Are a Drag

by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

Overview

Though it doesn't sound like a brilliant idea, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes, an all-star cover band dedicated to regurgitating punk rock-style the most frothy music in their parents' record collections, are actually extraordinarily entertaining and can make the likes of John Denver and Barry Manilow sound not so bad. The lineup includes Fat Mike of NOFX, the guitarist from the Foo Fighters, a couple of the guys from Lagwagon, and Spike Slawson, the Gimmes' sweet-voiced singer, who also plays bass for the Swingin' Utters. On their second record, Are a Drag, the Gimmes tackle all of their parents' favorite showtunes, claiming homage rather than satire. Most of their choices are songs that anybody even remotely into musicals knows by heart. Their cover of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" has more choruses than the original, rocks pretty damn hard, and is certainly worthy of a swirling slam pit. Though it's not as wild as John Coltrane's version, the Gimmes' "My Favorite Things" is raging enough to send Julie Andrews swan diving off the stage into a sea of sweaty punkers. They mess with the jazz standard "Summertime" by Gershwin, adding some fine surfy leads to a song that's been played a million times over. Also, there's their furious rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera." On Are a Drag, the Gimmes succeed at playing showtunes that punk kids can dig, no small feat. ~ Adam Bregman

Product Details

Release Date:	05/18/1999
Label:	Fat Wreck Chords
UPC:	0751097058626

Tracks

1. Over the Rainbow
2. Don't Cry for Me Argentina
3. Science Fiction/Double Feature
4. Summertime
5. Favorite Things
6. Rainbow Connection
7. Phantom of the Opera Song
8. I Sing the Body Electric
9. It's Raining on Prom Night
10. Tomorrow
11. What I Did for Love
12. Stepping Out

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes   Primary Artist
Spike Slawson   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Fat Mike   Bass
Joey Cape   Guitar
Karina Denike   Vocals
Dave Raun   Drums
Jackson   Guitar

Technical Credits

Adam Krammer   Engineer
Ryan Greene   Engineer
Marvin Hamlisch   Composer
Edward Kleban   Composer
Edward C. King   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
DuBose Heyward   Composer
Mark Weitz   Composer
Paul Williams   Composer
Charles Strouse   Composer
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg   Composer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Kenny Ascher   Composer
Martin Charnin   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer