MEEK IS MURDER NEWS ROUND-UP: BAND READIES NEW CASSETTE, APPEARANCE ON COMP, TOUR

We’ve gotten some e-mails recently asking us for updates on everyone’s favorite experimental punk/grind band, Meek is Murder, which isn’t surprising — for one thing, the band is great, and for another, after an incredibly busy 2011, they’ve “been in hibernation,” as guitarist/vocalist Mike Keller put it during a performance last night at Manhattan’s weekly Precious Metal show.

Well, great news: the band is gearing up now for a busy 2012, too, with a whole bunch of activity on the horizon. Here’s the latest:

First, the group recently completed a new cassette — yes, you read that right — called 88 MPH, which, duh, is a Back to the Future reference. The band recorded the cassette in their rehearsal space, and it will be a very limited edition affair, to be sold only on their upcoming tour — but don’t cry too much if you can’t get your hands on one, ’cause drummer Frank Godla tells me that the band plans to re-record the songs for their official follow-up to last year’s Algorithms. They’re hoping to reunite with Algorithms producer/Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou for that offering later this year, which would be sweet. A track from the 88 MPH casssette, “Doc Emmett Brown,” made its live debut at last night’s show, and it is INSANE — like, think of all the craziest parts of Meek is Murder music, and amp that shit up to a thousand, and you’ll have some sense of what I’m talking about. Killer, killer, stuff.

As if that wasn’t enough, the band recently recorded a cover of Botch’s “Japam” for a really killer-sounding double LP compilation, All About Friends Forever, which is being put together by our pal Rich Hall from 1000 Knives, along with Hardcore Maniacs. Funny enough, Botch themselves are ALSO on the comp (alas, not covering Meek is Murder, amusing as that would be), along with a ton of other great artists, including Coalesce, Steve Brodsky, and Helms Alee. All About Friends Forever will see a limited vinyl release of just a thousand copes (333 of which will be on colored vinyl) that will featured silkscreened, hand-made covers, as well as a twelve page full color booklet. There’s a Kickstarter page for the comp up and running now. You can get additional info via this interview with Hardcore Maniacs’ Carrie Whitney, or from the below trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ALSwsuuBI

And as if all of that weren’t enough for you, yes, like I said, the band is planning another tour. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to say with whom they’ll be touring, but oh fuck it, it’s Tiger Flowers. Who also just SLAY live. So that should be a really good time as well — not to mention being your only chance to get one of those sweet 88 MPH cassettes.

We’ll post tour dates as soon as we get ’em. In the meantime, start getting stoked on new Meek is Murder. And don’t foret that you can still buy Algorithms right here.

-AR