Pennywise 'From The Ashes' Bio

Let's get this straight. Your average punk band doesn't sell out venues like the 14,000-capacity Long Beach Arena. Your average punk band doesn't organize benefit shows for charities like the Surfrider Foundation. And your average punk band doesn't last fifteen months these days let alone fifteen years. For fuck's sake - PENNYWISE is not and never will be your average punk band!

From The Ashes, the seventh studio disc from this Hermosa Beach foursome, doesn't just pick up where the "Fuck Authority"-touting Land of the Free? left off. It builds on it. Just when you thought PENNYWISE - the fan focused band that let loyalists choose the set list for its recent Warped commitment - could do no better than that 2001 long-player, the group ups the ante.

Formed in 1988 by vocalist Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, bassist Jason Thirsk and drummer Byron McMackin, PENNYWISE inked with Epitaph Records for their eponymous 1991 debut. A middle finger directed at the grunge movement of the time, the group helped to define the emerging West Coast punk scene. Remarkably, 1993's Unknown Road sold a few hundred thousand copies and at the height of the punk resurgence of 1994 the major labels came calling. Saying "thanks, but no thanks" PENNYWISE elected to stay put and released another hit with '95's About Time. But the tragic death of Thirsk the following year put the band's future in doubt. Electing to soldier on with new bassist Randy Bradbury, Full Circle hit the racks in 1997 and the outfit's following continued to swell with its fifth studio disc, '99's Straight Ahead.

Following the 2000 concert album Live at the Key Club and PENNYWISE's critically lauded, aforementioned Land of the Free?, the group took some time to evolve, look inward, and, in the case of guitarist Dragge, mourn the unexpected loss of his beloved father Otis. Earlier in 2003, the members of PENNYWISE regrouped with longtime studio collaborator Darian Rundall at Stall #2 in Redondo Beach and co-produced From The Ashes. It wound up being their finest album ever.

Lighting the fuse on this filler-free, fourteen song affair is "Now I Know," a percolating anthem that singer/lyricist Lindberg says is about "the personal struggle to find fulfillment and hope in a world that has become increasingly confusing and forbidding." Despite such ruminations, From The Ashes is by no means somber. The material here is long on power, as evidenced by tracks like the nostalgic, radio affable "Yesterdays" and the intoxicating "Punch Drunk."

The cynical roar of "God Save The USA" - a public service announcement with guitars - is a reminder to free thinking punks everywhere that PENNYWISE is still the band of choice. As Lindberg croaks lines like "Apathy's the national disease and there is no end in sight/God save the USA, blame the president, and say your prayers tonight," Dragge, McMackin and Bradbury drive this accusatory State of the Union home.

Change-ups like the blistering, imaginatively arranged "Falling Down" (a song about coping with looming middle age) and the acoustic false start of "This Is Only A Test" prove that PENNYWISE will always refuse to rest on formula.

Armed with the same belief it held when they started, that punk music can change the world, PENNYWISE have created a punk classic known as From The Ashes. And, once again, just to clarify matters, PENNYWISE is not your average, ordinary punk band. Try fucking extraordinary.

Story of the Year Bio 2008

With its explosive, infectious roar, "Wake Up" alerts Story of the Year's fanatical, global following that the epic, uplifting The Black Swan is upon us. An artistic triumph in every sense, the beloved, million-selling band's third studio album is unequivocally its finest, building on the strength of past accomplishments while celebrating a newfound allegiance with Epitaph.

"Making this record felt like starting over," says Dan Marsala, frontman for the St. Louis-reared quintet. "We're like a brand new band. You can hear it in these songs, we're excited again. I think we've really stepped it up on this record."

