2016 has already been incredibly busy for garage punk band, Thee MVPs. With a UK tour under their belt, and mammoth 24-date US tour, which included a stop at SXSW, they show no signs of slowing down. Next up is their new EP, ‘ELH+3’, and today we are premiering their cover of the classic Damned track, ‘Neat Neat Neat’, which appears on the release.
“Honestly this is easily gonna come off as a poser move, from touring with the Useless Eaters around the UK last year I realised their Anglophilic tendencies greatly outshined the frankly ignorant way I ignored my own countries music for many many years,” explains guitarist, Charlie Wyatt. “Obviously when the band started it was all Ty Segall demo tapes and goner records for inspiration but after rolling with Seth, Miles, Brendan, Kyle and Jacob I realised that whilst liking a couple numbers by The Stranglers, The Fall and Alternative TV (though I thought Action Time Vision was a Billy Childish original until Seth played me ATV in his house in SF) etc etc etc. I had pretty much grossly overlooked a whole decade and movement of music my own country produced.
“We all bought Stiff Records shirts and learnt this number for our USA tour which quickly became a favourite to play, we chucked some of our signature jams and fuzz solos in the bridge to butcher it into our own cover too. It turned out good I think and was done on the second take. My punk was Minutemen, Minor Threat and Black Flag is still is but we’re totally grateful and enlightened to be switched on to how damn good UK music was back in the day by our friends in Useless Eaters, who are honestly making some of the most legit, original and exciting Punk music out there. I still don’t like The Clash though.”
‘ELH+3’ is released on August 5th, and will be playing the Fluffer Records ‘Custard Thruster’ all-dayer on August 13th. Details of the show can be found on the Facebook event page.