"Being a musician right now is an act of defiance" | Pet Needs on tour

Colchester four-piece Pet Needs’ ‘Ducklings’, is a high-energy, dry indie-punk anthem that critiques society’s relationship with capitalism, casting us as ducklings willingly (or unwittingly) consumed by the systems built around us.

Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism

The track is the latest single from their upcoming fourth studio album Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism, out on 27 March.

PET NEEDS - Ducklings (Official Video)

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“The fish at the uni eat all the ducklings. They don’t put that on the prospectus.” the chorus chants,“…There’s nearly no-one left to protect us” – a bleakly comic metaphor for a system that feeds on the vulnerable while pretending everything is fine: the fish get fatter, while the ducklings struggle to keep their heads above water.

“We’re lied to every day…”

“We’re lied to every day to monetise our attention in a world that has become hyper-individualist. Everyone’s a broadcaster; every social media profile a channel. The planet is on fire, but with the right setting on your phone camera it can look like a beautiful sunset,” said the band.

“This whole tune was written the hour after my wife Lorna told me the fish at the local uni keep eating all the ducklings. By the time she dropped me at my brother’s house to demo, we had the chorus.”

“George got working on a big, chonky riff as I sat downstairs scribbling words. My favourite songs are the instantaneous ones. You can feel the energy like no other.”

Hard graft

The album was written throughout 2025 in a busy year that saw them zig zag across the UK, US and Europe in a relentless schedule of headline tours, support tours and festivals – touring is also a financial necessity. Being a punk band building things up from the bottom is hard graft in an industry dominated by streaming, social media saturation and big marketing budgets.

It is fitting then that their new album tackles some of these themes head-on – a satirical look at the pitfalls of trying to make it as a DIY punk band. The album charts the exploits of the band buying a second-hand punk rock career at auction and trying (and failing) to make it work.

Over the course of the genre-spanning 12 tracks, the story unfolds with a mix of frenetic punk rock defiance; reflective melodic introspection and beat heavy party anthems alongside guest appearances by CJ Ramone, legendary auctioneer Erik Olson and friends The Whops and Jess Guise whose interludes help the story develop.

The power of the present

Vocalist Johnny Marriott said: “There has to be a reason why people continue to pursue creative careers when on paper the industry is built to break them. The power of the present – the writing, the shows, and the human connection – supersedes it all.

“Being a musician right now is an act of defiance. Even with artificial intelligence and late capitalism doing everything they can to force our hands, we won’t stop. We wanted to make an album that people would love to listen to all the way through, so we decided to tell a story. Each member brought their own flair to this record. It feels vital. We’re really proud of it.”

Pet Needs Live

15/03 – Colchester, The Victoria Inn
18/03 – Exeter, Bomba
19/03 – Bideford, The Palladium Club
20/3 – Milton Keynes, The Craufurd Arms
21/03 – Norwich, Waterfront Studio
22/03 – Sittingbourne, The Swale Assembly