speedwagon, Styx and The Beatles, as well as traditional songs like "Hava Nagila". Their latest record, Love Their Country, features a variety of country and western covers.
They entered the studio on April 3, 2006 to work on their sixth album, Love Their Country, which was released on October 17, 2006.[3] The theme of this album is country and western, and includes covers of tracks by Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks, Hank Williams, Sr. and Johnny Cash.[4]. Prior to the release of the album, Fat Wreck Chords released a digital label sampler, iFloyd which included "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" by the band.[5]
In late 2006, Fat Wreck Chords released another digital label sampler Christmas Bonus, containing a previously-unreleased cover of Arlo Guthrie's "City of New Orleans".[6] In August 2006 Me First and the Gimme Gimmes were scheduled to play three dates at PNC Park after Pirates games, but after they got booed on the first night, the next two nights were canceled. They were to play along with fireworks during the post-game "Skyblast" shows.
On December 5, 2007, Fat Wreck Chords released a flash MP3 holiday bonus sampler called Hanuk-Comp containing "The Boxer" which was originally released on the "Garf" single (released in 1997).[7] There is also a downloadable podcast that features commentary from Fat Mike and Floyd during breaks between songs in which the next album is revealed.[8] It will be named Have Another Ball and will contain all the B-sides from Have a Ball. The album is due to release on July 8, 2008.[9]
[edit] Members
- Spike Slawson - vocals
- "Fat" Mike Burkett - bass
- Chris Shiflett - guitar
- Joey Cape - guitar
- Dave Raun - drums
- Brian Baker (of Minor Threat and Bad Religion) filled in for Shiftlett in 2006.
- Chris Shiftlett's brother, Scott Shiflett (of Face to Face and Viva Death) has been filling in for him on the band's most recent tours.
- During the 2007 European tour and 2008 Australian tour, NOFX guitarist Eric Melvin filled in for Fat Mike on bass.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Have a Ball | Hits of the 60's and 70's |
| 1999 | Are a Drag | Broadway Hits by Women |
| 2001 | Blow in the Wind | Hits of the 60's |
| 2003 | Take a Break | R&B Hits |
| 2004 | Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah | Live album, no theme |
| 2006 | Love Their Country | Country Western Hits |
| 2008 | Have Another Ball | More Hits from the 60s and 70s |
[edit] EPs
- Turn Japanese (2001)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Artist covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Denver" | John Denver |
| 1996 | "Billy" | Billy Joel |
| 1997 | "Paul" | Paul Simon |
| 1997 | "Diamond" | Neil Diamond |
| 1997 | "Barry" | Barry Manilow |
| 1999 | "Elton" | Elton John |
| 1999 | "Garf" | Art Garfunkel |
| 1999 | "In Your Barcalounger" | James Taylor |
| 2001 | "Shannon" | Del Shannon |
| 2001 | "Stevens" | Cat Stevens |
| 2001 | "Bob" | Bob Dylan |
| 2003 | "Jackson" | The Jackson 5 |
| 2003 | "Stevie" | Stevie Wonder |
| 2003 | "I Believe I Can Fly" | R. Kelly |
| 2007 | "Dolly" | Dolly Parton |
| 2007 | "Cash" | Johnny Cash |
| 2007 | "Willie" | Willie Nelson |
| 2008 | "Kenny" | Kenny Rogers |
| 2008 | "Jerry" | Jerry Reed |
[edit] Compilation appearances
| Year | Title | Song featured |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Survival of the Fattest | "Country Roads" |
| 1997 | Physical Fatness | "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" |
| 1998 | How to Start a Fight | "Mother and Child Reunion" |
| 1999 | Life in the Fat Lane | "My Favorite Things" |
| 2000 | Happy Meals 2: The Perfect Marriage | "Rich Girl" |
| 2000 | Playing 4 Square | "Rich Girl" |
| 2000 | Punk Chartbusters 3 | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" |
| 2001 | Live Fat, Die Young | "Hats Off to Larry" |
| 2001 | Warped Tour 2001 Tour Compilation | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" |
| 2002 | Happy Meals, Vol.3: Songs to Run Away From | "The Times They Are A Changin'" |
| 2002 | Uncontrollable Fatulence | "Nothing Compares 2 U" |
| 2003 | Aggropop Now | "I Just Called to Say I Love You" |
| 2003 | The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show | "Science Fiction/Double Feature" |
| 2003 | Warped Tour 2003 Tour Compilation | "Harder They Come" |
[edit] Riffs borrowed from other bands
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes are known for filling their covers with famous guitar riffs from songs by other punk rock bands.
- "Elenor" begins with the opening tune of The Clash's "London Calling"
- "Favorite Things" begins with the melody of the intro of Bad Religion's "Generator"
- "San Francisco" begins with the leading riff of "Stranger Than Fiction", also by Bad Religion
- "Hava Nagila" features the melody from The Offspring's "Come Out and Play"
- "The Longest Time" opens with the first line of "Suspect Device" by Stiff Little Fingers
- "Sloop John B" features the opening of the Ramones' "Teenage Lobotomy"
- "Save the Best for Last" features the same intro as "Pretty Vacant" by the Sex Pistols
- "Crazy" opens with an uptempo rendition of the intro from Black Flag's "Six Pack"
- "On the Road Again" features the intro from "Astro Zombies" by the Misfits
- "Superstar" features the intro from "Kids of the Black Hole" by The Adolescents.
- "Hello" is a nod to The Weirdos' "Solitary Confinement".
- "All My Loving" references "You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)" by The Dickies.
- "Blowin' in the Wind" opens with a nod to the hidden track (vocal outtakes from the song "Perfect Government") from the NOFX album Punk In Drublic.
- "East Bound and Down" opens with the bass riff from "Love Song" by The Damned.
- "You've Got a Friend" features the opening of the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop"
- "Sunday Morning Coming Down" opens with the riff from The Clash's cover of Lee Perry's "Police and Thieves". In addition, the entire track mirrors the dual guitar that is panned left/right, and the overall bass-tone of that song.
- "I'll Be There" has the same opening as The Cars' "Just What I Needed"
- "I Still Miss Someone" is based on X's "Los Angeles"
- "I Only Want to Be With You" is basically the riff from Fang's "The Money Will Roll Right In"
- "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" opens with a parody of the bagpipe intro from the Dropkick Murphys' "Cadence to Arms."
- "I'm Gonna Write a Song" begins with the opening riff of "When Ya Get Drafted" by the Dead Kennedys.
- "Runaway" ends with a nod to the Sex Pistols song "EMI"
- "Isn't She Lovely" opens with the double drums intro. from Adam And The Ants' "Kings Of The Wild Frontier", and the guitar riff is from Adam And The Ants' "Antmusic".
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Cover 'Desperado' | Spin Magazine Online
- ^ In Music We Trust - INTERVIEW: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: Punk Rock's Ultimate Cover Band
- ^ Punknews.org | Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Bad Astronaut record titles and release dates
- ^ News: Fat Wreck Chords
- ^ Fat Wreck Chords Sampler 2006
- ^ Fat Wreck Chords :: Christmas Bonus
- ^ Fat Wreck Chords :: From The Dreidel To The Grave
- ^ Community: Fat Wreck Chords
- ^ News: Fat Wreck Chords
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Me First and the Gimme Gimmes official web site
- Fat Wreck Chords label official web site
- Interview with Spike
- All Music Guide entry for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
- Audio interview with Fat Mike and Joey Cape
- Interview with Spike Slawson
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