Split Dogs - Here To Destroy *Pre-Order

Release Date Friday 28th February 2025
All pre-orders will be dispatched/made ready for collection on that day.

Rock’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”.
While the final result is a step away from Split Dogs early punk sound, the attitude is still
there in droves. “We wanted the album to have a raw bones feel,” Martinez tells us, “real
1970s rock’n’roll!”. Harry channels the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as they tear
through hook after hook, singing about the Northern Soul clubs their mother once
frequented (‘Lafayette’), the Orwellian nightmare we’re heading for (“Stay Tuned”) and a
touching homage to British working class culture (“And What?”).
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”.

1. Stay Tuned - Split Dogs
2. Monster Truck - Split Dogs
3. Animal - Split Dogs
4. Be A Sport - Split Dogs
5. Meg - Split Dogs
6. Lafayette - Split Dogs
7. And What? - Split Dogs
8. Precious Stones - Split Dogs
9. All In - Split Dogs

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for looking at our listing, below are a few points to consider before making a purchase:

- All records we sell are Brand New - pre-orders will normally come sealed but if you are purchasing in stock items, please note the copy may have been unsealed for display in the shop. Please email straight after purchase to enquire if this is of importance to you.

- Orders won't ship until all items are released, so keep this in mind when purchasing multiple pre-orders or a mix of in stock and pre-order items.

- The 'Product' page will show the most up to date info we have with regards to the item and its release date, but this information is subject to change so check in with us if you have any questions.

- We unfortunately don't offer tax/vat outside of the UK via the website so please keep in mind that when the items arrives in your country you may be liable to pay a further charge before delivery. (all UK orders the price you see is the price you will pay). Please also note that we are unable to adjust the declared value on items sold internationally.