METZ, our own widely-adored and delightfully noisy 3-piece punk band from Toronto, released their Sub Pop self-titled debut in 2012 and, in the time since, have cemented their reputation as one of the planet’s most exhilarating live acts and trusted providers of bombastic outsider rock. The band is made up of Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies, and Chris Slorach.
Automat is a collection of METZ non-album singles, B-sides, and rarities dating back to 2009, available here on LP for the first time, and including the band’s long out-of-print early (pre-Sub Pop) recordings. A chronological trip through the lesser known material of METZ, Automat is out now, worldwide on Sub Pop.
The band’s Alex Edkins shares, “The idea to release Automat came after realizing our early 7” singles were being sold online for upwards of $60 bucks a pop. We wanted to make those songs available and affordable to anyone who might want them in the physical format. What started as reissuing a couple of 45s, quickly morphed into an entire LP, compiling rarities, demos and alternate takes from over the years.”
Consumers of the vinyl format of Automat will be rewarded with a bonus single that includes three additional tracks: a cover of Sparklehorse’s “Pig,” from a very limited 2012 Record Store Day split single originally released by Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop; “I’m a Bug,” a cover of The Urinals’ art-punk classic, originally released on YouTube (not an actual record label) in 2014; and METZ’s previously unreleased rendition of Gary Numan’s “M.E.”
METZ are currently hard at work on their 4th full-length LP which will be released on Sub Pop when we are all damn good and ready.
All tracks on Automat have been lovingly remastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.
On July 12th, Sub Pop will release a chronological trip through the lesser known material of METZ. Automat is a collection of non-album singles, B-sides, and rarities dating back to 2009, from the widely-adored and delightfully noisy 3-piece punk band. This will be the first time that this 12-song collection will be available on LP.
The band has shared a new video for their song “ Dry Up.” “METZ have been making music together for over 10 years,” says the band’s frontman Alex Edkins. “It’s been a blur. We’ve very rarely allowed ourselves to look backward. We’ve been hyper-focused on always moving forward at breakneck speed, perpetually fixated on what’s next. The video for ‘Dry Up,’ as well as the Automatalbum, is an attempt to pause, take a breath, look backward and take stock of our past. It’s intended to express how grateful we are to be able to do what we do. It’s a love letter to the incredible places we’ve traveled, the beautiful people we’ve met, to community, music, and friendship.”
Consumers of the vinyl format of Automat will be rewarded with a bonus single that includes three additional tracks: a cover of Sparklehorse’s “Pig,” from a very limited 2012 Record Store Day split single originally released by Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop; “I’m a Bug,” a cover of The Urinals’ art-punk classic, originally released on YouTube (not an actual record label) in 2014; and METZ’s previously unreleased rendition of Gary Numan’s “M.E.”
All tracks on Automat have been lovingly remastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.
METZ are currently hard at work on their 4th full-length LP which will be released on Sub Pop when we are all damn good and ready.
METZ are heading overseas on June 23rd, to begin a 14-date EU run with performances at Loose Ends Festival in Amsterdam, Lars Rock Festival in Chiusi Scalo, IT, Pointu Festival in Island Gaou, FR, and wrapping up July 14th in Montmartin-sur-Mer, FR. See below for a full list of shows.
Jun. 23 - Amsterdam, NL- Loose Ends Festival Jun. 25 - Bristol, UK - Fleece Jun. 26 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Jun. 27 - Manchester, UK - YES Jun. 28 - London, UK - Studio 9294 Jun. 29 - Eindhoven, NL - Effenaar Jul. 02 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Jul. 03 - Lyon, FR - Ninkasi Gerland / Kao Jul. 05 - Chiusi Scalo, IT - Lars Rock Festival Jul. 06 - Milan, IT - Santeria Social Club Jul. 07 - Ile du Gaou, FR - Pointu Festival Jul. 09 - Düdingen, CH - Bad Bonn Jul. 10 - Luxembourg-Bonnevoie, LU - Rotondes Jul. 11 - Bremen, DE - TOWER Musikclub Jul. 12 - Herk-De-Stad, Belgium - Rock Herk Festival Jul. 13 - Paris, France - La Station, Gare Des Mines for Garage MU Festival Jul. 14 - Montmartin-sur-Mer, FR - Chauffer Dans La Noirceur
METZ will be on tour in May, June and July of this year.
