NASHVILLE |DATE: JULY 26, 1999
FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON/MARIE DOMINGUEZ
PENNYWISE
TAKE TIME OUT FROM MAINSTAGE SLOT ON VANS WARPED TOUR
TO SHOOT VIDEO FOR `ALIEN'
AS SINGLE CONTINUES TO IMPACT RADIO
AND CD SELLS 75,000 COPIES IN FIRST FEW WEEKS;
BAND WEBSITE CONTINUES TO RECEIVE OVER 8000 `HITS' PER WEEK,
OFFERS MP3 BOOTLEGS AND MORE
In the midst of a headlining slot on the Vans Warped Tour, PENNYWISE took a quick break in Los Angeles to shoot a video for their single "Alien" with director Nick Brooks. Brooks is responsible for the visual effects in the film "The Matrix" and received an Academy Award for his work on the Robin Williams' film "What Dreams May Come." "Alien"–the first single from the band's recently released CD STRAIGHT AHEAD–is currently receiving airplay at key alternative stations nationwide, including KROQ in Los Angeles, LIVE 105 in San Francisco, Boston's WBCN, KKND (The End) in Seattle, San Diego's 91X and K-ROCK in New York, among others. The band–JIM LINDBERG (vocals), FLETCHER DRAGGE (guitar), BYRON McMAKIN (drums) and RANDY BRADBURY (bass)–were also given coveted slots at recent radio festivals such as the KROQ Weenie Roast, LIVE 105's BFD6 and WBCN's River Rave.
As PENNYWISE's appeal grows, the band remains true to their punk rock roots and continues to put the fans first. At the recent Warped Tour show in St. Louis, the band boycotted on-site merchandise vending when the venue asked for a high percentage of the sales. Instead, PENNYWISE and many other groups on the tour set up at a local CD store where approximately 2,000 fans showed up to buy T-shirts and hang out with the bands at an impromptu barbecue. Local police were cooperative and even allowed the Volcom-sponsored stage to be set up for bands to perform.
While PENNYWISE are on the road, fans can stay in touch with them via their website www.pennywisdom.com, which often receives over 8,000 "hits" per week. New additions to the site include "Unauthorized MP3 Bootlegs" and the "Words From The Wise" section, which features notes and essays written by vocalist/lyricist LINDBERG. In the "Our Fans" section, live show reviews and photos submitted by fans are posted. You can also check out the brand new PENNYWISE track "30 Seconds Until The End Of The World" on the recently released Fat Wreck Chords compilation Short Music For Short People, which features 30-second songs from 101 bands. Also look for a new live track from the band on the forthcoming CD The Solution, benefiting Heal The Bay and scheduled for release on S3/Mojo in late September.
Meanwhile, STRAIGHT AHEAD continues to garner critical acclaim. In a recent 3-star review in the Los Angeles Times, Sandy Masuo noted: "On its latest album, understated grooves and melodic gusts temper the weighty one-two grind, and singer Jim Lindberg tackles topics such as alienation and disaffection without resorting to juvenile gags or political poses–all of which keeps `Straight Ahead' right on target." Elsewhere, Spin said: "`Greed' opens the record with a closing chant so tight it sounds like it has a horn section behind it (it doesn't). `My Own Country' works a killer riff, and `Can't Believe It' ups the tempo further…"
Catch PENNYWISE on the road in the following cities and look for European dates on the Vans Warped Tour to be announced soon.
DATE CITY VENUE
Tues 7/27 Washington, DC RFK Stadium
Thurs 7/29 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheater
Fri 7/30 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds
Sat 7/31 Miami, FL Pompano Amphitheater Grounds
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