If Story of the Year's career achievements - from 2003's smash debut Page Avenue to headlining massive festivals such as the Van's Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, to world tours with the likes of My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park and The Used - have been abundant, they've also been the result of the esteemed modern rock outfit's tireless work ethic and willingness to push boundaries musically. Approaching the follow-up to 2005's In the Wake of Determination with a burst of creative freedom, Story of the Year - which also counts guitarists Ryan Phillips and Philip Sneed, bassist Adam Russell and drummer Josh Wills - elevates The Black Swan with these same key convictions.

Leaps and bounds beyond the standards of what an alt-rock anthem can be in 2008, the remarkably powerful, hopeful and deeply personal "Tell Me" is undeniable. "It opens with a fucking gnarly, classic riff that hits you right between the eyes," Ryan enthuses.

"It's about our band," Dan acknowledges. "Before we signed to Epitaph, things were up in the air for us. We knew we didn't want to be on a major label anymore. We were like, 'What does this mean? Is our band done?' We really had to work through it and it was a weird time for us. But it's also been a really positive experience. Like, 'we're going to get through this together and nothing can stop us!'"

Thematically based around the concept of impactful, unpredictable events, The Black Swan hits home with Story of the Year in that it relates to a massively successful rock band breaking free of confines and restrictions to thrive on its own terms. "Epitaph seemed like the perfect place for us at this time in our career," Ryan explains. "It's a much more creative environment." To which Dan adds, "We could tell that Brett [Gurewitz, Epitaph's founder] loved the songs."

Despite a back catalog that counts a half dozen radio staples (like 2003's "Until The Day I Die" to 2006's "Take Me Back") and a wall full of gold and platinum awards for record sales in North America, Japan and Australia, Story of the Year's loyal fans are its principal concern. And the legions that discovered the group via Page Avenue will be pleased to learn the group re-teamed with producer John Feldmann for a handful of tracks on The Black Swan.

Among them is the aforementioned, explosive "Wake Up," a collaboration between Phillips, Marsala and Russell, which took lyrical inspiration from Carl Sagan's book Pale Blue Dot. Written from a global perspective, Dan says of the track, "When you think about just how small the earth really is and just how small the human race really is, our existence is almost insignificant in the greater scheme of things. You think of how the wars and all of the fighting and killing are just so unnecessary. It's pointless, and we should all be living our lives to the fullest."

Elsewhere, the band's first bona fide ballad, "Terrified," upholds the same line of thinking, with an emotional and uplifting delivery. "It's an amazing story about a man who goes off to war leaving a pregnant wife," says Ryan. "It narrates from both sides; their fears, emotions, and the fact that she doesn't even know if he's still alive. It's a hard hitting song that needed to be personal and epic instead of heavy."

"A lot of this record explores social and ethical issues that we feel strongly about," explains Marsala. As is the case with the melodic charge of "We're Not Going To Make It" which explores the struggle for an interracial couple to find acceptance and support from their parents and beyond in an overwhelmingly prejudiced America.

Equally poignant is the thought-provoking "Message To The World," which sends a global memorandum via the refrain, "When you kill me do it slowly." "People have this weird blind nationalism," says Dan. "Like, 'we're from America! And America is good. And we've gotta support America. And nobody else matters, because we're better than everybody.' And it's pretty obvious that having that kind of outlook will only result in things ending badly."

Additionally, Story of the Year teams with it-producer Elvis Baskette (Chevelle, Escape The Fate) on The Black Swan. "Elvis is a little more organic," Dan laughs. "He wants the guitars loud!" Be it "Welcome To Our New War," a stand out track that takes the group's shredding mastery to new heights, or the powerful riffs that propel "Apathy Is A Deathwish" - a track Phillips says, "Makes me want to smash stuff and drink a car-bomb shot" - the results are simply stellar.

Ferocious and thought-provoking, The Black Swan finds Story of the Year in the rare position of being one of the biggest bands in the world, while being left to its own devices to evolve and flourish creatively.

"I hope people really read into the lyrics and respect the fact that we don't sing about lollipops and gummi-bears," Ryan explains. "Musically, we've grown so much. We have some very unique, timeless, face melting guitar riffs and solos that have come to define our sound, without compromising the idea of a classic song."

