Spike Slawson of Me First & The Gimme Gimmes Speaks About Gimmes, Uke-Hunt

Tim Wenger | September 23, 2014

by Tim Wenger

Who doesn’t like a good cover song now and then? In the case of San Francisco punkers Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, it’s all covers, all the time. Started by Fat Mike of NOFX and Joey Cape of Lagwagon, two of Fat Wreck Chords biggest heavy hitters, the “Gimmes” have developed an international following by covering many of popular music’s biggest hits, spanning from Motown to country. The band put on one of the best shows at Denver’s Riot Fest, and CMB caught up with front man Spike Slawson to get the lowdown on how their songs, their shows, and his new ukulele-heavy project Uke-Hunt.

CMB: What’s the song selection process like for you guys?

Spike: We pick a theme, then pick a whole bunch of songs, and then if Fat Mike hasn’t heard of it, or doesn’t think it’s catchy, we (don’t do it) . This sounds like an insult, and it probably is, but he’s got the most narrow frame of reference as far as music goes, if it appeals to his sensibilities, then there’s a chance that it’s pretty good. He’s got the ears of the common man. He dismisses a lot of stuff out of hand. We all come at him with a bunch of songs, then he dismisses the ones he doesn’t like.

CMB: What’s coming up?

Spike: You’re guess is as good as mine! Generally, they offer us stuff, and we take it. We’re going out to England in December, and possibly continental Europe in February, but other than that, you’re looking at it.

CMB: Do you ever feel like you have to create a sort of separation from NOFX, Lagwagon, or any of the other groups that the guys have worked with to give the Gimmes its own image?

Spike: No. We wear costumes.

CMB: You recently launched a uke-heavy group called Uke-Hunt. Anything going on?

Spike: We’re going to be touring a little bit in the weeks to come. We’re going to up to the Northwest, then coming down and doing some California dates. Denver’s kind of a flight. I don’t like the rest of the near-west cities. I like Denver. It’s really like its civilization but it’s in the middle of nowhere. There’s not a bunch of good cities around here.

Online: facebook.com/ukehuntband, facebook.com/gimmegimmes

Tags: Tim Wenger, punk rock, riot fest, Fat Mike, Spike Slawson, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, Lagwagon, Joey Cape, Uke-Hunt, covers, Fat Wreck Chords