S-E-R-V-I-C-E – Drag Me [unconfirmed] (CD, US)

Debut album by S-E-R-V-I-C-E scheduled for release on CD and cassette, initially available as an LP.

The album cover Ryan Dunn was originally used for a show at State Street Pub, Indianapolis, IN, US on 4 October 2019.

SERVICE is an urgent, howling, earnest rock and roll band, steadily cementing their reputation as a great live act, ahead of releasing their debut record, Drag Me (Let’s Pretend). Started in the Manhattan apartment of renowned drummer Russell Simins, SERVICE now lives in Indianapolis, home of the other two core members, Jilly Weiss and Mitch Geisinger. The band sums up their sound with the quip, “post-punk then punk again,” which reflects their smart, self-deprecating lyrics as much as the music.

Jilly is an iconic front person with the boastful confidence of Nick Cave or Mark E. Smith (the Fall), combined with the sort of confessional sincerity of PJ Harvey. Mitch’s wild guitar manipulations recount the Birthday Party and Butthole Surfers with an array of effects the Liars would admire. At the helm from behind the kit is Russell Simins, best known best for his tenure in NYC staple rock outfit, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Simins’s uniquely hard-driving, powerful beats give SERVICE a huge sound. Glide Magazine called the band, “the most authentic expression of vulnerability and self-awareness, with wildly impactful vocals set against roaring guitars and a giant beat.” They are ready to play bigger rooms.

SERVICE will release their debut album Drag Me, on Let’s Pretend Records on May 6, 2022. This is very much a guitar record, a two-guitar assault really, but the hard-grooving beats keep it almost danceably post-punk. Drag Me is certainly unorthodox, but has choruses that will have you yelling along. Magnet Magazine called “Hey,” the first single,” a caterwauling assault of a post-punk song that will help you end your bummer summer on a high note.” Drag Me is an audacious, swaggering rock and roll record that is about to put SERVICE on the map.

07 October 2016: “Jilly working on art for the upcoming first SERVICE vinyl release. Here’s a contender.”* – twitter.com/gimmeservice/

*Artwork shown below

“Shit keeps getting cooler! Corpse Flower Records will be putting out the the first-ever S-E-R-V-I-C-E vinyl release! More details coming soon.” – facebook.com/gimmesomeservice/

“I will be releasing the debut EP from SERVICE. no time frame yet, but it’s in the works. songs are recorded. SERVICE is jilly and matt from we are hex and russell from jon spencer blues explosion.” – https://www.facebook.com/corpseflowerrecords

21 November 2016: Postal Recording posted a photo of S-E-R-V-I-C-E “crafting a noise sculpture in the control room tonight”

11 December 2016: S-E-R-V-I-C-E posted a set of photos from the studio titled “SERVICE EP #1”.

16 January 2017: Jinx Dawson, Matt Hagen, Jilly Weiss and Russell Simins at Postal Recording

23 February 2017: S-E-R-V-I-C-E mentioned on Instagram that music would be released Spring 2017.

10 June 2018: New tracks “Cold Light” (a.k.a. “Won’t Stop Coming”) and “Be Alright” posted on soundcloud.com.

05 August 2018: “S-E-R-V-I-C-E is M-I-X-I-N-G #gimmesomeservice #servicetheband #postpunkthenpunkagain” – @gimmesomeservice

30 August 2018: LP title and new track “Hey” posted by Magnet Magazine:

“Every longtime MAGNET reader should recognize the big, bearded fella in the above photo. Why, yes, on the drums, it’s Mr. Russell Simins, ladies and gentlemen. While on tour with main gig the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion five years ago, Simins met We Are Hex frontwoman Jilly Weiss. They started hanging out, wrote some songs, fell in love, got married and formed a band: S-E-R-V-I-C-E. With multi-instrumentalist Sharlene Birdsong, guitarist Mitch Geisinger and bassist Johnny Zeps, the duo recorded a rockin’ ‘n’ wailin’ debut album called Drag Me, which is out early next year. But you don’t have to wait until then to get serviced by Russell, Jilly and Co. Today we’re bringing you first single “Hey,” a caterwauling assault of a post-punk song that will help you end your bummer summer on a high note. We’re proud to premiere “Hey” right here, right now on magnetmagazine.com. Check it out.” – magnetmagazine.com/

2019: Originally ‘Acid Over and Over’ was given as the album release title, then there was a 2017 EP slated for release by Corpse Flower Records and on 30 August 2018 Magnet Magazine posted a news story and new track “Hey” stating that the album was scheduled for a 2019 release”.

