Naturally, we were stoked to wrap up the first month of 2026 with our favourite subversive band, 9 o’clock Nasty and their new single, Lee Iococca (note that this is stylized by the band with an “o”). For some background, to some Lee Iacocca was an iconic American auto executive who helped create the Ford Mustang and led the dramatic turnaround of Chrysler. However, Lee Iacocca’s approach symbolized a business mindset where cost–benefit calculations led Ford to decide it was cheaper to pay victims than to fix the deadly flaw in the Pinto, and of course, 9 o’clock Nasty are here to bring that truth to the mainstream.

The track opens with textured drums and a cerebral laser frequency before 9 o’clock Nasty share conceptual prose bringing to life the situation that occurred in the 1970s. The band share their poetic eloquence and authenticity with their words. As with 9 o’clock Nasty‘s wider discography, the charisma is evident, calling Lee Iacocca “daddy” and inviting the public to “drink the gasoline” as they shine a light on the situation.

We love the spacey details in the melodic elements that punctuate the track and the hand played rolling toms that almost resemble a tabla. It’s very dimensional, production-wise, tapping into notions of nostalgia and futurism at the same time.

The piano interlude sends us astral and a lot of the sonic identity reminds us of a 90s band called Madness, and also the British band Space, particularly their songs Neighbourhood and Female of the Species.

The song comes with a dope music video which sees the band rolling around in a car bringing their story to life in quite a literal way. What is great to see is how much 9 o’clock Nasty‘s confidence has increased over the years. Sure, they have always exuded confidence in their message and art as activism, but as for the video, it is dope to see the trio up close and personal.

Speaking on the release, the philosophical artists share, “Place your bets in the post-capitalist world. Choose a hero. We can suggest one. Our man Lee measured once and cut many times. The Ford Pinto was a deathtrap. But the cost of fixing it was greater than the cost of compensating victims. Profit, Loss, Death and Chaos. Set all that to a killer beat and you’ve got our new single. You don’t need to be a stone-cold-killer to be truly dangerous. It’s all about the shareholder-value baby. Lee Iacocca gives this somewhat troubling parable an acid bath punk-beats lift off. A whole meaning to dance until you drop.”

Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Lee Iococca (note that this is stylized by the band with an “o”) to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of 9 o’clock Nasty, including Heavy, Too Cool, and Crowland.

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The subversive energy of 9 o’clock Nasty feels more important and necessary the further we move into the dystopian period that we have ahead of us. When we heard that the badass trio was back with Game Fit, we were curious, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.

Kicking off with a dramatic bass and astral synth notes, expanding with an airy riser, Game Fit opens with a quintessential 9 o’clock Nasty mood as they unleash their provocative minds on us. In essence, the track is a high-intensity punk anthem about preparing for chaos and extreme challenges – both physically and mentally – while questioning how to remain humane under pressure. 

The song delivers the hook, “I’m game fit, I’m match fit…” but as with any 9 o’clock Nasty there is a bit of scrutiny and sarcasm involved. The song taps into the tension of an unstable world and our fight-or-flight instincts; it’s urgent but contemplative. It’s a warning and a meditation on morality amid chaos, slipping easily into the band’s tradition of rowdy but erudite punk.

The music video shows the band in their element in various situations live on stage, whilst being intercut with space footage, boxing matches and other scenarios that demonstrate the ethos of the track.

Speaking on the release, the band elusively says, “The world is a powder keg. People are getting irritable. Is it really just a matter of time? Maybe not, but it’s fun to pretend that it’s all going down and you are the one that is ready. Ready for 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. Ready.”

They continue, “We are the aristocrats of punk. The broken boyband nightmare at the dawn of the end times. Air and violence. Violence and air. Feel the speakers flex and roar. The tune to get ready for the moment of truth. Get your go bag ready.”

As always, we appreciate the vibes that 9 o’clock Nasty brings to the mix, and have to applaud the tempo of the more high octane segments of the song, which are almost giving The Prodigy in a way.

We have added Game Fit to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream 9 o’clock Nasty‘s ever growing discography, and anticipate future releases from the mind-bending trio.

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Establishing the mood with textured, rhythmic drums, an astral riser, a cerebral synth and nuanced sound design, 9 o’clock Nasty open People Pleaser with the raw dimensionality that we have come to love and expect from the band, having featured a slew of their iconic singles.

9 o’clock Nasty always have an important point of view, and once again, People Pleaser serves as another string to their bow and wider manifesto as an eye-opening, thought-provoking band. They sing, “People pleasure, pleasure seekers, look at me and always getting bigger, we know that life just ends in death…”

Speaking on the release, they add, “If you’re in retail work, sex work, financial services or a death cult, you will have moments when you want to scream at the entitled masses. This is the song for you.”

The punk band from Leicester, England have created a song that talks about how people used to make and build things, but now many of us work in service jobs, trying to keep others happy all the time. The band says we’ve all become “people pleasers,” expected to please everyone, even though that’s impossible. But still, we’re told we must try, or else.

