Chubby and the Gang have dropped a brand spanking new single ‘Lightning Don’t Strike Twice‘, the first new music we’ve heard from the West London pub punks since Partisan Records re-released their ripsnorting debut record Speed Kills last year.
The track which channels British hardcore punk and bottle-swilling country blues mercilessly lambasts social inequality and endemic unemployment in a so-called prosperous country based on meritocracy. Main man Charlie ‘Chubby’ Manning said the inspiration came from “witnessing someone’s telephone voice where they had to change their voice when conducting business or applying for jobs so they don’t come across as if they are from a lower class.”
He went on to say: “I wrote this song about social inequality. Not mine but the people I saw around me. I feel like the whole premise of poverty is presented like this game in which if you play your cards right you can escape. In reality it’s more like playing a game of dice when they’re loaded against your favour. Constantly being struck by lightning and being told that it will never happen again.”
‘Lightning Don’t Strike Twice’ will be released as part of a double A-side 7″ out on May 28th via Partisan Records with an album expected later in the year.
Check out the video below:
Alongside the single, Chubby and the Gang will also embark on a hefty 40-date UK and Ireland tour this November and December, with notable shows set for Manchester’s YES, Brighton’s Green Door Store, Bodega in Nottingham, and London’s Scala.
Check out the full dates below, with tickets going on sale at 10:00am on Friday 16th March:
Nov 4th | Woking – Fiery Bird
Nov 5th | Bournemouth – Anvil
Nov 6th | Coventry – Central Library
Nov 7th | St. Albans – The Horn
Nov 8th | Hull – The Polar Bear
Nov 10th | Hebden Bridge – Trades Club
Nov 11th | Stoke – The Sugarmill
Nov 12th | Blackpool – Bootleg Social
Nov 13th | Edinburgh – Mash House
Nov 14th | Aberdeen – Café Drummond
Nov 16th | Sunderland – Independent
Nov 17th | Huddersfield – Parish
Nov 18th | Liverpool – Jimmy’s
Nov 19th | Sheffield – Delicious Clam
Nov 20th | Sheffield – Delicious Clam
Nov 21st | Milton Keynes – Crauford Arms
Nov 23rd | Exeter – Cavern Club
Nov 24th | Southampton – Joiners
Nov 25th | Oxford – The Bullingdon
Nov 26th | Bedford – Esquires
Nov 27th | Cambridge – Portland Arms
Nov 28th | Southend – Chinnery’s
Nov 30th | Tunbridge Wells – Forum
Dec 1st | Margate – Elsewhere
Dec 2nd | Dover – Booking Hall
Dec 3rd | Portsmouth – Guildhall Studio
Dec 4th | Brighton – Green Door Store
Dec 5th | Norwich – Waterfront Studio
Dec 6th | Nottingham – Bodega
Dec 8th | Birmingham – Castle & Falcon
Dec 9th | Leeds – Belgrave Music Hall
Dec 10th | Newcastle – Think Tank
Dec 11th | Glasgow – King Tuts
Dec 12th | Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
Dec 14th | Manchester – YES
Dec 15th | London – Scala
Dec 17th | Bristol – Exchange
Dec 18th | Dublin – The Workman’s Club
Dec 19th | Belfast – Voodoo
To hear more from Chubby and the Gang, click here.