Me First and The Gimme Gimmes

Me First and The Gimme Gimmes: Have A BallHave A Ball (1997)
Fat Wreck Chords

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: soulbleedsoulbleed
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 13th 2004Punk covers have always been a fan favorite since the genre's origin. Listeners have always lent open ears to their favorite bands covering songs that their parents listened to -- not because kids secretly enjoyed their parents music, but because pop music was constructed to much better ability duri.

Punk covers have always been a fan favorite since the genre's origin. Listeners have always lent open ears to their favorite bands covering songs that their parents listened to -- not because kids secretly enjoyed their parents music, but because pop music was constructed to much better ability during our parent's childhood years. In all reality, the likelihood of bands from our generation writing songs that were as eagerly catchy as those from the past did is practically null -- occassionally, some pull it off, but most barely come close.

Me First realized this and decided to make a career of adding their own punk-pop spice into already-established pop tunes from different eras of rock history. Have A Ball tackles popular rock songs from the 70's (although one or two songs might be from the early 80's?), ranging from Billy Joel to Kenny Loggins. It's a very enjoyable album from start to finish, and the band easily captures the original heart and soul of all the songs they've decided to cover.

Especially great are the covers from Paul Simon: "Leaving On A Jet Plane" and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" kick some serious ass. They even managed to make Barry Manilow sound cool -- "Mandy" is one hell of a power ballad. Last but not least, check out "Rocket Man." Great stuff -- this is a good starting point for people unfamiliar with the band, even though Take A Break is just as good. [Just remember not to take this seriously.] Highly recommended.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

thrasher (June 22, 2005)

blink 182 is not true punk its pussy punk for all u pozers that say there punk (suck a dick)

thatswack (January 7, 2005)

Every Me First CD is incredible. You can always sing along.

Anonymous (February 20, 2004)

is there anything sadder than a guy in his mid-to-late-20s acting like that?

CallingLondon (February 18, 2004)

concerning the whole argument about these guys making a career out of this band. I think it's very safe to say that these guys have not made careers out of this. sure, maybe right now this band is making them more money, but that doesn't mean these guys didn't put a ton of hard work into their original bands. especially fat mike. i mean, come on, you telling me owning your own damn record company isn't enough of a career, let alone being part of two other bands, one of which is very much responsible for the state of music today? so what if this band happens to make these guys more money now? if people like it, and they actually still enjoy doing it, i see no wrong in that. they're not forcing people to buy their albums. if all these guys give up their other jobs to soley focus on being a cover band, then i'd start worrying. just because you don't make a lot of money for something, doesn't mean it means nothing.

Anonymous (February 18, 2004)

Here is the odd thing about Blink-182 and i'm a huge fan of them and shut the fuck up cause it's true....

Blink-182 WAS Punk but man after enema they burned out and Take Off ws sortaish punk but the new ST cd.... that crap isnt punk at all

Anonymous (February 18, 2004)

The Gimmes are fun, simple & good. Just that easy, I love all their discs!

Anonymous (February 18, 2004)

I know my opinion mean shit, but..

The Decline is a masterpiece.

Anonymous (February 17, 2004)

"Nofx hasn't released a listenable album since punk n drublic"

i agree with you to a point...they haven't released a listenable "album" since punk in drublic

but what about i heard they suck live or the decline?

they were both awesome

poopypants (February 17, 2004)

i meant hoss is essential . oops. this score is for hoss.

poopypants (February 17, 2004)

excuse me ASSHAT i know where these assholes come from, BUT if you look at sales of the me first records as opposed to most of these people's other bands you'd realize that they are making more money off of this than their full time projects.

this band is a bad joke gone too far and just b/c you started listening to pop punk in the late 90's when you were in elementary school doesn't mean that i do not know what i am talking about. Nofx hasn't released a listenable album since punk n drublic, the swingin' utters needed to stop on their s/t album, lagwagon hasn't really done anything essential EVER, oh yeah and no use/foo fighters both blow...

normally i just come on here to waste time at work, but i figured i had to comment on this one from home... way to waste my time asshole haha...

one of the few users born before the 80's "

so you're old, rock.

and i higly doubt that these albums make more than their real bands, foo fighters, nofx? ok dude. maybe the utters make less, but these guys still do this for fun not a career. they don't tour except warped and bands make the majority of their money off touring/ merch sales, then album sales.if they toured you might have an arugument. and fat mike is being sarcastic when he says he does this to make money off other peoples songs. and anyone who doesnt think lagwagon's 'hoss' isnt essential is an idiot.

