NASHVILLE |DATE: AUGUST 25, 2005
FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON/LIBBY HENRY/AMANDA HALE
PENNYWISE
PERFORMS FREE SHOW FOR 1,500 WINNERS
ON CATALINA ISLAND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA;
BAND ANNOUNCE U.S. TOUR WITH DEATH BY STEREO;
'THE FUSE' DEBUTS AT #78 ON BILLBOARD'S TOP 200 ALBUMS CHART,
SELLING 13,780 COPIES
About 1,500 fans gathered on Catalina Island on Thursday, August 11, 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, for a free PENNYWISE show in connection with the release of their new CD THE FUSE (Epitaph). The lucky audience members included KROQ radio winners and fans who had pre-ordered the CD, as well as locals from the island.
The band's explosive set included songs from THE FUSE ("Disconnect," "Competition Song") as well as classics like "Something To Change," "My Own Country," "Broken," "Knock Down," "Pennywise" and their closing "Bro Hymn" anthem, among others. Just as the band launched into "Fuck Authority," the sound went out. Noting the title of the song, fans assumed the local authorities had pulled the plug on the band. Fans began to rally and the crowd joined together and sang the entire song while the band sang and played along without sound. Crew members worked furiously to restore power to the sound system and the show went on without a hitch.
THE FUSE debuted at #78 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart with sales of 13,780. It's also now at #9 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. THE FUSE marks the eighth PENNYWISE studio album. Over the course of their 17-year career–with overall sales of nearly two million albums–PENNYWISE has come to define the Southern California hardcore sound. THE FUSE proves PENNYWISE have no intention of compromising their unflinchingly aggressive sound and stands out as one of the band's most powerful offerings to date. Throughout the album, PENNYWISE–JIM LINDBERG (vocals), FLETCHER DRAGGE (guitars), BYRON MCMACKIN (drums) and RANDY BRADBURY (bass)–delivers songs of anthemic self-empowerment and politically charged wake-up calls.
Here's a sample of the album's critical acclaim:
"The Fuse's strength lies in its wedding of straightforward protests to an unrelenting barre-chord barrage that will trample you faster than a charging phalanx of riot cops."
–Michael Ansaldo, Revolver, September 2005
"…this still-raging Hermosa Beach quartet has reached a late-career peak, consistently cranking out polished but punchy agitprop with chant-along hooks set (mostly) to blitzing punk tempos…knocked out in a feverish rage fueled by hatred of Fox News, with Jim Lindberg's heightened vocal ferocity matching Fletcher Dragge's faintly metallic jackhammer riffs cut for skull-stomping cut."
–Ben Wener, Orange County Register, August 12, 2005
"After 17 years of sweaty mikes and mangled most pits, these angry gnashers have mastered the art of punk integrity and churned out some of the hottest-hey, not mainstream hot!-punk albums on the shelf…The Fuse (Epitaph) epitomizes the Pennywise sound with its pyretic guitar riffs, warrior-bled vocals, and death-defying speed drums. It's the same ol' Pennywise without being the same ol' Pennywise…They managed to grow and expand on their sound without really changing at all."
–Jared Cobb, Drum!, September 2005
"…its choruses are catchy as hell…The Fuse is as dominant and devastating as it is dour…"
–Rob Harvilla, Alternative Press, September 2005
"Some things never change. The standard acceleration of gravity will always be 9.806 meters per second, the sun will always rise from the east, and Pennywise will always write super duper thrasherific metallic tinged punk rock…[The Fuse] is fast and furious and thrashes around like a team of broncos trying to break free…The Fuse is filled with fifteen songs of tuneful punk rock…The Fuse is a fantastic call to action."
–Paul Zimmerman, First Coast News, August 4, 2005
"…Pennywise turn in classicist punk bootstrap anthems (the fabulous opener 'Knocked Down'; 'Stand Up') and blistering pleas for tolerance ('Competition Song') and tenacity ('Best I Can')."
–Johnny Loftus, AllMusic.com, August 2005
In other news, PENNYWISE will hit the road with labelmates Death By Stereo September 17 in Peoria, AZ for a U.S. tour. Current tour dates are as follows:
Date City Venue
Sat 9/17 Peoria, AZ Peoria Sports Complex
Wed 9/21 Jacksonville, FL Plush
Thur 9/22 Pompano Beach, FL Club Cinema
Fri 9/23 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
Sat 9/24 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Sun 9/25 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
Wed 9/28 Norfolk, VA The Norva
Thur 9/29 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Fri 9/30 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock
Sat 10/1 Latham, NY Saratoga Winners
Sun 10/2 Buffalo, NY The Town Ballroom
For more information on PENNYWISE, please contact:
MSO (818) 380-0400
Kristine Ashton (ext 233) kashton@msopr.com
Libby Henry (ext 224) lhenry@msopr.com
Amanda Hale (ext 238) ahale@msopr.com
EPITAPH (213) 413-7353
Hilary Okun hilary@epitaph.com
Hector Martinez hector@epitaph.com
Alexis Henry alexis@epitaph.com
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