The trio worked hard to get the sound just right. They say this is their best version of what they call “peak Nasty” – intense, sharp, and full of feeling.

9 o’clock Nasty are a bold and unique punk trio made up of Pete Brock (guitar/vocals), Ted Pepper (bass/vocals), and Sydd Spudd (drums). Their music mixes punk with other styles like funk, indie rock, and even disco. Their songs often tackle modern issues with sharp humor and a rebellious spirit.

Naturally, we have added the brilliant People Pleaser to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the mind-bending wider discography of the band, watch their epic music videos, and anticipate future releases!

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The EQ Remix of Too Cool by 9 o’clock Nasty is a thrilling, genre-bending journey that reimagines the band’s track while maintaining the core energy and biting commentary that made the original so magnetic. As an embodiment of sonic evolution, the remix takes a bold leap from the rock-infused indie of the original into a pulsating, cerebral world where drum and bass collide with jungle rhythms, yet it keeps intact the spirit of the track’s subversive message.

The remix opens with the sharp ring of a school bell – a deliberate call back to the “too cool for school” ethos of the original. Almost immediately, there’s a sense of disruption, as the classic bell chimes are soon followed by the scratch of vinyl, recalling a vibe akin to the iconic Freestyler by Bomfunk MC’s. This juxtaposition of nostalgia and forward-thinking production signals that we are about to enter a space where genres blend and time periods collide.

The mood is set with a dense, hypnotic bassline that seems to pull the listener into a world of shadows and strobe lights. It’s an aggressive yet refined manipulation of sound, drawing influences from drum and bass, jungle, and punk, yet with a distinctly cerebral twist. The initial shockwave of bass rumbles through your chest, pulling you deeper into a labyrinth of warped frequencies, while the subtle elements of the original track still flicker in the background, like distant stars guiding us through the night.

Where the original Too Cool presents itself as a stripped-down, gritty anthem, the EQ Remix throws all caution to the wind, building something chaotic and intoxicating. The drums hit with savage precision, a relentless force driving the track forward at 175 bpm. The rapid-fire breaks and sub-bass throb evoke a sense of rebellion, but it’s not the messy, unrefined punk of yesteryear – it’s an intellectual, calculated take on an otherwise raw genre.

It’s here that the remix draws its most interesting contrast with the original: while Too Cool in its first form was raw, its message fiery and defiant, the remix is more cerebral, its rhythm section punishes us with deep sub frequencies while the rest of the track dances in a whirlwind of fragmented textures and relentless speed.

What’s impressive about Too Cool (The EQ Remix) is that while the soundscape is warped, the essence of the song remains firmly in place. The irreverent, defiant message about societal coolness, individuality, and questioning norms still pulses at the heart of the remix. The chorus, with its snarl of “He’s the low fat Jesus, the indie king, he’s too cool for school,” retains its cutting commentary, but now, it’s delivered through a filter of fractured electronics and jittery drum hits, as if the words themselves have been processed through a lens of digital distortion.

In a way, the remix heightens the introspective aspect of the original, “Can you be TOO COOL? Probably. We keep pushing the limits, we haven’t found the edge yet.” Where the original may have felt like a sneer or a challenge, the remix makes you feel like you’ve been pulled into a fever dream, where the boundaries between coolness and absurdity blur.

The remix also retains the chaotic energy that 9 o’clock Nasty is known for, but in a completely new form. The band’s work has always been about pushing boundaries, but in this case, the remix brings out the grotesque beauty of that experimentation. It’s a feverish, dizzying ride where we are “punctured and bruised on the dance floor,” as the remix description suggests, but it’s one that leaves us thrilled rather than disillusioned.

The collaboration between Mark Yorath (EQ), Phil Haywood, and DJ Mastersafe feels like a meeting of musical minds with a shared vision. These “savants of the lowest frequencies” fuse multiple genres together, each bringing their own unique flavour. Mark Yorath’s vision for the track takes us on a journey, balancing a subtle blend of chaos and order, like a dance between the brain and body, pulling us into its rhythms while our mind tries to catch up. The result is a sonic landscape that feels both alien and welcoming, frenetic but strangely cohesive.

The EQ Remix of Too Cool serves as an expansion. It’s a reinvention of a song that was already brimming with attitude, and it takes that attitude into a darker, more experimental space. It invites us to feel the beat deep in our bones, to lose ourselves in the madness of the remix while still retaining the message of the original. It’s cerebral, yes, but it’s also a visceral experience that pulls us into its thrall.

As the final beats fade away, leaving a silence in their wake, it’s clear: this is music that lingers in the mind long after the track ends, a soundtrack to the lost hours spent chasing the highs of rebellion and the thrill of the dancefloor. The EQ Remix of Too Cool isn’t just a remix. It’s a statement, and we have added it to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and TRIPPY playlist!

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