Hard to Kill

Look at the club listings for this week and you’ll notice the Meat Purveyors are playing at the Continental Club on Thursday night. Didn’t they break up two years ago? Well, they had a "last show" in October 2006, but the punk bluegrass quartet seems hard to kill. According to mandolin player Peter Stiles, they never really went away. Back then bassist Cherilyn diMond had just married and planned to move with her husband to Maine. But after a time there, they decided that it just wasn’t for them and returned to Austin.

“We did some shows last year, too,” Stiles explains. “It’s like the mafia. You try to get out and they keep on pulling you back in.

“We’ve been trying to figure out what’s really fun about what we do, for us. So we’ve been playing these special road gigs in places like Seattle and Kansas City and doing a few shows at home. We’re not killing ourselves and we’ve been having a great time.”

One of the results of the fun is a new EP, Come and Take It, which they self-released as the Texas Meat Purveyors. It's a seven-track mix of originals and a cover of Devo’s “It’s a Beautiful World,” as well as one from local faves the American People, and it’s available from their label, the Chicago-based Bloodshot Records.

But don’t get used them being around. Stiles claims this will be their last show of 2008, at least until South by Southwest rolls around. “This is going to be it for a while,” he states. “Bill and Jo [Walston] work for the State Legislature and their jobs are going to heat up again until maybe next June.”

TMP's giant forearmed guitarist Anderson chimes in: “For us, this is the best we’ve ever been, the most fun we’ve ever had.” Anyone who remembers the insane tequila nights at the Hole in the Wall 10 years ago might find that difficult to believe, so we’ll just have to show up at the Continental Club Thursday to see.