Spike & The Gimme Gimmes is heading to Germany for Six Concerts This Autumn
Spike & the Gimme Gimmes might just be the most entertaining cover band of all time. Since 1995, this US supergroup has been delivering spectacular moments with their punk-rock renditions of pop songs. This autumn, they are returning to Germany for a six-date tour.
The band—which performed under the name
“Me First and The Gimme Gimmes”
until last year—has truly
earned its status as a supergroup:
Each of the five
founding members had already
established a serious musical career prior to joining. Originally, Spike Slawson (Swingin’ Utters), Fat Mike (NOFX), Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters), Joey Cape (Lagwagon), and Dave Raun (Lagwagon) came together through their shared love of punk music. Nowadays, the band performs in rotating lineups centered around lead singer Spike Slawson.
The idea to record punk covers of well-known pop songs quickly took shape. Over the years, this led to the release of several acclaimed albums, each dedicated to a specific theme: Their debut, *Have a Ball* (1997), focused on classic singer-songwriters of the 1960s and ’70s, while *Are a Drag* (1999) tackled Broadway show tunes. In 2001, *Blow in the Wind* brought the focus back to the 1960s, followed in 2003 by *Take a Break*, an album packed with R&B tracks. Most recently, 2006 saw the release of *Love Their Country*—a Western-themed album—and 2014 brought *Are We Not Men? We Are Diva!*—a pop-centric release.
As you can see, anything is possible with Spike & the Gimme Gimmes. And above all, it’s always a blast! In addition to several EPs and compilations, their discography also includes the aptly titled live album, *Ruin Jonny’s Bar Mitzvah*. And it wasn’t the last LP to emerge from a teenage party: in 2024, *¡Blow it…at Madison’s Quinceañera!* arrived as a worthy successor.
Fittingly—given the music’s penchant for exaggeration—the band members typically take the stage in matching costumes. However, this in no way detracts from their musically flawless performance; quite the opposite, in fact. This autumn, Spike & The Gimme Gimmes are finally returning to the stage—playing no fewer than six concerts across Germany!
