Between their 1991 self-titled debut and 2005's The Fuse, Pennywise released an album every two years on Epitaph Records, a label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. To date, the band has released twelve full-length studio albums, one live album, two EPs and one DVD. Although their first two studio albums were critically acclaimed, Pennywise would not experience worldwide commercial success until the 1995 release of their third studio album, About Time, which peaked at number ninety-six on the Billboard 200, and number fifty-five on Australia's ARIA Charts. The band's mainstream success coincided with a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, along with fellow California bands NOFX, Rancid, Blink-182, Bad Religion, Green Day, The Offspring, Lagwagon, and Sublime. By 2007, the band had independently sold over three million records worldwide.[2]
Pennywise's current line-up consists of Jim Lindberg (vocals), Fletcher Dragge (guitars), Randy Bradbury (bass), and Byron McMackin (drums). They had kept their original line-up together until bassist Jason Thirsk died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1996, after which Bradbury joined as his replacement. In August 2009, Lindberg decided to leave the band; he was replaced in February 2010 by Ignite singer Zoli Téglás.[3] With Téglás, the band recorded their tenth studio album All or Nothing, which was released on May 1, 2012.[4] Lindberg rejoined the band later that year after Téglás was sidelined by a back injury.
Band history
Early years (1988–1992)
Pennywise was formed in 1988 in Manhattan Beach, California, by singer Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin and bassist Jason Thirsk. They originally performed as "P.M.A.", which stood for "Positive Mental Attitude".[5] They released two EPs A Word from the Wise and Wildcard (both 1989). Each of the band members had played in other bands in the Hermosa Beach area and attended Mira Costa High School, except for McMackin, who attended Redondo Union High School.
The group signed to Epitaph Records in 1990 and released their first album Pennywise (1991). The album quickly circulated throughout the punk community, earning the band some nationwide recognition. Lyrics in the album endorsed a positive mental attitude, helping promote progressive ideals for Generation X. Lindberg left the band soon after the debut record. In 1992, The Vandals lead singer Dave Quackenbush took over on vocals for a brief stint to help with touring. Bradbury left the band and Thirsk returned to bass.
Increasing popularity and Thirsk's death (1993–1996)
Lindberg got married and returned to the group in 1992 in time for their second album Unknown Road, released in August 1993, an underground hit that established the band as a force in punk music[who?]. While the album did not chart on the Billboard 200, it gained Pennywise supporting slots on national and world tours with bands such as The Offspring. It contained 13 tracks and one hidden track, "Slowdown".
About Time, Pennywise's third studio album, was released on June 13, 1995. It was their first album to chart on the Billboard 200, ranking 96. It also charted 55 on the Australian Album Chart, and produced one single "Same Old Story". This was also the last album to feature Jason Thirsk playing bass throughout.
In 1996, Pennywise began recording their fourth album. Thirsk left the band in an attempt to conquer his alcoholism. While initially successful, he relapsed and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest on July 29, 1996. Their following album, Full Circle, was dedicated to his memory.
New bassist and continued popularity (1996–2002)
Following Thirsk's death, Bradbury rejoined the band as bassist and recorded their next album, Full Circle (1997). Despite the loss of the band's friend and bassist, the album came out several months after Thirsk's death and was dedicated in his honor. In tribute of Thirsk, the band re-recorded a song from their first album "Bro-Hymn" and renamed it "Bro-Hymn (tribute)". The album artwork of Full Circle resembles the cover art from their first album.
The band's next album Straight Ahead was released in 1999. The album reached 62 on the Billboard 200, and 8 on the Australian Albums Chart. The album produced 2 singles; "Alien", which reached 36 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks & "Victim of Reality". An 18th track was released only in Australia and New Zealand, a cover of the Men at Work song "Down Under." The band ran into trouble while promoting their 1999 performance at KROQ's Weenie Roast on the Loveline radio show when an intoxicated Dragge held bandmate Bradbury and hosts Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew hostage in the studio by barricading the door with his 6-foot 5-inch, 300 pound body. The guitarist then said he was going to defecate into his hand and make Carolla eat it, threatened the hosts' lives, and claimed to have a hand grenade, but didn't. Police were called, but charges were not filed. [6][7]
A live album, Live @ the Key Club was released in 2000.[8] It contained songs from all their previous albums. Land of the Free? was released in 2001 and ranked 67 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. The song "Who's on Your Side" was co-written by Brett Gurewitz (also known as Mr. Brett), a guitarist and songwriter for Bad Religion. That year the band took part in the Vans Warped 2001 tour.[9]
From the Ashes was released on September 9, 2003 (United States), and reached number 54 on the Billboard 200, number 4 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and 13 Australian Albums Chart, marking the highest initial charting album in Pennywise's career. The album contained 14 tracks and retained no singles, although the song "Yesterdays" saw regular radio play on some stations.
