aaamusic | On 12, Oct 2010

The finest, fastest and most notorious punk rock two piece on the face of the earth are back in action. After a short hiatus over the last few years the ‘Deal have returned with a collection of blistering new tracks, honed and re-honed into what is arguably their strongest album to date. A “greatest hits” if you will. The record is called “Career Suicide”. The third LP offering from Winnebago Deal. It’s thirty minutes of high energy rock and roll sliced into fourteen tight punk rock songs, boiling over with all the intensity of a disgruntled postal worker stopping off at the rifle store on his way into work. The antithesis of the straight “nine to five” mentality so many chose to suffer the ‘Deal are here to show you that it’s better to make you’re own mistakes. So if you’re sick of work, sick of home, sick of getting told what to do and when to do it or you simply want a reason to scream, tune in and pick up what Winnebago Deal are putting down. Career Suicide.

Winnebago Deal is Ben Thomas (drums) and Ben Perrier (guitar/vocals). After early incarnations with expanded line-ups the ‘Deal weeded out its weak links and slimmed down to its two founding members in 2000. In 2002 Winnebago Deal began to make waves culminating with a gig with Fugazi at London’s Kentish Town Forum in November that year. From this the band were picked up by well respected indie label, Fierce Panda Records, who put out their first release, Plata O Plomo (March 2003). From then on Winnebago Deal hit the road and toured the UK and Europe extensively, with the likes of Blood Brothers, Burning Brides, Andrew WK, Brant Bjork and the Bros and Nebula. They played a clutch of festivals including Reading and Leeds and began building up a loyal fan-base as well as strong support amongst the press and radio. Picking up Radio One and XFM sessions, good record reviews from everyone, be it Terrorizer or Mojo magazine, the band were being hailed by everybody, including the NME, as being one of the “best live acts around” The record was fast, reckless and energetic; the live shows were out control and the ‘Deal were leaving a trail of smashed glass and broken bones wherever they went. That year Winnebago Deal were nominated as “Best British Newcomer” at the Kerrang! Awards. Off the back of this the band released the single Manhunt from Plata O Plomo with the ultra low-budget, blood splattered, Dawn Of The Dead inspired video receiving heavy rotation on Kerrang! TV and MTV2.

Winnebago Deal subsequently signed with Sony/Double Dragon Music and went on to record the George Dickel EP, released early 2004. After more touring including a headline stretch and a support with Ash, Winnebago Deal went to Seattle and teamed with legendary Sub Pop producer Jack Endino (best known for his work with Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney) to record their first full-length album, Dead Gone (2004). Dead Gone sounded far more polished than previous releases and was met with further critical acclaim and led to another round of Radio One and XFM sessions and a two singles, Cobra and Did It, Done it, Doing it Again. UK and European tours alongside Therapy?, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Mondo Generator, Dwarves and High On Fire followed, as well as several sweaty club headlining tours packed with fans wearing red t-shirts bearing the ‘Deal gunman logo.

From opening for ex-Queens Of The Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri’s band, Mondo Generator, Ben and Ben ended up joining Mondo in 2005 for over a year in what fans dubbed “Winnebago Generator”. As a three piece, Mondo toured Europe several times including appearances at Download Festival in the UK, Festimad in Madrid and German dates supporting Motorhead. Following this, Ben and Ben went to Los Angeles to record songs for Mondo Generator’s third album, Dead Planet: Sonic Slow Motion Trails (2006), at Dave Grohl’s 606 Studio with producer Nick Rasculinecz.

Winnebago Deal returned to Fierce Panda Records late in 2005. Once again working with Jack Endino in Seattle, the ‘Deal set about recording their second full length album, Flight Of The Raven (2006). Darker and heavier and putting an apocalyptic slant on life in a rock and roll band, Flight Of The Raven included vocal contributions from Nick Oliveri. More UK/European touring ensued into 2007, including tours with The Bronx, The Datsuns and The Answer as well as two more headline stretches. Flight Of The Raven was released in Australia through Impedance Records in 2008, who brought the band out for a headline tour of Australia in May that yea