Hot Water Music 'The New What's Next' 2004

If it's trite to say HOT WATER MUSIC's third album for Epitaph is easily its finest album yet, it's also the goddamn truth. When it comes to forceful, fluid and intricate punk-inspired sounds, few -- if any -- roar with the kind of expression and precision found on The New What Next.

Launched by the expressive, anthemic spark of "Poison," The New What Next is a bold musical proclamation that's uniquely paced and often irresistible. From the melodic yet cathartic drive of "End of the Line" to the captivating, infectious riffs that propel the mid-tempo "All Heads Down" and beyond, bassist Jason Black says the sonic change-ups in place for the follow up to 2002's Caution were intentional.

"We sought out new dynamics, and we went for different tempos and different feels," Black explains. "The only thing we purposely tried to do for this record was make sure each song stood on its own, so they didn't really sound like each other too much. We even experimented with different tunings, which is something we never would have thought we could do. But we just keep evolving and trying new things without confining ourselves too much."

Built on a foundation of open-mindedness, teamwork and democracy, HWM has been road and studio dynamos since coming together in Gainesville, Florida in the mid-1990s. By 2001, the quartet had aligned with Epitaph in time to drop the highly lauded A Flight And A Crash and its follow up, the much revered Caution.

Again relying on producer Brian McTernan (Cave In, Promise Ring) whom Black calls "a great shit meter for us," the bassist says that The New What Next was "the easiest record we've ever made by a long-shot." With another head in the game that the group by now trusts implicitly, Jason says that things were so comfortable with McTernan that when things wrapped up, the members of HWM "were kind of bummed that we couldn't just hang out with him longer."

That sort of focus and allegiance emerges from the explosive blast of the aforementioned "Poison" -- single-handedly explains how the group has been able to grow its fanbase every year, remain true to itself and retain the kind of credibility eons of other "mainstream punk" bands would kill for. As Black thumps on his bass, drummer George Rebelo keeps an expert beat , Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard carve out blistering,

memorable riffs, along with thought-provoking vocal delivery perfecting Hot Water Music's lure. Furiously intoned prose like, "I could waste away with politics/drown myself with wine/find myself through solitude/and inject poison into my mind," is all the evidence needed to affirm HWM's genius.

Taking its title from the journal where Wollard kept his lyrics in, which he put together taping in pages and the cover from an old children's book, Black says, "it just kind of fit in with what's been going on with us." Be it the rhythmic, airwave-worthy "Ebb And Flow," the frenzied, exuberant "Monkey Wrench" or the pensive, emotive "Ink and Lead," the band's latest is a stellar representation of all its abilities.

With The New What Next, Hot Water Music builds on its legacy and defies easy categorization by unveiling a twelve-song arsenal that's sure to please long-time disciples and recent converts alike. And that was the band's motivation all along. "Basically, the thing we wanted to do was bridge the gap between our older and newer fans," Black explains.

"If there was one Hot Water Music record to own, it would be this one," he continues. Succinctly put, Black. Succinctly put.

The Presidents of The United States of America 2008 Artist Bio

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE

(FUGITIVE RECORDINGS/EMI)




Chris Ballew (Vocals, Basitar)

Jason Finn (Drums, Vocals)

Andrew McKeag (Guitbass, Vocals)



With THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE, THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA have delivered an inventive, uplifting and often brilliant rock & roll album. From the opening, celebratory blast of “Mixed Up SOB”--which embraces the spirit of the band’s 4 million-selling eponymous debut--to the warm, Shins-like lilt of “Loose Balloon,” the group commandeers your attention with fourteen contagious winners.

Simply put, THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE delivers the goods with PUSA sounding as vital as ever. With the collective strengths of founding vocalist, basitar player and principal songwriter CHRIS BALLEW, original drummer JASON FINN and guitbass player ANDREW MCKEAG--who officially joins the band with this album--PUSA lend their joy and enthusiasm to any and all within an earshot.

