The Jack Knives Drop New Video for “Kill Me First” — A Punk Rock Love Letter to The Community

The Jack Knives have always worn their hearts on their sleeves, but their new video for “Kill Me First” might be their most heartfelt offering yet—not just a song, but a love letter to the community that’s grown around them.

Originally an older track buried in their back catalog, “Kill Me First” found new life during rehearsals for the band’s upcoming album Into the Night, produced by Pete Steinkopf (The Bouncing Souls).

Front man Si Short recalls, “One day, our drummer Drew came into rehearsal and said, ‘Hey, I just heard that old Kill Me First song. This is how it should be played.’” “We ran through it at a faster tempo, more raw, more alive—and it just worked. It felt like the song was finally breathing the way it was always meant to.”

Lyrically, the track speaks to themes of second chances, love, vulnerability, and opening yourself back up after pain. But beyond the personal, the band felt the song had something bigger to say. Something communal. So instead of filming another polished, serious video, they flipped the script. On a whim, they reached out to their mailing list and street team, inviting fans to join them in a warehouse in Los Angeles for a Saturday morning shoot.

No big budget. No casting calls. Just a shared moment between a band and the people who’ve made their journey possible.

“We wanted this video to feel like a thank-you,” they said. “A love letter to everyone who’s believed in us, who’s come to the shows, who’s sung the words back to us. We wanted to show the joy, the connection, the real-life community that’s grown around The Jack Knives In such a short space of time.”

And that’s exactly what director Nick Riggs captured—pure chaos, joy, and connection. From the very first frame to the final seconds filled with smiling faces, hugs, and dancing bodies, the video radiates positivity and love. It’s punk rock with heart—and it’s completely authentic.

“There’s so much love in that room." “You can see it. All of us, brought together by this music, by this little band that somehow built a community. That’s what Kill Me First is really about—about believing in love again, in yourself, and in each other.”

It’s more than a music video—it’s a snapshot of something real. A messy, beautiful moment in time where everything clicked. And if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t belong anywhere until you found your people at a punk show, this one’s for you.

Watch “Kill Me First” now on YouTube. And keep your eyes peeled for the new albumInto the Night, coming to all digital platforms on May 2nd.