If you reckon rock and punk are losing their teeth in this modern world, do yourself a massive favour and throw your speakers into the red with Business, the blistering new album from Essex punk dynamos The Meffs. Comprising the powerhouse duo of vocalist/guitarist Lily Hopkins and a bloke who hits the drums like they owe him money, Lewis Copsey, this DIY unit has been making a serious mockery of the old rulebook. They proudly claim to be louder than a traditional four-piece, and after reports of them tearing up the stage at festivals like Glastonbury and Download, you’d be a brave soul to argue with them. They’ve already copped massive tick-of-approvals from heavyweights like Fat Mike and Frank Turner, even opening up for the legendary NOFX on their farewell runs, proving that they are the real deal.
Following up the absolute madness of their 2024 debut What a Life, the duo has teamed up with producer Dan Weller to deliver a sophomore record that doesn’t just push the boundaries—it completely obliterates them. Business is a darker, heavier, and brilliantly uncompromised socio-political beast that targets everything from global political corruption to the daily grind of systemic injustice. It grabs you by the throat from the opening chord and completely pins you to the wall until the final note rings out.
Ahead of their massive upcoming tour dates across the UK and Europe, HEAVY sent some questions through to Lily to get the full lowdown on channeling that raw, righteous anger, surviving the soul-crushing modern industry machine, and exactly how they manage to summon such a massive, chaotic wall of sound with just two people.
HEAVY: THE MEFFS recently released your new album BUSINESS on September 11. How has the early reception been.
THE MEFFS: The best reception we’re had for a new record. People love that it’s heavier and straight to the point.
HEAVY: Tell us more about the album musically and what you were going for with it.
THE MEFFS: Heavy, pins you to the wall, short, makes you repeat it, catchy, riffs, hard-hitting, honest.
HEAVY: The album has an overall theme of business, as hinted at by the title. Can you dive into that a bit deeper for us?
THE MEFFS: Business is everywhere. It’s in everything we do. It became apparent early on that this would be the title track and the album title because it’s like the umbrella term for life.
HEAVY: You’ve mentioned that Business initially started out as a record railing against the music industry, but it quickly took on a life of its own to encompass broader sociopolitical issues. How did that shift happen during the writing process and what made you settle on business.
THE MEFFS: Business was the blueprint for this album, both sonically and thematically, but I always knew that broader issues would be covered because I’m inspired by what is going on around me. Although the song touches on the music industry because this is our truth, it’s relatable for anyone who finds themselves being underestimated and overlooked. It felt like the right first single. There’s no point shying away from things.
HEAVY: The press release called it your “most politically charged, hard hitting album to date”. Agree?
THE MEFFS: Definitely most hard-hitting. I don’t know about the most politically-charged. It depends how you look at it. We had two EPs called Broken Britain Pt. I and Pt.II! We’ve found our sound now though and people have said the songwriting is more mature and looks at solutions, not just problems. Business is definitely more societally-charged that what came before. But I suppose you’re right because looking through the track-listing there’s still a heavy learning towards world politics.
HEAVY: You’ve never shied away from being an openly political band. Songs like Law, Fight, and Business hit incredibly hard. In a climate where public division feels at an all-time high, how do you approach writing lyrics that hold a mirror up to society while still holding onto an element of hope?
THE MEFFS: You’re spot on. When I started writing the lyrics for Business, it was important to make sure what I was shouting about wasn’t just my anger and frustration, but that there was an element of unity and relatability because this album isn’t just my sounding board. Do you know what I mean? It’s like when someone tells you there’s a problem as though you need to sort it out, but they’ve got no solutions. It’s not helpful. This album is the soundtrack for your anger, it’s there to entertain you and make you feel like you’re not alone. The UK is divided and people are believing whatever their online algorithm shows them. The world is falling apart and the people in power are getting away with murder. It’s nuts. I don’t feel like these are things I can skirt around!
HEAVY: The album kicks open with Dreamin’—a track that is barely over a minute long but acts like a complete jolt to the system. Why was it important for you to start the record with that specific, immediate burst of energy?
THE MEFFS: This was a joint decision with Dan Weller (producer and guitarist of SiKth). We wanted people to be thrown in at the deep end!
HEAVY: While the album is fiercely angry, it’s also been described as your most vulnerable work yet. Is it harder for you to put out tracks that deal with personal identity and vulnerability compared to writing a straightforward political protest anthem?
THE MEFFS: Absolutely. I’ve always been comfortable writing about what is going on around me but not necessarily how that affects me or what is going on inside. Some writers are the opposite and lay their vulnerabilities out with ease. That’s the beauty of music. I feel like I struck a good balance with this album and it was quite an exciting change to my song-writing.
HEAVY: The album cover features an incredibly eerie, eye-less corporate smile. You’ve described it as representing the “menacing face of the people who look down on you” in life and in business. How do you feel that specific visual unifies the 11 tracks on this record?
THE MEFFS: From the start I wanted a face where you couldn’t tell if they were manically laughing or hysterically crying, because the music fits within the two. The highs and the lows. They’re closer to each other than we’ll ever know.
HEAVY: Business has been praised for having a massive, heavy low-end sound, which is incredible for a two-piece band. What did producer Dan Weller (SikTh) bring to the table to capture that raw, confrontational energy?
THE MEFFS: The songs had more riffs and kept the nod to old-school punk but also the music we grew up with like nu-metal, rock, hardcore, etc. Dan was able to elevate our sound in a way that allowed us to replicate it live but still make it feel like a punch in the gut. He succeeded!
HEAVY: You and Lewis have built a reputation for being completely unrelenting as a duo. When you went into the studio for this record, did you feel any pressure to add extra layers, or was the goal always to keep it as true to your live, raw performance as possible?
THE MEFFS: There’s always the question “are you adding a bass?” and the answer remains the same… No. It needs to be raw and uncompromising but beefy AF.
HEAVY: Before recording this album, you spent 2025 sharing stages with absolute legends like the Sex Pistols and playing massive festival slots like Download and Glastonbury. How did playing to those massive, diverse crowds change your perspective on what a Meffs song can achieve?
THE MEFFS: Bigger stages need bigger songs. Unless you’re willing to bring on more people to play more instruments, or use backing tracks, the songs need to hold their own and travel well. Riffs and shouting are key for us.
HEAVY: You’ve got an incredibly busy touring schedule ahead. Which track from Business are you most eager to drop into the setlist just to see how the crowd reacts in the pit?
THE MEFFS: Like Gravity is proving to be most popular so far and it’s our favourite, so happy days!