Recorded by Northwest legends The Fastbacks’ own Kurt Bloch (Robyn Hitchcock, Mudhoney, Les Thugs) and mixed by Martin Feveyear (Epoxies, Amber Pacific, Screaming Trees), the disc marks an alignment between the band and EMI via the new imprint Fugitive Recordings. Sharing the landscape with recent, acclaimed efforts by Ween and They Might Be Giants, PUSA--as masters (and progenitors) of “Joy Pop”--dig deep and pull off their most diverse and accomplished record yet.

Case in point is the twangy, swing-informed exuberance of “Flame Is Love,” which effortlessly shares the company of more recent numbers like the riff-tastic “Poor Turtle” or the light, countrified “Truckstop Butterfly.” As for the aforementioned “Mixed Up SOB,” it was originally penned in 1989 and first existed as “a slow, 12-string kind of thing,” says Chris. “It wasn’t until I decided to Cars-ify it that it came to life.”

“Chris is very prolific and there’s never a lack of new material,” Finn explains. “He’s also got stuff from the last ten years on his computers. And he’s always sort of rifling through fragments of material from hard drives, cassettes, Dictaphones, wherever. And every time we do a new record, he goes through that stuff. And every time I think I’ve heard every song that he’s ever written, he pulls out like eight great songs I’ve never heard, and I’m like, ‘Why the %$#@ didn’t we do this one or that one?’

And then there’s the glistening, piano-touched pop winner “More Bad Times,” which is brand new, sort of.

Replete with an a cappella break and a captivating acoustic shuffle, the song--which can’t help but be one of the main focal points of THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE--is essentially a hybrid of Presidents music and the lyrics to a song by an old, obscure group known as Ed’s Redeeming Qualities. “I used to go see them when I moved to Boston in 1988. They had a ukulele, a violin and an old man shaking a can of rice,” Chris chuckles. “And they had a song, “More Bad Times,” that was very different musically. But I always loved it.”

“So, we’re goofing around with acoustic guitars,” Ballew continues, “and Andrew started playing a new riff, and all of the sudden that other song came into my head, and I starting singing those lyrics over it and changed the rhyme scheme and it just fit. I wound up writing a final verse and discovered how much fun it is to take an existing song and turn it into something else. When we finished it I was like, man, this is the feel good hit of the summer.”

“I was just playing this part on this Silvertone guitar that Chris had in his house and it was tuned an octave higher. And he was like, ‘Keep playing that! Keep playing that!’” Andrew laughs. “He started jumping up and down and got all excited.”

“It’s certainly one of the high points and it’s in a spot where we rarely go,” Finn acknowledges. “We’ve gone a little bit further out toward the edges on this one, but in a totally focused way. Of course, people have always expected a ‘mixed grill’ from us stylistically. Our earliest crowds in Seattle didn’t know whether they were going to get loud, soft or all ska on a given night. That was part of the fun…as long as it wasn’t ska very often.”

Since the Seattle-based trio first burst into the public eye with its aforementioned debut – on the strength of radio smashes like “Lump” and “Peaches” – it has been plugging away in fits and spurts with remarkable success. Look no further than their twice Grammy- nominated debut The Presidents of the United States of America, which continues to thrive as an enduring modern rock disc since peaking at #6 on the Billboard Top 200. Enjoying the kind of longevity shared by eponymous classics of the genre like Violent Femmes and Weezer, it’s found a new life on digital services like iTunes since its rights reverted back to the band in 2003.

1996’s II rocked just as hard, giving birth to the full throttle, Top 10 single, “Mach Five,” which fostered PUSA’s most imaginative and infamous music video. Meanwhile, accelerated fan favorites like “Lunatic to Love” and “Tiki God” left their imprint on then-up and-comers The Hives.

