For their upcoming tour of Australia, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes will be missing two members due to other commitments. Both bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Chris Shifflet will be busy with other projects and will be unable to attend the dates. In their place however, will be NOFX guitarist extraordinaire, Eric Melvin.
The label explained the situation:
Fat Mike can't/won't go to Australia and New Zealand with the Gimmes in January because he misses his daughter too much and NOFX has gotten themselves so busy making their documentary, that he has been, and will continue to be, on the road part of each and every month next year. Fortunately Eric Melvin has no kids; he had such a good time covering for Mike in Europe last summer and the Gimmes had such a good time having him along, that he has agreed to do it again this January. So if any of you Aussies or Kiwis are pissed, fine… don't come, but please keep in mind:a) Melvin does not talk as much so you get "more covers, less babble"
b) It was pretty much this or nothing
the band has been issuing country–themed seven–inches in their "Square Dance" series.