Anonymous (February 17, 2004)

gah?!
ugahuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaahhh.......................................... ................................................................. ....................................... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ,/

'l,

Anonymous (February 16, 2004)

look at the post below and try not to kill yourself

Anonymous (February 16, 2004)

"and Blink 182 are Punk rock!

In case your a dumb fuck im being saircastic!"

i'm not trying to start this argument for the 600th time, but blink 182 are way more punk than 80% of the bands mentioned on this website

Anonymous (February 16, 2004)

this is the mfagg album that i still listen to on a reagular basis

oh and the queers covered the entire "rocket to russia" album as well

Anonymous (February 15, 2004)

Yeah so this takes me right back to 1999. I still pull this shit out when i have a bunch of people over to my house who probably wouldn't want to listen to my SPAZZ discography.

-Ken

Anonymous (February 15, 2004)

to quote goonies.....kids suck

notfeelingcreative (February 15, 2004)

"Would have scored higher" I should say

notfeelingcreative (February 15, 2004)

This score is for what I think about this album today, had I scored it 4 years ago, it would of scored higher, but so many of the songs have negative connotations attached to them for me now and the music just sounds cookie cutter!

dignin (February 14, 2004)

Hey Fat Mike, get a REAL job, asshole.

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

New Found Glory have already done the movie theme tune thing so i think The Gimme Gimmes would rather do something original! Yeah and Blink 182 are Punk rock!

In case your a dumb fuck im being saircastic!

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

hey fat mike, i wanna hear a punk version of the ghostbusters theme tune

right now dammit(please)

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

(If Fat Mike reads this:) If you're running out of good ideas for the next Me First album, please get Me First to do an album just of popular movie themes/songs, now!

Imagine Titanic, Jurassic Park, or even the theme to the Police Academy movies! Transformers the Movie! Cover some of the songs from Pulp Fiction, or the Breakfast Club, or Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Hell, let's bust out in song to "Blame Canada!"

Oh, I have this CD too, and I'd highly recommend it to not just little 15 year old punks, but even some of their parents who grew up listening to the hippie shit that Me First covers anyway.

Yep, both kids and parents moshing together in the pit to "I am a rock." Awkward family bonding moment. Indeed.

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

yea i read an interview with fat mike, where he said he loves doing the gimme gimmes because he gets paid alot to play other people's songs

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

Screeching Weasel covered an entire Ramones album front to back. I can see why Ben Weasel was so inspired by them, its a great album. Covering it note for note was probably just paying hommage to such an inspiring band to him. I cover all of Apathy and Exhaustion by the Larry Arms but I would never release it on anything cause I suck

Barkley

Anonymous (February 14, 2004)

Can't stand them, their songs, their live show or Fat Mike.

If it was possible, I would give these guys a negative score.

Unconcerned (February 13, 2004)

Once again if you read it i did say MOST of the other bands... the foo fighters being the one exception

i would bet that the me first album outsold the new nofx.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

"BUT if you look at sales of the me first records as opposed to most of these people's other bands you'd realize that they are making more money off of this than their full time projects."

do you really think that MFAGG's new album sold more copies than the new Foo Fighters?

or the new nofx?

lagwagon has kind of always sucked, but sucked a lot more this time 'round, so maybe they're making less money than MFAGG

and spike probably does make more money with MFAGG than with swingin utters

but you're still wrong

Unconcerned (February 13, 2004)

"This schtick was old before it ever began. Cover songs are great live to spice up a set, or great things to round off a full length BUT to do an album of them is just pushing it a bit far (and a career of it is just fucking ridiculous). These guys need to choke on their hawaiian shirts."

you gotta love how dumb the kids are these days. first of all fuckface these guys don't make a career out of this. if you got your head out of your ass or maybe have been into punk rock since before falloutboy's cd dropped, you might know that the memebers of this band are all in other bands and the do the gimme gimme's for fun. some dude named fat mike plays bass (sarcasm), joey cape and dave from lagwagon play guitar and drums, jake jackson, formerly of no use/currently in foo fighters plays the other guitar and spike slawson of the swingin utters sings. if you don't know of these bands or who these guys are, you should seriously start looking into punk prior to the matchbook romance and the used.god dammit, how could anyone think this is an actual band. its a side project, a damn entertaining one at that and they do it for fun, not to be a real band. fucking idiot."

