NASHVILLE |DATE: MAY 1, 2001
FROM: ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/KRISTINE ASHTON/MITCH SCHNEIDER
PENNYWISE
SET TO RELEASE 'LAND OF THE FREE?'
JUNE 19 ON EPITAPH,
WITH 'F**K AUTHORITY" AS FIRST SINGLE;
BAND RETURN AS ONE OF THE HEADLINERS ON THIS SUMMER'S WARPED TOUR;
"Behind smiles and pageantry/Lies a vile and sadistic history/Insidious design deceitful and sublime/Feeding on misery" –"You're In For A Fight"
The title of PENNYWISE's forthcoming album LAND OF THE FREE?–due out June 19 on Epitaph, a few days before they return as one of the headliners on the Warped Tour–ends with a question mark. And with good reason.
Against a wall of hard chords, breakneck tempos and their most pointed melodies yet, PENNYWISE poignantly deliver a series of raw truths about the world around us, questioning the inequities of modern existence. Turning their attention toward the issues of global politics, PENNYWISE's lyrics and sound draw inspiration from the worldwide WTO protests and the recent United States presidential election as fuel for their ongoing dissident stance. "Our music exists solely to inspire people," says lead singer JIM LINDBERG. "We want people to hear our music and feel empowered by it."
PENNYWISE—LINDBERG, FLETCHER DRAGGE (guitar), BYRON McMACKIN (drums) and RANDY BRADBURY (bass)–assail authoritarian figures who violate our civil rights in "F**k Authority," set as the album's first single. Says LINDBERG, "This is our agenda set to a 4/4 beat. If your local police force is racist and corrupt and doesn't respect your rights as a free citizen, does this authority deserve your respect?" Elsewhere, "My God" denounces the evil intent of corrupt televangelists who prey on the poor, while "Divine Intervention" stresses the power of the individual.
"We're putting forth the idea that blind faith in religious archetypes and concepts isn't necessary to have a life filled with purpose and meaning," says LINDBERG.
In songs like "The World," "Enemy" and "Whose Side Are You On?" PENNYWISE illuminate the distinctions–culture, race, religion, nationality–that divide us, and ultimately force us to distrust one another. At the same time, LAND OF THE FREE? contains songs like "Set Me Free" and "Twist Of Fate" which, in the words of PENNYWISE, "attempt to inspire ourselves to rise above the roadblocks and regrets that frustrate us on a daily basis." For LAND OF THE FREE?–their seventh album–the Southern California band enlisted Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, L7) as their first-time producer on their most politically charged offering yet. Beginning May 1, fans will get a preview of the album, with the track "Time Marches On," available as an MP3 download at the band's official website www.pennywisdom.com.
Before PENNYWISE return to the main stage of the Warped Tour June 22 in Phoenix, they launch an array of dates throughout Europe, May 23-June 6.
Worldwide, PENNYWISE's success continues to grow. All of their albums have sold over 500,000 copies globally, with each consecutively outselling the last. As one of punk's most credible and inspirational bands, PENNYWISE are known for their community involvement and dedicated fan base. Last year, they headlined and sold-out the 15,000-capacity Los Angeles Sports Arena, marking one of the biggest punk shows ever in Los Angeles. This event would've been a huge payday for the band, but they opted to give all the proceeds to local charities. The band have also donated their time and music to various benefit albums and charity performances with causes ranging from women's shelters to environmental issues.
Current tour dates are as follows:
DATE CITY VENUE
Wed 5/23 Offenbach, Germany Stadthalle
Thur 5/24 Torhout, Belgium EARECT Open Air
Fri 5/25 Lissabon, Portugal Parco Sony
Sat 5/26 Glasgow, UK Secc
Sun 5/27 Manchester, UK Apollo
Mon 5/28 London, UK Docklands Arena
Wed 5/30 Amsterdam, NL Heineken Hall
Thur 5/31 Cologne, Germany Palladium
Fri 6/1 Zurich, Germany Rote Fabrik
Sat 6/2 Milan, Italy Palavobis
Sun 6/3 Rimini, Italy Velvet
Tues 6/5 Vienna, Austria Arena
Wed 6/6 Munich, Germany Colosseum
Warped Tour:
Fri 6/22 Phoenix, AZ Peoria Sports Complex
Sat 6/23 Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Lot
Sun 6/24 Fresno, CA Fresno State Univ. Amphitheater
Wed 6/27 Chula Vista, CA Coors Amphitheater
Thu 6/28 Irvine, CA Hidden Valley
Fri 6/29 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Coliseum
Sat 6/30 San Francisco, CA Pier 30/32
Sun 7/1 Lake Tahoe, CA Boreal Ridge Resort
Mon 7/2 Nampa, ID Idaho Center
Tue 7/3 Quincy, WA The Gorge
Thu 7/5 Calgary, ALB Race City Speedway
Fri 7/6 Bozeman, MT Gallatin County Fairgrounds
Sat 7/7 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairgrounds
Sun 7/8 Brighton, CO Adams County Fairgrounds
Tue 7/10 Bonner Springs, KS Sandstone Lot
Wed 7/11 St. Louis, MO Plaza at Riverport
Thu 7/12 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek Music Center
Fri 7/13 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Sat 7/14 Minneapolis, MN TBA
Sun 7/15 Tinley Park, IL New World Music Theater
Tue 7/17 Sparta, KY Kentucky Speedway
Wed 7/18 Nashville, TN AmSouth Amphitheater Lot
Thu 7/19 Little Rock, AR TBA
Fri 7/20 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Center
Sat 7/21 San Antonio, TX TBA
Sun 7/22 Houston, TX TBA
Wed 7/25 Atlanta, GA HI FI Buys Amphitheater
Thu 7/26 Panama City Beach, FL Club La Vela
Fri 7/27 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds
Sat 7/28 Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach Amphitheater
Sun 7/29 Jacksonville, FL Univ. of S Florida Soccer Field
Tue 7/31 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Wed 8/1 Bristow, VA Nissan Pavilion
Thu 8/2 Pittsburgh, PA Iron City Light Amphitheatre
Fri 8/3 Camden, NJ Tweeter Center
Sat 8/4 New York, NY Randall's Island
Sun 8/5 Asbury Park, NJ Asbury Park Lot
Tue 8/7 Cleveland, OH Nautica Stage
Wed 8/8 Buffalo, NY La Salle Park
Thu 8/9 Boston, MA Suffolk Downs
Fri 8/10 Montreal, PQ Parc Des Illes
Sat 8/11 Barrie, ONT Molson Park
Sun 8/12 Pontiac, MI Phoenix Plaza Amphitheater
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