22 May 2021: Let’s Pretend Records and S-E-R-V-I-C-E posted the album cover and a video of the test pressing stating that the release was scheduled for Fall 2021.

“Our debut full-length Drag Me comes out this fall on Let’s Pretend Records / It was a long time in the making and it’s just what we hoped it could be – a loud messy behemoth with some surprising hooks. Art by Ryan Dunn / More about a new video, single, and shows very soon. We’re creeping back out. Until then a minute of sound from the track Two Gurus in Drag recorded Postal Recording ft the stunning Jinx Dawson / “I don’t know what to do with my body. I’m so glad that you do.”” – S-E-R-V-I-C-E

“Test presses are in and sound so incredible on the debut SERVICE LP. Four years in the making on this bad boy and couldn’t be more stoked to release it into the world. With members of John Spencer Blues Explosion and We Are Hex.” – Let’s Pretend Records

29 January 2022: Peter Shaw posts images of the S-E-R-V-I-C-E record being delivered (https://www.instagram.com/sweetpete85/)

11 February 2022: “Should have more info next week about the record release and a bunch of spring shows. I swear I’m going to get better at updates now that there’s actually stuff brewing again! 🖤jilly” – https://www.instagram.com/gimmesomeservice/

5 April 2022: Pre-Orders available at Let’s Pretend Records.

20 April 2022: Orders were arriving internationally by 20 April.

6 May 2022: Let’s Pretend Records state that CD and cassette editions of the album will be released in the future.

7 May 2022: Album launch show with Hyper Tensions and Vacation at Square Cat Vinyl, Indianapolis, IN.

14 September 2022: New SERVICE tour dates announced (5 – 22 October 2022) at which the band will be selling CD and cassette editions of the album.

Let’s Pretend Records:
https://www.letspretendrecords.com
https://letspretendrecords1.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/letspretendrecords/

Ryan Dunn:
https://www.instagram.com/dunnhog/

Vocals: Jilly Weiss
Drums / Guitar / Synths / Percussion: Russell Simins
Guitars: Mitch Geisinger
Bass: John Zeps
Keys / Synths / Guitar: Sharlene Birdsong

Additional Guitar: Matt Hagan
Additional Backing Vocals: Jinx Dawson and Madeline Robinson
Addition Bass and Guitar: Mike Bridavsky

Mastered: Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering, NYC

01. It’s You
Recorded at Hi Bias Recording, Detroit, MI
Engineered: Chris Koltay
Mixed: Tyler Watkins and Russell Simins

02. Hey
Recorded at Postal Recording, IN
Engineered: Tyler Watkins and Alex Kerchaval

03. Who Are You Anyway?
Recorded at Postal Recording, IN
Engineered: Tyler Watkins and Alex Kerchaval

04. Blooded
Recorded at Russian Recording, IN
Engineered: Mike Bridavsky
Mixed: Chris Shaw and Russell Simins

05. Two Gurus In Drag
Recorded at Postal Recording, IN
Engineered: Tyler Watkins and Alex Kerchaval
Mixed: Chris Shaw and Russell Simins

06. Pusher
Recorded at Russian Recording, IN
Engineered: Mike Bridavsky
Mixed: Mike Bridavsky and Russell Simins

07. Won’t Stop Coming
Recorded at Russian Recording, IN
Engineered: Mike Bridavsky
Mixed: Mike Bridavsky and Russell Simins

08. Find Me Alive
Recorded at Russian Recording, IN
Engineered: Mike Bridavsky
Mixed: Chris Shaw and Russell Simins

09. June and Johnny
Recorded at Hi Bias Recording, Detroit, MI
Engineered: Chris Koltay
Mixed: Tyler Watkins and Russell Simins

10. Drag Me
Recorded at Russian Recording, IN
Engineered: Mike Bridavsky
Mixed: Mike Bridavsky and Russell Simins

Design and Layout: Ryan Dunn
Photo: Greg (The Mayor) Andrews

BARCODE: n/a

MATRIX: [unknown]