METZ, our own widely-adored and delightfully noisy 3-piece punk band from Toronto, released their Sub Pop self-titled debut in 2012 and, in the time since, have cemented their reputation as one of the planet’s most exhilarating live acts and trusted providers of bombastic outsider rock. The band is made up of Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies, and Chris Slorach. Automat is a collection of METZ non-album singles, B-sides, and rarities dating back to 2009, available here on LP for the first time, and including the band’s long out-of-print early (pre-Sub Pop) recordings. A chronological trip through the lesser known material of METZ, Automat will be released worldwide on Sub Pop July 12, 2019.
The band’s Alex Edkins shares, “The idea to release Automat came after realizing our early 7” singles were being sold online for upwards of $60 bucks a pop. We wanted to make those songs available and affordable to anyone who might want them in the physical format. What started as reissuing a couple of 45s, quickly morphed into an entire LP, compiling rarities, demos and alternate takes from over the years.”
“‘Pure Auto’ is METZ at our most tongue in cheek,” says Edkins. “There are many winks and many nods (autonomy, me, me, me, me, me, for example) but ultimately it’s about being a control freak; fighting the urge to constantly steer the ship. Originally released as the B-side to the ‘Eraser’ 7” it has never been played live, but for some reason still manages to be one of our collective favorites. It was written and recorded very quickly after completing the II album sessions and came out of a surge of creativity/excitement/relief following a particularly intense and time-consuming album. You can watch the new video for “Pure Auto” by Montreal’s Scorpion Dagger by clicking here and also here.”
Consumers of the vinyl format of Automat will be rewarded with a bonus single that includes three additional tracks: a cover of Sparklehorse’s “Pig,” from a very limited 2012 Record Store Day split single originally released by Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop; “I’m a Bug,” a cover of The Urinals’ art-punk classic, originally released on YouTube (not an actual record label) in 2014; and METZ’s previously unreleased rendition of Gary Numan’s “M.E.”
METZ are currently hard at work on their 4th full-length LP which will be released on Sub Pop when we are all damn good and ready.
All tracks on Automat have been lovingly remastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.
Automat Tracklisting
1. Soft Whiteout 2. Lump Sums 3. Dry Up 4. Ripped on the Fence 5. Negative Space (7 inch version) 6. Automat 7. Wet Blanket (demo) 8. Dirty Shirt 9. Leave Me Out 10. Can’t Understand 11. Pure Auto 12. Eraser
METZ are playing May 25th in Minneapolis and May 26th in Chicago with labelmates Mudhoney and heading overseas on June 23rd, to begin a 14-date EU run with performances at Loose Ends Festival in Amsterdam, Lars Rock Festival in Chiusi Scalo in Italy, Pointu Festival in Island Gaou, France, and ending July 14th in Montmartin-sur-Mer, France.
Tour Dates May 25 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe* May 26 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall # May 27 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club Jun. 23 - Amsterdam, NL- Loose Ends Festival Jun. 25 - Bristol, UK - Fleece Jun. 26 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club Jun. 27 - Manchester, UK - YES Jun. 28 - London, UK - Studio 9294 Jun. 29 - Eindhoven, NL - Effenaar Jul. 02 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Jul. 03 - Lyon, FR - Ninkasi Gerland / Kao Jul. 05 - Chiusi Scalo, IT - Lars Rock Festival Jul. 07 - Ile du Gaou, FR - Pointu Festival Jul. 09 - Düdingen, CH - Bad Bonn Jul. 10 - Luxembourg-Bonnevoie, LU - Rotondes Jul. 11 - Bremen, DE - TOWER Musikclub Jul. 13 - Paris, FR- La Station, Gare Des Mines for Garage MU Festival Jul. 14 - Montmartin-sur-Mer, FR - Chauffer Dans La Noirceur
Plus, Sub Pop’s “SPF30 Singles Spectacular”: 4 limited-edition commemorative split 7” singles featuring new songs from Mudhoney, Shabazz Palaces, Hot Snakes, Frankie Cosmos, METZ, LVL UP
We are delighted to share more details for SPF30 and Sub Pop’s 30th Anniversary weekend (<- click to see the very, very official website of SPF30), happening Friday, August 10th and Saturday, August 11th, 2018 in beautiful Seattle, Washington.
Father John Misty, Hot Snakes, and Bully have just been added to the lineup for SPF30 on Saturday, August 11th. The newly announced groups will join Beach House, Clipping, Kyle Craft, Fastbacks, Jo Passed, Loma, LVL UP, METZ, Moaning, Mudhoney, Shabazz Palaces, Wolf Parade, Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its!, and The School of Rock West Seattle House Band over four stages along incredibly scenic Alki Ave. in the Alki Beach neighborhood of West Seattle.