In advance of a much-deserved hiatus, two well-chosen covers helped leave a substantial cultural mark. First, a boisterous take on The Buggles’ “Video Killed The Radio Star” musically defined the smash Adam Sandler flick “The Wedding Singer.” Next, “The Drew Carey Show” adopted the Presidents’ rendering of Ian Hunter’s “Cleveland Rocks” as its theme, bringing the trio into millions and millions of living rooms across the fruited plain. “Ohio!” indeed.

In 2000, Chris, Dave and Jason reconvened for the vibrant studio-only effort Freaked Out and Small, which boasted the airwave favorite “Tiny Explosions.” Giving PUSA a chance to record songs that Chris had crafted outside of the band’s unconventional 2-string, 3-string format, the project included the riotous track “Jupiter” and live in-studio performances on the accompanying DVD. “We weren’t officially working again at that point, Jason explains. This Musicblitz company appeared out of the ether and offered us a chance to make a record with no touring obligation. Sounds like a hoot, says us, and we had a blast recording it for 10 days, then didn’t give it another thought. Neither did Mudicblitz, who went out of business a couple of weeks after putting it out.”

A full reformation followed a series of reunion gigs for 2004’s Love Everybody, and while critics were handing out four star reviews and “Some Postman” was a radio favorite, the band ultimately realized that operating as a touring band and maintaining its own PUSA record label was a huge undertaking. As Finn puts it, “Being our own label was interesting, but ultimately the day-to-day realities of managing a retail operation were taking too much of our rocking time. Plus, during our frequent DIVA tantrums, it was less fun calling and screaming at ourselves!”

With Love Everybody, Dave stepped away from the band for touring purposes and ultimately passed the guitbass to McKeag, a Seattle music vet and longtime friend of the band who was initially introduced to the group by Dederer years ago and who first served as a roadie for The Fastbacks when they opened for PUSA on their June 1996 U.S. tour.

“After 200 shows in the band, I’ve finally earned my stripes. Woo-hoo!” Andrew laughs. To which, Finn adds, “Andrew is a huge, huge guitar player. He takes the rock & roll of the band and capitalizes the ‘R’s’.” It’s a notion upheld by the punchy, rollicking “French Girl,” the quirky and undeniably sharp “Fangs”--which boasts Jason’s finest harmony vocals to date--and the blistering, forceful anchor track “Ghosts Are Everywhere.”

Then there’s “Deleter,” a bona fide funk song with horns that the band built from a beat that Finn had been playing at soundchecks for years. “One day at practice we put it together but I couldn’t make any lyrics fit,” Chris explains. “Then I remembered an email I had from Robyn Hitchcock--who I’ve been friends with and whose records I’ve been playing on for a while--and he asked, ‘Do you still have that horn part you did?’ So I wrote back, ‘No man. If I know you’re not going to use it, I delete it. I’m a deleter.’ And he replied, ‘She’s a deleter.’ So we started riffing back and forth. That banter became the chorus. I wrote the verses and we finished it.” Soul singer Fysah Thomas rounds out the song with the first ever guest vocal appearance on a Presidents album.

With a cover image of a hand with a pin coming in to pop a balloon, Ballew says the track “Loose Balloon” fostered the album art. It was also the first song he wrote for THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE. Written on Christmas Day 2005, the first he spent alone after his marriage dissolved and his kids were off with their mom, Ballew says, “The split was a positive one but that day I was really bummed. My whole life was changing. And that song came out as therapy.”

When it’s suggested that although it came from a dark place, it still translates as a song of strength, Chris is quick to explain. “When you write a song and you play it live you have to live it,” he says. “If you tell a sad story, you have to live it over and over again each night. So my version of musical therapy isn’t to wallow in the sadness but find that little bright spot and turn up the volume on it.”