Home Movies, the band's long-out of print 1995 VHS, was released on DVD for the first time in 2004. More footage of Pennywise can be seen on the Steve Martin film 45 Revolutions: A Slice of XVI St. Life, XVI St. being the place where Jason and Fletcher hung out in Hermosa Beach.[10]
The band's eighth album, The Fuse, was released in Europe on June 27 and in North America on August 9, 2005. The album retained 15 tracks and charted number 36 on the Australian ARIA Album Charts. The band's Australian tour was canceled leading to breakup rumors, which Lindberg denied. Also that year, digitally-remastered versions of the first four studio albums were released.
Around 2006, Pennywise recorded a cover of Sick of It All's "My Life" for the band's 2007 tribute album Our Impact Will Be Felt. Pennywise were one of many bands to contribute to the tribute.
Reason to Believe and split with Lindberg (2007–2009)
The band returned to the studio in 2007 to begin work on their ninth album, Reason to Believe which was released on March 25, 2008. The album did not do well on the Billboard chart, but this was largely because the album was offered as a free download on Myspace, where over 400,000 copies were downloaded, making it one of their most successful albums. It peaked at No.98 in the United States on the Billboard 200, and No.46 in Australia on the ARIA Albums Chart. Reason to Believe did retain three singles, "The Western World", "Die For You", and "One reason".
In August 2009, Jim Lindberg announced he was leaving the band.[11] By the time Lindberg left the group, Pennywise had begun writing new material for a tenth studio album.[12] After the departure Lindberg formed the band The Black Pacific.
Zoli Téglás and All or Nothing (2009–2012)
Pennywise in 2011 with Lindberg's replacement Zoli Téglás (second from left)
Zoli Téglás, frontman for OC hardcore/punk band Ignite, previously filled in on vocals during the band's set on the 2009 Smokeout Festival, while Lindberg was filming a documentary, The Other F Word, based on his book, Punk Rock Dad: No Rules, Just Real Life.[13]
It was announced on February 16, 2010 that Téglás would become Jim's permanent replacement.[3] In an interview with Zoli, he talked about his joining Pennywise and plans for a brand new Pennywise album. Ignite will continue on as a band with Zoli. However, the release of their new album was delayed, partly due to commitments with the 2010 Warped Tour. Guitarist Fletcher Dragge said in a July 2010 that it would be released around the beginning of 2011.[14] The album's release date has since been pushed back again. On October 19, 2011, Pennywise announced on their Twitter page that they had begun work on their new album.[15] On March 7, 2012, the band released the song "All or Nothing" from the album with the same title on KROQ's website.[4]
Pennywise did a six-date South American tour in December 2010.[16] After that, they toured Europe in January and February 2011, followed by Australia's Soundwave in February and March and three live dates in Japan in April.[17][18]
Reunion with Lindberg, Yesterdays, Never Gonna Die and next album (2012–present)
Téglás injured his back during a June 2012 concert in Germany, requiring emergency surgery.[19][20] Pennywise was forced to cancel all touring activity for the year to allow the singer to heal.[19] However, Téglás wanted to leave the band and had been in touch with Lindberg, asking him to rejoin.[19] In an appearance on KROQ-FM that October, Dragge and Lindberg announced Lindberg's return, to be celebrated with a January 2013 show at the Hollywood Palladium commemorating the band's 25th anniversary.[19] Lindberg's return was at a South American Festival Tour, that started November 4 in São Paulo, Brazil.
As early as 2013, Pennywise began work on their eleventh studio album Yesterdays, which was released on July 15, 2014, and is the band's first with Lindberg on vocals since 2008's Reason to Believe.[21][22] Although Yesterdays is considered to be a proper studio album, it is a compilation of never-before released songs written by Pennywise's original bassist Jason Thirsk, and includes re-recordings of two songs "No Way Out" and "Slowdown".[23] To support Yesterdays, Pennywise embarked on the Summer Nationals 2014 from July to September, sharing the bill with Bad Religion, The Offspring, The Vandals, Stiff Little Fingers and Naked Raygun.[24][25] The band also plans to release a box set.[26][27]
As early as 2016, Pennywise began working on their twelfth studio album. In an October 2017 interview, Lindberg confirmed that Pennywise had finished recording their twelfth studio album, which was expected to be released in early 2018.[28] On March 6, 2018, the band announced that the album, titled Never Gonna Die, would be released on April 20.[29]
As of June 2020, Pennywise has been working on a new album.[30]
Pennywise's songs and lyrics tend to focus on themes such as positive mental attitude, as well as political and social events that the band finds wrong or disagreeable.[35]
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, former members of the band Operation Ivy, Rancid is often credited as being among the wave of bands that revived mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States during the mid-1990s. Over its 33-year career, Rancid has retained much of its original fan-base, most of which was connected to its underground musical roots.
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn. The Offspring is often credited for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the 1990s. During their 40-year career, the Offspring has released 10 studio albums and sold more than 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling punk rock bands.
Pennywise is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, released on Epitaph Records on October 22, 1991.
About Time is the third studio album by American punk rock band Pennywise, released on June 13, 1995.
