Rising UK Punks Pet Needs Critique Society’s Relationship With Capitalism On New Single “Ducklings”

London-based independent rock label Xtra Mile Recordings and PET NEEDS are excited to present the music video for “Ducklings,” the brand new single from the rising Colchester, UK punks. 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 — “Ducklings” is the latest single to be lifted from the band’s upcoming fourth studio album, Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism, out on Friday, March 27 via Xtra Mile Recordings. Pre-save, pre-add and pre-order the album HERE. 

“We’re lied to every day to monetize our attention in a world that has become hyper-individualist,” vocalist Johnny Marriott said. “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.”

He adds, “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 [Marriott] 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.” Watch the music video for “Ducklings” directed by Vanessa Söllner on YouTube HERE.

In addition to this new album, the band is celebrating ten years of their career with the exclusive Decade Series. 12 CDs each include the full album plus a bonus demo version of one of the tracks, giving fans a glimpse into the early creative process. Each CD also features original new artwork, including archival photos from the corresponding year and a detailed timeline on the back, tracing the band’s journey over the decade. For the ultimate collector, all 12 CDs in the series are available together, housed in a sleek, exclusive matte-black box.

Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism marks a decade in the life of PET NEEDS. The first five years were more a part-time affair, with a handful of single releases and gigs in the back rooms of pubs and clubs as well as house shows and anywhere else that they could play. They signed to Xtra Mile Recordings to release their debut album, Fractured Party Music, in 2021 and were catapulted into a dizzying touring schedule that took them across the UK, Europe and U.S. And their feet haven’t touched the ground since. 

Never staying still for long, the band is driven by their enduring pursuit of being creative, the pull of playing music and connecting with fans. But 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. 

Its boldest and most creative album yet, the story of Elbows Out! This Is Capitalism 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 Eric Olson and friends The Whops and Jess Guise, whose interludes help the story develop.

The band’s second album, Primetime Entertainment, was released in 2022 along with Intermittent Fast Living in 2024, its third LP that entered the UK Official Album Chart at Number 17. PET NEEDS have garnered plays from Steve Lamacq on 6Music, John Kennedy on Radio X, Kerrang! Radio, BBC Introducing Essex and Total Rock, as well as performing live on The Chris McCausland Show on ITV.

Having attracted attention with their relentless live shows, PET NEEDS have toured extensively supporting Frank Turner, The Lottery Winners, The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, Skinny Lister, The Hives, Art Brut, NOFX, The Levellers, Spike & The Gimmie and Gimmies and Laura Jane Grace. Their own headline tours in the UK have previously sold out including their annual Fractured Party Festival which took place in May 2025 at The Garage in London and The Old Church in Stoke Newington. They’ve played the Main Stage at Beautiful Days and Bearded Theory Festivals and won over fans at 2000Trees, Dot To Dot, The Salty Dog Cruise and many more.