THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Just in time for your long weekend, Arkells have released Disco Loadout: Volume 1, an 11-track covers album of their highly requested, feel-good, fan-fave singalongs.
“We are of the mind that if you’ve made something you’re proud of, and other people might enjoy it, then offer it up,” says Arkells frontman Max Kerman. “We’ve long agonized over what covers to include in our live set, so when we land on one, it means the song means a lot to us. We’ve been asked by fans over the years to record and release them officially, and with a window in the calendar recently, we were able to do just that. The songs are all timeless classics, everything from 60’s through today. And they share the thing a transcendent pop song can do, which is make you feel damn good.”
But what does that title mean? “A disco loadout is a term in our industry that describes a very humbling act,” Kerman explains. “Many bands have experienced this, and we certainly have.
“Sometimes when you’re on tour you might pull up to a venue to find there is a later show happening the same night. The promoter, looking at his spreadsheet, has decided that it makes financial sense to book two separate shows on the same night. Your band is playing the early show, and when you are finished, you must load your gear down the stairs and out the door while a lineup of people waits to get into the venue for the next show. The later show is usually a cover band, performing songs that everyone knows and likes.
“We have been humbled by this in the past, and instead of living with the embarrassment, we have performed and recorded those songs for you. We’re taking the term back. Disco Loadout Volume 1 contains the songs Arkells like to play when we need to party like it’s a late show.
“Some people are wondering if we are going to perform these songs live anytime soon, and the answer is… we might. You have likely heard some of these covers over the years in our set, and they all belong in the bag of tricks we keep adding to, ready to be pulled out like a magician when the time is right. For now, get ready to enjoy the immaculate song writing that exists in these timeless songs, and gusto of our interpretation.”