Unknown Road is the second studio album by American punk rock band Pennywise, released on August 17, 1993, through Epitaph Records. After frontman Jim Lindberg briefly left the band during touring in support of its previous album, Pennywise (1991), Pennywise began the recording sessions for their second album. Released a year before the success of punk rock in California, Unknown Road gained Pennywise supporting slots on national and world tours with bands such as The Offspring. Some archived footage of the Unknown Road tour dates can be seen on the band's 1995 documentary Home Movies.
Full Circle is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise. It was released on April 22, 1997 and was digitally remastered on March 8, 2005 on the original label. This is the first Pennywise studio album to feature Randy Bradbury, who replaced bassist Jason Thirsk, who had died from suicide on July 29, 1996. The entire album was dedicated to the memory of Thirsk, who had been a key songwriter for Pennywise until his death, and a close friend of all of those in the band.
Jason Matthew Thirsk was the bass player of the California punk rock band Pennywise from 1988 through his death in 1996. He grew up in Hermosa Beach, California.
James William Lindberg is an American singer and guitarist. Active since the 1980s, when he played in local bands in his early career, he is best known as the songwriter and lead singer of the punk rock band Pennywise, which he fronted from 1988 to 2009, and has again since 2012. He also founded The Black Pacific, who released a debut album in 2010.
The Fuse is the eighth studio album by American punk rock band Pennywise. It was released on August 9, 2005.
From the Ashes is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise.
Land of the Free? is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Pennywise. Produced by Joe Barresi, the album was released on June 19, 2001. After the commercial success of their previous album, Straight Ahead, Pennywise entered the studio in early 2001 to record a follow-up. Land of the Free? received positive reviews from critics and was well sold worldwide, reaching number 67 on the Billboard Top 200, and number 21 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. "Fuck Authority" was released as a single to promote the album.
Straight Ahead is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, released in 1999 via Epitaph Records. It contains the single "Alien."
Ignite is an American melodic hardcore band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1993, their commercial breakthrough album, A Place Called Home, was released in 2000 on TVT Records. Prior to this release, they were well regarded among hardcore fans, thanks in part to constant touring and having visited over 40 countries.
Our Darkest Days is the fourth studio album by American punk rock band Ignite. It was released on May 16, 2006 through Abacus Recordings. Following the release of their third studio album A Place Called Home (2000), the band left their label, went through line-up changes, and the members focused their time on the side project California United. Despite starting pre-production for a new album in early 2005, they did not start recording until November 2005, and eventually finishing in January 2006. Sessions were held at Maple Sound Studios in Santa Ana, California, and Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California with producer Cameron Webb. The album's melodic hardcore sound evokes the music of 7 Seconds and AFI.
Reason to Believe is the ninth studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, which was released on March 25, 2008 as a worldwide free digital download on MySpace. MySpace Records released the album within the United States as a standard CD and a limited-edition vinyl version with two bonus tracks not available in any other format. The album was available in Europe on March 24 through Epitaph Records. Originally to be released in 2007 based on the two-year gaps between the last eight studio albums, a tentative title for the album was Free for the People, but the title was scrapped.
After the Fall is the fourth and final studio album from American hardcore punk band 98 Mute. It was released on April 9, 2002 by Epitaph Records. All of their albums were co-produced by Fletcher Dragge of the band Pennywise. It was released on enhanced CD containing a band bio, photos and an exclusive video interview followed by a live rendition of Black Flag's "No Values".
Zoltán Téglás is an American singer. He was the frontman of melodic hardcore band Ignite from 1994 to 2020 and was also the lead vocalist of Pennywise for a short time, appearing on their tenth album All or Nothing. He has collaborated with other bands including The Misfits, Motörhead and Blind Myself. Téglás has another side project called Zoli Band.
All or Nothing is the tenth studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, which was released on May 1, 2012. It is Pennywise's first album since Reason to Believe (2008), their longest gap to date between studio albums. This is also the band's only recording with vocalist Zoli Téglás, who replaced Jim Lindberg from February 2010 to October 2012, as well as their first release on Epitaph Records since 2005's The Fuse. "Let Us Hear Your Voice" impacted radio on April 17, 2012.
Yesterdays is the eleventh studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, which was released on July 15, 2014. It contains previously unrecorded compositions by their late bassist Jason Thirsk. Yesterdays is also Pennywise's first album with singer Jim Lindberg after he left the band in 2009 and returned in 2012. "Violence Never Ending" was released to radio on June 23, 2014.
Never Gonna Die is the twelfth studio album by the American punk rock band Pennywise, which was released on April 20, 2018.
References
↑ Chamberlain, Wade (1995). "RAD Interview with Pennywise". radcyberzine. Rational Alternative Digital. Retrieved February 15, 2019. Well, we actually got it from the book and not the film.
↑ Myers, Ben (2006). Green Day: American Idiots & The New Punk Explosion. Red Wheel Weiser. ISBN9781609258986. NOFX's barbed wits and songs about sexually transmitted diseases or Pennywise's spirited fists-in-the-air melodic hardcore.
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