Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

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Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
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

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (often shortened to just the Gimmes or Me First) is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. 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.

[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" and Love Their Country's theme is country and western songs such as The Eagles and Garth Brooks. Their latest record, Have Another Ball! has the same theme as their debut which is 60's-80's music.

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 cancelled. 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 is named Have Another Ball! and contains all the B-sides from Have a Ball. The album was released on July 8, 2008.

[edit] Members

The core lineup, left to right: Cape, Slawson, Raun, Burkett, and "Jake Jackson" (Chris Shiflett)

• Spike Slawson (of Swingin' Utters and Re-Volts)- vocals
• "Fat" Mike Burkett (of NOFX)- bass
• Chris Shiflett (of Foo Fighters ex- No Use For A Name)- guitar
• Joey Cape (of Lagwagon)- guitar
• Dave Raun (of Lagwagon)- drums

Fill-in Members for Tours

• Brian Baker (of Minor Threat and Bad Religion) filled in for Shiftlett in 2006.
• Chris Shiflett'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] Costumes

The Gimmes have a habit of wearing quirky matching costumes during their live shows. Some of the themes match the albums, such as when they dress in cowboy outfits to accompany the album Love Their Country or in drag as various characters from musicals in Are a Drag. They have also worn pajamas, red suits, cheerleader outfits, shiny suits and fezzes, and, during one show in Camden, NJ on the Warped Tour, dressed as the band AFI. Easily the most common and popular costume set are their matching Hawaiian shirts of varying styles and colors over the years.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[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 (or bands playing related genres like New Wave).

• "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. The main riff from Bad Religion's "Pessimistic Lines" is also featured mid-song.
• "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.
• "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".
• "You've Got A Friend" opens with the opening riff from The Ramones song "Blitzkrieg Bop".
• "Mahogany" opens with the opening riff from The Germs song "Richie Dagger's Crime".
• "Oh Girl" has the same opening as GBH's "Race Against Time"
• "Heart of Glass" opens with a drum intro similar to "I Wanna Be An Alcoholic" by NOFX.

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] See also

• List of alternative music artists

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes official web site
• Fat Wreck Chords label official web site
• Interview with Spike
• Allmusic entry for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Audio interview with Fat Mike and Joey Cape
• Interview with Spike Slawson
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Live Review