Stage names and set times are as follows:
LOSER STAGE (@ Bathhouse West) 1:30 - Moaning 3:15 - Bully 5:15 - Fastbacks 7:00 - Wolf Parade 9:00 - Father John Misty
THE FLIPPITY-FLOP STAGE (@ Bathhouse East) 12:45 - LVL UP 2:30 - Loma 4:15 - Clipping 6:00 - Shabazz Palaces 8:00 - Beach House
PUNKY STAGE (@ Whale Tail Park) 1:00 - Caspar Babypants 2:00 - The Not-Its! 4:00 - The School of Rock West Seattle House Band
SPF30 Singles Spectacular
Also on August 11th at SPF30, Sub Pop will offer the “SPF30 Singles Spectacular”: 4 limited-edition commemorative split 7” singles featuring as-yet-unreleased tracks from 8 artists on the label. Each of these singles will be on colored vinyl, in an edition of 1,000, with covers featuring SPF30 artwork by Rick Froberg (of Hot Snakes). This collection of 7”s will be available individually and as a set. (limit: 2 per-person) And those savvy enough to buy all four will be delighted to find that the interiors of the covers combine to make one complete SPF30 poster-like image.
SPF30 Singles Spectacular tracklist: 1. Mudhoney “One Bad Actor” b/w Hot Snakes “They Put You Up to This” 2. Shabazz Palaces “The Blue Tiger” b/w Chad VanGaalen “Friendly Aliens” 3. Frankie Cosmos “Home Is Where” b/w LVL UP “Orchard” 4. METZ “Escalator Teeth/On and On” b/w Clipping “Club Down”
More about SPF30:
SPF30 is a free, all-ages event and will also have…A record fair-type thing! A PaperStock poster exhibit and sale! Food trucks! Beer gardens! A true bonanza of new Sub Pop and SPF30 merch! (The t-shirts, records, posters, food and beer and wine and soda or whatever, you will have to pay for! These parts are not free!) Good times and opportunities to embarrass yourself and those who’d always hoped for better for you!
Also joining us at SPF30 will be a stellar group of nonprofit organizations doing incredible work, and offering tools that we believe can help us as individuals lead healthier, safer and more informed lives. Organizations at SPF30 include Motley Zoo, Puget Soundkeeper, Seattle Derby Brats, Skate Like A Girl, Totem Star, Vera Project, Village of Hope / Black Prisoners Caucus, Washington Bus, Washington Ceasefire, West Seattle Helpline, and YouthCare. There will also be anti-sexual assault and safe consumption organizations on site, and free advice with therapists Galeet & Geri. These community organizations enact positive, systemic change in the world, and we at Sub Pop couldn’t be more proud to have them all present at SPF30.
Seattle’s Alki Beach boasts some of the most awesome territorial (city/water/mountain) views the city has to offer, along with the occasional whale sighting, a somewhat diminutive replica of the Statue of Liberty, and some of the best local businesses to boot. We are honored to be welcomed by the Alki Beach neighborhood. And while we want everyone to have fun, we also want everyone to be respectful of those who live there. We’d also like to thank our SPF30 beneficiary Southwest Seattle Historical Society for their support in planning this event.
And closing out our festivities is a late show celebrating the unbelievably “coincidental” 15th anniversary of Pissed Jeans at the Crocodile in Seattle. This show is 21 +, and doors are at 8pm. Tickets are still available for $16 here.
SPF30 and the Pissed Jeans 15th Anniversary Show on Sat., Aug. 11th, are preceded by two events on the evening of Friday, August 10th. The Afghan Whigs, Mass Gothic and Yuno are playing a free, all-ages outdoor concert at the Mural Amphitheatre, presented by KEXP and Seattle Center (starting at 5 pm). Later that same evening, we are presenting A Night of Comedy From the Cast of Bob’s Burgers at The Moore Theatre: A Benefit For Youth Care, featuring H. Jon Benjamin, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, Larry Murphy and John Roberts. This event is happening at The Moore Theatre and is sold out (7 pm).
It is our hope that SPF30 and Sub Pop’s 30th Anniversary Weekend will serve as a super fun and sincere “thank you” to our local and global music community for supporting Sub Pop and our artists for the past 30 years (and the next 30!).
In addition to celebrating a dynamic, inspirational roster spanning three decades, we also wish to create a sense of uplifting togetherness where we not only listen to great music but we become better at listening to each other as well.
