For months everyone here at the offices has had the first two Gimme Gimmes albums in heavy rotation. It wasn't uncommon to catch someone singing a punked-out "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" while walking to the fax machine. Then the new release, Blow in the Wind (Fat Wreck Chords) shows up. Listening to great punk versions of the Beach Boys and Billy Joel, and other 60s and 70s pop hits, is definitely a good way to pass an afternoon.
Spike Slawson (Swingin' Utters), Joey Cape (Lagwagon), Fat Mike (NOFX), Jake "Chris" Jackson (Foo Fighters) and Dave Raun (Lagwagon) consummated their punk-rockness when they formed Me First and the Gimme Gimmes in '95. The all-covers punk supergroup's first album, 1997's Have a Ball, features punk renditions of "I Am a Rock," "Sweet Caroline" and my all-time favorite, "Mandy." Their second effort, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Are a Drag ('99), is all sped-up show tunes like "Over the Rainbow," "Phantom of the Opera Song" and Rocky Horror's "Science Fiction Double Feature." Blow in the Wind ranges from "Who Put the Bomp" and "My Boyfriend's Back" to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow."
Last week I spoke with guitarist Jackson about what it takes to be a Gimme, and what we can expect (and not) from the upcoming Gimmes show at Bowery Ballroom.
I first saw Me First and the Gimme Gimmes back when Coney Island High was still open.
You were at that show?
Yeah. In fact, I remember Fat Mike warned us: "We haven't practiced, we're wearing our Hawaiian shirts, this is gonna suck, but it's gonna be great, so here we go!"
That was a fun night because that was in the middle of that Lagwagon/No Use for a Name tour. It was a whole Fat night if I recall.
How do you guys decide which covers are put on the albums?
Pretty much whatever works well in a punk rock format. All these songs are ones we all grew up listening to on the radio, and old songs that we love. These are the songs that worked. There were lots of show tunes that didn't work out.
I think everyone needs to hear Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection" in a punk format.
I couldn't agree with you more. [laughs]
You grew up on musicians like Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow. Are you a fan of the easy listening stuff?
Absolutely. A lot of these songs, especially ones from the first album, are the songs I was listening to my mom listen to while I was growing up?just because you're a kid and have no choice?shit like James Taylor was pounded into my brain from a really early age.
John Denver was my first concert as a kid, so when the Me First Denver 7-inch came out, I had to have it.
That's funny, because that's exactly how we feel.
Then why don't some people understand what the band is trying to do?
The younger kids that listen to this stuff and buy the Gimme Gimmes' records probably aren't familiar with these songs. But hey, if we can turn kids on to John Denver and Barry Manilow...
You're doing something right.
Right. That's why it appeals to old people and young people. This is the only band I've been in that my parents like, and it's for that very reason.
Kids who are 19 or 20 today were born in the 80s, so you can't make any references to that era because they won't get it, whether it's music or John Hughes films.
Well, it's like Mike says, "Fuck the kids."
To me rock 'n' roll has always been about having a good time, and if you can't laugh at yourself, why bother? I feel the Gimmes are the epitome of that.
Well, yeah. That was really the idea when we first got together. We just wanted to put a cover band/bar band kind of thing together. Play shows in San Francisco at Stinky's Peepshow or wherever. Just do stuff for our friends. Have fun, get drunk for free and goof off, because all of us have real bands, so this is quite the opposite.
Are you a fan of karaoke?
I'm not a big karaoke kinda guy, but I'll tell ya, Spike is a karaoke fucking fanatic to the point that it's really annoying. Apparently, on tour Spike has to go find a karaoke bar every single night. He even was doing a karaoke night in San Francisco for a little while. The Me First and the Gimme Gimmes video for "Danny's Song," which is on the video compilation that Fat Wreck Chords put out, was actually shot at the karaoke bar in San Francisco that he frequents.
That's funny. I had a karaoke party last year for my birthday. After several drinks, I decided to try "Leaving on a Jet Plane," like your version. I didn't pull it off because the music wasn't sped up.
But for Spike I think it's a big ego boost. He goes into these karaoke bars where everybody kind of sucks, and sings real good. He's amazing, so everybody claps and cheers and it's a big stroke for him or whatever.
Tell me about Blow in the Wind?wasn't it originally titled Cocaine on a Breezy Day?
[Laughs] Um... I didn't hear that, but I wouldn't doubt it. Basically we got together and we rehearsed for about two days, then about four months later started recording. We tried to keep it as loose as possible and not put too much thought into it. And I think we succeeded in that.
When did you become a Foo Fighter?
I became a Foo Fighter in August of 1999.
And how's that treating you?
It's great. We actually just finished touring not too long ago. We were on tour for a long, long, long, long, long time. Probably in about a month we'll start doing some demoing for the new record.
When you go out in public, do people recognize you?
No!
Is that a good thing or bad thing?
That's a great thing. It's a perfect thing. I get to do what I love, make a good living and travel.
I just asked because you're promoted as the single guy in all the Gimmes' press releases and on the Web.
I don't know how that fucking whole thing started up. That's unfair, but I am single. Yeah, someone started that on the first album and...
And your brother plays in Face to Face. That's quite a punk rock family.
My brother Scott and the singer for Face to Face, Trevor, are putting together this band. I'm going to play guitar on it. Pete from Face to Face is going to play drums. I think it's going to be called Viva Death. It will be really goofy, so look for that in the next year on Vagrant.
What do you do in NYC when you're not on tour or playing with one of your several bands?
I've just been kind of relaxing a lot lately. I'm in a massive detoxification effort as we speak. So I've been eating a lot of salads and drinking lots of juice, and boxing. As a matter of fact, as I'm talking to you, I'm drinking Rocket Juice. It's a cranberry-flavored blend from concentrated herbal defense with vitamin C?that's my life off the road.
Do you collect any kind of gadgets or play video games?
I actually hate video games. I'm probably the only person in the world that can't fucking stand them. Touring with a band really made me hate video games. Especially all those reality video games like Lara Croft. It makes your brain dead, it's so retarded.
What do you do on tour to pass the time?
I read a book. Not to get high and mighty, but Jesus, you know?
What can we expect from this Bowery Ballroom show?
Don't expect much. We're usually really drunk when we play and it's really, really sloppy. So, if you expect that then you won't be disappointed. But if you expect a well-polished, professional rock band you're going to be really, really let down.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes play Weds., April 11, at Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (Bowery), 533-2111.