Pennywise

1988, Hermosa Beach, California. It is under this more than enchanting framework that four buddies decide to create a group named after the famous clown created by Stephen King: Pennywise. Jim Lindberg (chant), Fletcher Dragge (guitar), Jason Thirsk (bass) and Byron McMakin (battery) did not have as their base, the devastating Skate-Punk that we have known since. Their first demo, in fact, consisted more of rather slow songs, but the recipe took place, so we end up with Pennywise's first fruits. In 1989, A Word From The Wise opened the doors of Epitaph Records, a small label at the time (this demo will only be distributed from 1992). But it will only be 2 years later that the group will explode in the eyes of the public, in a devastating skeud, carefully stored under a jacket that has since become emblematic. A devastating, fast, uncompromising Skate-Punk with effective melodies that gives this young band a certain reputation. The year 1993 is rather tumultuous. Jim Lindberg left the band a short time, accusing members of not being ambitious enough), but came back to record Unknown Road , a more mature, slower and melodic LP as evidenced by the eponymous song. The participation in many skate and surf videos brings them a fairly high profile and allows them, in 1995, to release more than 200,000 copies of their 3rd album, About Time. Pennywise then became one of the leaders of the Californian punk-rock scene. In the summer of 1996, the bassist and founder of the group, Jason Thirsk, suffering from alcoholism and chronic depression, ended his life. This shock does not mean the death of the group. After recruiting Randy Bradbury, who had already played briefly in Pennywise, the band released in 1997 Full Circle. Dedicated to Jason Thirsk this LP, considered one of the best of the formation, is notably known for the now mythical Bro Hymn Tribute, an anthem to the memory of their missing brother. The style also changes: faster, darker and with words that have lost their optimistic side. This renaissance was confirmed in 1999 with Straight Ahead, which, worn by the single Alien, was even more successful.
In 2000, they released their first live, Live At The Key Club , recorded in a small 600-person hall in Los Angeles. A year later was released Land Of The Free? The texts are now more politically committed and address police violence, social inequalities, the ravages of capitalism and the environment. Pennywise continued to record From the Ashes in 2003 and The Fuse in 2005. On the occasion of the cancellation of their Australian tour, the first rumors of split appear. In 2009 Californians returned to the studio for Reason To Believe. Available for free on myspace, the album is not sold. In August of the same year, Jim Lindberg formalized his departure. His replacement with Zoli Téglás, the singer of Ignite, was formalized in February 2010. In 2012 released All of Nothing. The Zoli Téglás adventure does not last. Injured on the back at a concert in Germany, he expressed his willingness to leave the band. However, he convinced Jim Lindberg to resume service behind the microphone, which was effective in October 2012. Yesterdays , released in June 2014, marks the return to the song of Jim Lindberg. This album is in reality a compilation of songs composed by Jason Thirsk that had never been published before. It is therefore necessary to wait until April 2018 and the release of Never Gonna Die to hear the first real new compostions of Pennywise since 2012.