September 17, 2009 9:52

The Hot Melts give debut album away for free

Band change their mind after paid-for release

Newcomers The Hot Melts have decided to give their new album away, having previously charged for it in shops.

The band's self-titled record was released regularly on September 7, but the group have now decided to give it away for free via Epitaph.com/thehotmelts/.

Thanking people who have paid for the record, the band told NME.COM the reason behind their rethink.

"We simply wanted people to hear the songs. It’s all about getting the songs over to as many people as possible. That's why we wrote them in the first place and we don't want to exclude anyone who can’t afford to go and buy the album or maybe haven't discovered us yet," they said. "We know that we weren’t going to break into the Top 40, but it’s not about that, it’s all about getting the songs out there.

The band added: "For new bands like us, it’s near-on impossible to break out. We’ve worked hard over the past three years, to get where we are and the songs deserve to be heard, we don't want to sit around and wait for people to discover the album. So we thought under the circumstances, giving the album away would be the best way to move forward for the band.

"To anyone who has bought the album, we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It’s a catch 22, without you we wouldn’t be able to tour, so thank you for your support and come and have a drink with us at one of our shows."