In 2023, Amsterdam-based punk band The Covids were all set for their first USA tour, but a visa mix-up led to two members being banned by American border police. With their tour canceled, the two remaining members teamed up with their Spanish friend, Nestter Donuts, to record a song about the ordeal while drowning their sorrows at Savannah Studios. The result? A single featuring two versions of Banned From The USA: one recorded in the States and the other back on Dutch territory with the whole band. It’s fun to compare the two. The original take is a killer stripped-down, lo-fi garage rocker, while the full-band studio recording (see video below) transforms it into a rockin’ slab of late ’70s punk.

Another exciting release from a Dutch punk scene that currently feels like a volcano waiting to erupt. Bands are popping up everywhere, and the political climate in the Netherlands is driving adolescents of all ages into loud, fast, and angry music. The Covids prove once again they are at the forefront of this movement.

The Banned From The USA single is out now on 7″ at Wap Shop Wap Records and comes with amazing artwork and an equally well-produced video.

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