Schedule of Things Happening
JULY 26 / AUGUST 2ND / AUGUST 9TH SUB POP TURNTABLE SESSIONS KEXP Gathering Space • FREE • 6-8pm • ALL-AGES The Sub Pop Turntable Sessions are three distinct panel discussions highlighting multiple facets of Sub Pop’s history in celebration of the label’s 30th anniversary. Each session will review snippets of past label happenings and works while discussing how they relate to the label and our society’s future. The first session will be on July 26th, featuring Sub Pop LOSER Scholarship winners. The next will be on August 2nd and will feature Seattle-based collective Black Constellation. And for the third session we’ll be bringing in the Sub Pop’s own Mudhoney, as they also celebrate their 30th anniversary this year as well. Session 1: Sub Pop Loser Scholarship Winners. Session 2: Black Constellation. Session 3: Mudhoney’s 30th.
AUGUST 10TH SUB POP’S BIG 30TH ANNIVERSARY KICK-OFF SHOWCASE • THE MURAL AMPHITHEATRE • 5PM • ALL-AGES • FREE!!! A special Concert at the Mural presented by KEXP and Seattle Center with The Afghan Whigs, Mass Gothic, Yuno
A NIGHT OF COMEDY FROM THE CAST OF BOB’S BURGERS • THE MOORE THEATRE • 7PM DOOR • ALL-AGES [***SOLD OUT***] Featuring H. Jon Benjamin, Eugene Mirman, Kristen Schaal, Larry Murphy, John Roberts
AUGUST 11TH SPF30: SUB POP’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL• ALKI BEACH, WEST SEATTLE • NOON - 10PM • ALL- AGES • FREE!!! Beach House, Bully, Clipping, Kyle Craft, Father John Misty, Fastbacks, Hot Snakes, Jo Passed, Loma, LVL UP, METZ, Moaning, Mudhoney, Shabazz Palaces, Wolf Parade, Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its!, and The School of Rock West Seattle House Band
THE CROCODILE • 8PM DOOR • 21 AND OVER • $16 The Unbelievably “Coincidental” 15th Anniversary of Pissed Jeans
Hot on the heels of their blistering March 27th performance on the The Chris Gethard Show,METZ have a new video for the track “Mr. Plague,” from their 2017 album, Strange Peace.
As described by director, Shayne Ehman (who has directed 3 out of 3 of the videos from Strange Peace), the video examines: “…the crumbling remnants of civilization…a broken justice system…a consumer wasteland… Was it all part of the plan?” Watch the video for “Mr. Plague” here to find out.
METZ have added new dates to their previously announced and comprehensive 2018 international tour schedule. New Canadian and European headlining and festival dates include: Quebec City at Festival D’été on July 11th; Leipzig, Germany at UT Connewitz on July 18th; Berlin, Germany at Cassiopeia on July 19th; August 16th in Wiesbaden, Germany at Schlactof; Reading Festival on August 25th; Leeds Festival on August 26th; Cardiff, Wales at The Globe on August 27th; and Asten-Heusden, Netherlands for the Misty Fields Festival on August 31st. Sub Pop labelmates Moaning will open a number of these EU shows.
Apr. 17 - Lisbon, Portugal – MusicBox * Apr. 18 - Porto, Portugal – Hard Club * Apr. 19 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Noord Apr. 20 - Rotterdam, Netherlands – Motel Mozaique Apr. 21 - Esch-sur-Alzette, LU - Out of the Crowd Festival Apr. 23 - Milan, IT - Magnolia * Apr. 24 - Bologna, IT - Freakout, Bologna * Apr. 25 - Munich, DE - Strom * Apr. 26 - Cologne, DE - Gebaude 9 * Apr. 27 - Belfort, FR - Impetus Festival Apr. 28 - London, UK - Test Pressing Festival* Apr. 30 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo * May 01 - Dublin, IE - Whelan’s May 02 - Manchester, UK - Soup Kitchen * May 03 - Ramsgate, UK - Ramsgate Music Hall * [Sold Out] May 04 - Brussels, BE - Les Nuits Botanique [Sold Out] May 05 - Leffinge, BE - De Zwerver * May 23 - Taipei, Taiwan - The Wall May 25 - Beijing, China - TBC May 26 - Shanghai, China - TBC May 29 - Hong Kong, China - TTN Livehouse May 31 - Manila, Philippines - Mow’s Bar Jun. 01 - Singapore - Decline Jun. 02 - Bangkok, Thailand - Norma Jun. 04 - Tokyo, Japan - Fever Jun. 05 - Tokyo, Japan - Fever Jun. 06 - Nagoya, Japan - Tight Rope Jun. 07 - Osaka, Japan - Conpass Jun. 13 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall Jun. 14 - New York, NY - Rocks Off Cruise w/ Holy Fuck Jul. 11 - Quebec City, QC - Festival D’ete Jul. 12 - Ottawa, ON - Babylon Jul 18 - Leipzig, DE - UT Connewitz, Jul. 19 - Berlin, DE - Cassiopeia Jul. 21 - Tromso, Norway - Bukta Festival Aug. 16 - Wiesbaden, DE - Schlactof Aug. 25 - Reading, UK - Reading Festival Aug. 26 - Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival Aug. 27 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms Aug. 29 - Cardiff, UK - The Globe Aug. 31 - Asten-Heusden, NL - Misty Fields Festival Sep. 14 - Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre (Westward Festival) Oct. 26-28 - Gainesville, Florida - The Fest * w/ Moaning
Strange Peace is available now on CD / LP / DL / CS worldwide (except in Canada) from Sub Pop here. In Canada, Strange Peace is available from Royal Mountain Records over here.
