Bristol Punk Rock ‘n Rollers Split Dogs return with new single ‘Monster Truck’
17th September 2024Rock’n’roll revivalists Split Dogs are not here to make 15-second viral videos, they’re not here to sell you a lifestyle, they’re here to destroy. Born from the frustration of seeing music become commodified and soulless, vocalist Harry Atkins and guitarist Mil Martinez had the idea to form a band as far back as 2015, with the name ‘Split Dogs’ pulled from the classic zombie film ‘Return of the Living Dead’.
In South London, a young Martinez would hear Status Quo, Bachman Turner Overdrive, and Dire Straits on the car radio while his father drove him to school. At home, he would invade his older brothers’ record collection which leaned towards the harder sounds of punk and heavy metal. Meanwhile, in the Black Country, Harry’s mother instilled a love of Northern Soul, Slade and rock’n’roll, with stories of nights out at Club Lafayette and family singalongs at home. According to Martinez, “Our sound is a culmination of all those early influences and, to be honest, it really shows.”
It wasn’t until 2022 that Split Dogs officially arrived on the scene with bass player Suez Boyle joining the band in 2023. Already a prominent figure in the queer punk scene, Suez played the first-ever Rebellion Festival at the tender age of 16 with her band The Walking Abortions. Up until that point, drummer Chris Hugall, an old friend of Martinez and former member of ska punks Mouthwash (signed to Rancid’s label Hellcat back in the day), was only on hand to help design artwork. It wasn’t until 2024 Hugall joined the band full time cementing the current line-up.
The raucous live shows and infectious lyrics saw the four-piece make a name for themselves among the punks of Bristol, a scene that has always welcomed LGBTQ+ and marginalised people. As word spread, so did the gigging, and soon enough Split Dogs were playing to sold out rooms in mainland Europe, eventually grabbing the attention of UK label Venn Records (Gallows, Bob Vylan, High Vis).
‘Here to Destroy’ was recorded over three days at Middle Farm Studios by producer Peter Miles. All tracks were laid straight to a 16-track reel-to-reel tape machine, no autotune, no effects pedals, no computers. To add to the music’s authenticity, the album was recorded live, with Harry singing along in a vocal booth. No cutting and pasting, just nailing takes. According to Martinez, “It was a blast! We fully immersed ourselves, sleeping in a small apartment below the studio, cooking meals and listening to Pete’s extensive record collection”.
Back in May of this year, Split Dogs fired out the first sample of these sessions with the ‘And What?’ single that rolled in like a freight train loaded with gravel, and now the band are back with another sucker punch in new single ‘Monster Truck’.
“Monster Truck Is about lessons learnt, seeing it coming but you keep on trucking,” says guitarist Mil Martinez. “Focus on yourself and the good stuff around you. Be strong, lead with an open heart. Don’t take kindness for weakness…. You better not tread on me!”
For the video, it was clear that Split Dogs needed some seriously big trucks to do justice to the song’s giant riffs, so they called on Big Pete Ltd, the UK’s most successful Monster Truck Team, and Big Pete did not let them down.
‘When we wrote our new single ‘Monster Truck’ it was a no brainier that we had to find the best Monster Truck team in the UK to join us for the video so on the hottest day of the year, we hit the road! Big riggs, big riffs and big moves, it’s time to grab your gear stick and get your mind out of the dirt!”
As the album title makes clear, Split Dogs are here to destroy, but they’re also here to rebuild and remind us of music’s essence. “We’re not beholden to the digital age, we don’t want to get famous on social media, we just want to show the world that rock’n’roll is alive and well”.
Split Dogs are:
Harry Atkins – vocals (they/them)
Mil Martinez – guitar (he/him)
Chris Hugall – drums (he/him)
Suez Boyle – bass (she/her)
Catch Split Dogs live at the following dates:
17/9 The Parish, Huddersfield w/The Last Gang
18/9 Duffy’s, Leicester w/The Last Gang
19/9 O2 Academy, Birmingham w/The Last Gang
20/9 O2 Academy, Oxford w/The Last Gang
22/9 O2 Academy, Islington w/The Last Gang
25/9 Camden Assembly w/Battlsnake
26/9 Exchange Bristol w/Battlesnake
27/9 Signature Brew, Haggerston w/menstrual cramps
4/10 Shacklewell Arms, Hackney
5/10 The Plough, Bristol
19/10 Vortex Bar, Wakefield w/Clobber
20/10 Diageo’s joint, Norfolk w/Clobber
05/11 Exchange Bristol w/Zeke
06/11 Water Rats, London w/Desperate Measures
16/11 Phoenix, Exeter w/Sham 69
6/12 Railway inn, Redditch
7/12 Workman’s Cellar, Dublin
20/12 King Arther, Glastonbury
21/12 Cavern, Exeter w/GBH
29/12 Electric Bar, Bath
