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Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are NOT a drag. By Sam Costello Punk rock has a lot of venerable traditions: do- it-yourself piercings of all manner of unusual body parts with safety, the contradictory, warring ideologies of straight-edge and bacchanalia, low-cost, low-maintenance fashions and more. One of the less obvious, less acknowledged, but far more fun of these traditions, though, is the covering of mainstream songs. This tradition dates back to the very earliest days of punk rock from the Sex Pistol's taking on The Who's "Substitute" and Frank Sinatra's "My Way" up through The Dead Kennedys' versions of "I Fought the Law" and "Take this job and Shove it" and yet further in Bad Religion performing Hank Williams, Sr.'s "I saw the light" at live shows, among countless others. There's just something really captivating about this bizarre melding of genres. Perhaps it's the raw speed and energy of punk being infused onto the often great songwriting of older, or more pedestrian musicians. Perhaps its also the subversive element of these "outcasts" and "rebels" (whether these labels are still applicable or not is a story for another issue. In fact, see Vol. 1, Issue 3, "The Fall of Hardcore" for some thoughts on this very topic) appropriating songs our parents, or perhaps even their parents, loved. If that's it, there certainly aren't many bigger ways to flip the bird to past generations than to steal their culture. (Take that, grandma.) This, however, neglects the question of whether these
songs, songs that most self-respecting punks would normally deem to
"suck," are actually transformed into something cool and respectable
by virtue of their punk reinterpretations, or whether they are just
being successfully mocked. That is a question I've been asking myself
pretty frequently since July, when I bought Me First and The Gimme Gimmes'
first album, 1997's "Have a Ball." "Have a Ball" is quite an album,
in fact, I know of no other like it. Straddling two genres, those crazy
punks (assembled together on this side project from other, more "serious"
bands, most notably, NOFX) cover 12 of the biggest hits of the 1970s,
including James Taylor's "Fire and Rain," Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl,"
and others gems, like "Seasons in the Sun," "Sweet Caroline," and "Mandy."
All in all, a great record, even if one actually has to admit to liking
these songs. Of course, I still do think that the originals suck, but
under the cool veneer of "rebellious" punk rock, I can at least acknowledge
their good points. Well, Me First and the boys are back with a new record,
and this time, they've chosen a group of songs that are even more uncool
than '70s hits: showtunes. Yup, the new album, "Are a Drag," contains
12 of the hardest rocking showtunes ever, from Broadway hits such as
"Annie," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Grease," and "Evita." The album
starts off with a pretty straight forward "Over the Rainbow." Though
the fuzzy guitars and up-tempo beat do add something to the song, it
was not nearly as eye-openingly, jaw- droppingly fun as the cover of
"Danny's Song" that opened "Have a Ball." The follow-up to "Rainbow,"
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is more fun, but is tarnished a bit by
vocalist Spike Slawson's inability to really lay out for the chorus
the way Madonna did a few years back. "Science Fiction Double Feature,"
from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," is the first really fun song on
the album. While it is a great two-and-a-half minutes long, it is something
of a confusing choice, because didn't "Rocky Horror" feature electric
guitars? Therefore, it's really not so much of a sonic stretch, and
makes this listener a little curious about the decision making here.
Later on on the record, there are fine covers of "Grease's" "It's Raining on Prom Night" (though I would have preferred that catchy "Summer Days" thing that they sing in that one), "Cabaret's" "Stepping Out," and "Annie's" "Tomorrow," among others. Two songs which really stand out, though, are "The Rainbow Connection" and "Phantom of the Opera song." When I first heard "The Rainbow Connection," I was a pretty little kid, and Kermit the Frog was singing it. Who knew that it had any incarnation other than that? Well, if he ever hears this, I think Kermit will be pretty proud to be in the company of Me First et al. in having sung this one. The only way it could have been better? Maybe they could have gotten Kermit to sing with them? As far as the "Phantom of the Opera Song".....but Dammit if I don't hate Andrew Lloyd Webber's claptrap. And damn me if I don't really like this version of the song. Maybe this is the point of these albums, subvert not the dominate culture, the culture which brought us these songs, but rather subvert punk rock culture from the inside out. A fiendish plot, no doubt. But luckily I'm onto these Gimme Gimmes, and now, you too, fair reader, are warned. Who knows, perhaps your next trip to Broadway will find you seated next to a young couple decked out in leather pants, with brightly-dyed hair who-gasp-are mouthing all the words! Whether there is any sinister social agenda behind this album, or whether it is meant as just a lot of good fun and good music is, of course, debatable. That's sort of a cop out, I know, but it's what I've got. I can't decide. Whether this is sinister or subversive. You'll have to decide that for yourself. One way or the other, this is real punk rock. And how can you be so sure, I hear you all saying. Well, the album is 12 songs, but runs only 26 minutes. That's punk rock. Rocknrollrocknrollrocknroll. Sam Costello is a senior media studies major at Ithaca College. |