That sentiment lends itself to the title of the record: “Whenever we were on tour over the last couple years and things were sucking and we’re sitting backstage somewhere, cold and eating whipped turkey in some strange third world country, everyone would be quiet and I would say, ‘These are the good times, people.’ Like, this is it! This is what we signed up for! And it sort of mutated into the record title, when I thought that without the sarcasm, it could be used as a positive statement. “

Perhaps that outlook also explains why PUSA have persevered and remain able to make inspiring music on their own terms long after so many of their ‘90s alt-rock peers have gone by the wayside. With an average age of show-goers at around 20, the band’s high energy shows continue to pack venues all over the world, selling out shows in London, Amsterdam, New York, Sydney and Seattle on its last world trek.

With THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE, new and old fans alike should find little problem joining the party with PUSA circa 2008. “I know this stands up strong against our entire catalog. And I hope our fans agree. We’ve finally gotten to the point where we can let the vibe come to us and then we jump out at it and reel it in. I think we’ve really brought our ‘A’ game to this album. I feel like we’ve given as much as we ever have on this record.”

Forgoing the director role he has assumed in the past, Ballew says a democratic dynamic steered the project and greatly improved the energy of the band. Playing to their strengths on THESE ARE THE GOOD TIMES PEOPLE, Chris concedes, “I’ve just kind of learned over time that it’s a lot of stress for me and I don’t necessarily end up with something better. I just decided to lay back and not care while caring deeply, letting the cream rise to the top.”

The Color Fred Bio 2007

Bend To Break

(Equal Vision Records)



With Bend To Break, Fred Mascherino--known for his work as lead guitarist and co-vocalist/songwriter for Taking Back Sunday--has turned out one of the most exhilarating and gutsy solo projects in years. Operating under the guise of THE COLOR FRED, the first recording under his nom de rock was artfully executed with the help of legendary producer Lou Giordano (Sugar, Paul Westerberg, Sunny Day Real Estate).

A triumph in every sense, the disc finds Mascherino where he belongs--out in front and wearing his heart proudly on his sleeve. From the urgent, three-minute firecracker “Get Out” that launches Bend To Break, to the six-minute, lighter-ready opus “Don’t Pretend,” the Coatesville, PA-bred, Northern Jersey-based musician has created an accomplished and conscience-invading album. And while TBS fans will be delighted to know THE COLOR FRED is in the same musical realm, its debut doesn’t mirror the world famous band Fred Mascherino has played with since 2003.

After road-testing the new material with the likes of Dashboard Confessional this past September, in advance of extensive touring commitments slated for well into 2008, audience reaction to THE COLOR FRED was enthusiastic to say the least. Many had already been exposed to the disc’s advance single, through the project’s MySpace page. Truth be known, the contagious, full throttle allure of “If I Surrender” is hard not to sing along with.

While THE COLOR FRED had been in Mascherino’s plans since before he joined Taking Back Sunday, his solo project was put on the backburner with that band’s meteoric rise. In the wake of two gold records while in the band--2004’s Where You Want To Be (Victory) and 2006’s Louder Now (Warner Bros.)--and their subsequent touring commitments, it wasn’t until the Spring of 2007 that Bend To Break truly took shape.

“It was pretty rough finding the time, because I went from one tour into getting the record ready and recording it,” Fred admits. “And that backed right up into Taking Back Sunday playing on [Linkin Park’s tour] Projekt Revolution. So I basically passed on a two-month break but it was totally worth it.” Recorded over a four- week span at Millbrook Studio in Upstate New York in close proximity to Alfred Hitchcock’s estate, Mascherino says, “We were in the middle of nowhere, which was fun, but also ideal because Lou and I were uninterrupted. We were brothers in arms and we totally trusted each other.”

“I played all the bass and guitars on the record. I also had a little help with some backup vocals by P.J. Bond, who will be playing bass on the road,” Mascherino says. The album’s recording sessions was rounded out by drummer Steve Curtiss, who will also be in tow when THE COLOR FRED embarks on extensive roadwork to support Bend to Break.

