Punk's premier cover artists, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a conglomerate of some of the most recognizable faces in new-school punk. Drawn together by a mutual love of '60s and '70s music, the Gimme Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. Their repertoire include songs from such acts as Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and John Denver.
Singer Spike Slawson formed the Gimme Gimmes in 1996, drawing in the talents of NOFX bassist Fat Mike, Lagwagon singer/guitarist Joey Cape, No Use for a Name guitarist Chris Shiflett, and Lagwagon drummer Dave Raun. Never originally aiming to put out a record, the band made appearances on punk compilation albums through much of the year. In 1997, however, the band began releasing singles named after the singer they had covered. They produced Billy, Diamond, Paul, Denver, and Barry in this manner.
Finally, the group produced their first full-legth effort, Have a Ball, in late 1997. Two years later, Are a Drag arrived. This particular album was a hit at college radio thanks to the band's quirky renditions of popular show tunes. In 1999, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes reworked bubblegum classics from the 1960s and 1970s for Blow in the Wind. Once more, the band was a hit at college radio and pop kids started catching on to Me First and the Gimme Gimme's infectious pop sound. The R&B tailored album, Take A Break was released in July 2003, just in time for the band's fifth appearance on the annual Vans' Warped Tour.