Plus there’s an updated international tour schedule for 2018.
Last week, METZ delivered incredible performances of Strange Peace tracks “Mr. Plague,” “Cellophane” and “Mess of Wires” for The Chris Gethard Show on TruTV (which airs Tuesdays at 11pm/10pm CT).
METZ have added new dates to their previously announced 2018 international tour schedule. New Canadian and European headlining and festival dates include: Quebec City at Festival D’ete on July 11th; Leipzig, Germany at UT Connewitz on July 18th; Berlin, Germany at Cassiopeia on July 19th; August 16th in Wiesbaden, Germany at Schlactof; Reading Festival on August 25th; Leeds Festival on August 26th; Cardiff, Wales at The Globe on August 27th; and Asten-Heusden, Netherlands for the Misty Fields Festival on August 31st. Sub Pop label mates Moaning, will open a slew of EU shows (select dates).
Apr. 17 - Lisbon, Portugal – MusicBox * Apr. 18 - Porto, Portugal – Hard Club * Apr. 19 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Noord Apr. 20 - Rotterdam, Netherlands – Motel Mozaique Apr. 21 - Esch-sur-Alzette, LU - Out of the Crowd Festival Apr. 23 - Milan, IT - Magnolia * Apr. 24 - Bologna, IT - Freakout, Bologna * Apr. 25 - Munich, DE - Strom * Apr. 26 - Cologne, DE - Gebaude 9 * Apr. 27 - Belfort, FR - Impetus Festival Apr. 28 - London, UK - Test Pressing Festival* Apr. 30 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo * May 01 - Dublin, IE - Whelan’s May 02 - Manchester, UK - Soup Kitchen * May 03 - Ramsgate, UK - Ramsgate Music Hall * [Sold Out] May 04 - Brussels, BE - Les Nuits Botanique [Sold Out] May 05 - Leffinge, BE - De Zwerver * May 23 - Taipei, Taiwan - The Wall May 25 - Beijing, China - TBC May 26 - Shanghai, China - TBC May 29 - Hong Kong, China - TTN Livehouse May 31 - Manila, Philippines - Mow’s Bar Jun. 01 - Singapore - Decline Jun. 02 - Bangkok, Thailand - Norma Jun. 04 - Tokyo, Japan - Fever Jun. 05 - Tokyo, Japan - Fever Jun. 06 - Nagoya, Japan - Tight Rope Jun. 07 - Osaka, Japan - Conpass Jul. 11 - Quebec City, QC - Festival D’ete Jul 18 - Leipzig, DE - UT Connewitz, Jul. 19 - Berlin, DE - Cassiopeia Jul. 21 - Tromso, Norway - Bukta Festival Aug. 16 - Wiesbaden, DE - Schlactof Aug. 25 - Reading, UK - Reading Festival Aug. 26 - Leeds, UK - Leeds Festival Aug. 27 - Cardiff, UK - The Globe Aug. 31 - Asten-Heusden, NL - Misty Fields Festival Sep. 14 - Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre (Westward Festival) * w/ Moaning
Strange Peace is available now on CD / LP / DL / CS worldwide (except in Canada) from Sub Pop right here. In Canada, Strange Peace is available from Royal Mountain Records over here.