excuse me ASSHAT i know where these assholes come from, BUT if you look at sales of the me first records as opposed to most of these people's other bands you'd realize that they are making more money off of this than their full time projects.

this band is a bad joke gone too far and just b/c you started listening to pop punk in the late 90's when you were in elementary school doesn't mean that i do not know what i am talking about. Nofx hasn't released a listenable album since punk n drublic, the swingin' utters needed to stop on their s/t album, lagwagon hasn't really done anything essential EVER, oh yeah and no use/foo fighters both blow...

normally i just come on here to waste time at work, but i figured i had to comment on this one from home... way to waste my time asshole haha...

one of the few users born before the 80's

ME

eyeball_kid (February 13, 2004)

I don't know about a covers album pushing it, it's always interesting to hear your favourite band's take on someone else's songs.

Mind you covering an Entire Ramones record was really stupid. I can't remember who did that but it wasn't good.

fakesmile (February 13, 2004)

"Cover songs are great live to spice up a set, or great things to round off a full length BUT to do an album of them is just pushing it a bit"

The Dirtbombs - Ultraglide In Black

krankykirk (February 13, 2004)

this review suited my short attention span.thankgs.

inagreendase (February 13, 2004)

This blows the newer one out of the water, but Blow in the Wind is my favorite.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

i like their version of "rocket man".

Ramo

poopypants (February 13, 2004)

This schtick was old before it ever began. Cover songs are great live to spice up a set, or great things to round off a full length BUT to do an album of them is just pushing it a bit far (and a career of it is just fucking ridiculous). These guys need to choke on their hawaiian shirts."

you gotta love how dumb the kids are these days. first of all fuckface these guys don't make a career out of this. if you got your head out of your ass or maybe have been into punk rock since before falloutboy's cd dropped, you might know that the memebers of this band are all in other bands and the do the gimme gimme's for fun. some dude named fat mike plays bass (sarcasm), joey cape and dave from lagwagon play guitar and drums, jake jackson, formerly of no use/currently in foo fighters plays the other guitar and spike slawson of the swingin utters sings. if you don't know of these bands or who these guys are, you should seriously start looking into punk prior to the matchbook romance and the used.god dammit, how could anyone think this is an actual band. its a side project, a damn entertaining one at that and they do it for fun, not to be a real band. fucking idiot.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

occasionally I forget how many twelve year olds there are on this site.

Mr_Pink (February 13, 2004)

There's a law of diminishing returns on Me First albums. First time you hear it it's awesome, then each listen after that it gets less and less interesting. That's only true for the CDs though, the live shows are a consistent blast. Blow In The Wind is the best one out of the bunch.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

scores for the review. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you. fuck you.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

Stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums stop reviewing old albums

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

Leaving on a Jet Plane is by John Denver. For shame.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

Actually, "Danny's Song" is by Kenny Loggins, and it is on this album.

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

John Denver.

I don't think there is a Kenny Loggins song to be found on this album.

poopypants (February 13, 2004)

uhh, i didnt read the posts yet, but hopefully someone knows that 'leaving on a jet plane' is not a paul simon song, but i forget who it is.

poopypants (February 13, 2004)

classic. reminds me of the morning after new years 99/2000 car ride home.

great concept, great song selection, great band lineup, great execution. best gimme gimme's, although 'blow int he wind'is great too. the other ones kinda blow. this is what makes punk rock fun, something waaay to many new young bands and fans have forgotten over the past 3 or 4 eyars. everyone wants to be so damn serious now, like you gotta be jesse lacey or geoff to write good songs. whatever happened to fun stuff like the suicide machines, nofx, ska in general? everyone wants to be hardcore or emo now. start a ska band.

maverick (February 13, 2004)

Easily their best album. The schtick's getting quite old now.

-Scott

Anonymous (February 13, 2004)

I don't think any of their albums are better starting points than any other. They are all pretty well known songs.

Decent review though.