Fueled by Mascherino’s musical pedigree, which includes a Jazz Performance degree from Temple University, THE COLOR FRED is the next logical step in the songwriter/guitarist’s sonic evolution. Fronting punk act Brody from 1992 – 1999, Fred took his early musical cues from revered bands like Dag Nasty, The Descendents and Jawbreaker on a series of indie releases for labels like Creep and Harvcore. When his attention shifted to Breaking Pangaea in 2000, the beloved emo trio’s output was chronicled in a pair of releases for Undecided Records and cemented with the 2003 Phoenix EP on Equal Vision.

Once again teaming with respected label Equal Vision (Coheed and Cambria, Saves The Day, Chiodos), a worldly and wise Mascherino is celebrating his achievements as he looks forward. If the explosive and contagious admission “Complaintor” is sure to draw the interest of fans, its one of eleven inventive, exciting and honest tracks awaiting your attention.

Turning that energy into the musical triumph that is Bend To Break has had enormously positive results. “I couldn’t be happier with how it came out,” Fred enthuses. “I’m proud of what Lou and I did and I wouldn’t really change anything about it. I’m excited for people to hear it and enjoy it and feel like they’re listening to something that is honest. I’m hoping that the fans who have been with me for the last several years will continue down the road with me. Of course, I’d like to reach some new people, too.”

Mascherino is also quick to point out that the CD packaging is 100% recycled material, with an inlay tray made of cornstarch. The green lifestyle is evident in the 1982 VW Rabbit he owns, and which runs on veggie oil, not to mention the carbon offsets he bought for recording. He also plans to offset as much of his imminent touring commitments with THE COLOR FRED as possible.

“I like to keep everything I do as close to carbon footprint zero as possible,” he says. “The guys at Equal Vision had to search far and wide to make my packaging goal a reality. But it’s well worth it. It’s really important to me and if everyone else did it, it would make a big difference.”

So what about the curious moniker for his solo endeavor, which elicits the same sort of chuckle that rock fans had a dozen years ago when Dave Grohl unveiled his then-solo project The Foo Fighters?

“The people who know me, knew it was a good fit, because it kind of makes you smile,” Mascherino says of The Color Fred. “I do write about some dark issues, but I try to always take it from a positive angle in the end. I try to be a positive guy, so it’s okay if people hear the name and grin. It’s supposed to get that reaction.”

The Almost 2007

The Almost
Southern Weather
(Tooth & Nail/Virgin Records)

Aaron Gillespie is a man obsessed. Whether he's out in front of The Almost, his new, eagerly anticipated rock-based project, or behind the drum kit for Underoath, the Clearwater, Florida-bred songwriter/musician can't help but throw himself into everything he does.

With Southern Weather, The Almost lets Gillespie put a different, more melodic side of himself on display. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his idol Dave Grohl, who stepped out from behind his drum kit to capture the rock world's hearts as one of the genre's most visible frontmen, Gillespie has begun a metamorphosis.

If The Almost brainchild is quick to downplay any similarities to the Foo Fighters in their infancy, his project's debut affirms he's clearly worthy. Consider that The Almost is already confirmed for the upcoming 2007 Warped Tour and that Southern Weather marks the first time Tooth & Nail has partnered up with a major label (Virgin Records) for a joint release and there's little denying that Gillespie is about to take the ride of his life.

Southern Weather features the blistering "Call Me Back When I'm Honest" and the quick, evocative "Drive There Now!" Performing nearly every instrument on the disc, workhorse Gillespie aligned with acclaimed, Seattle-based producer Aaron Sprinkle on Southern Weather. And while the two had never met, The Almost brainchild was a big fan of Sprinkle's work with Pedro the Lion and they hit it off instantly.

"Aaron is an incredibly talented producer," says Gillespie. "And it turns out we have a lot in common. He wears a lot of hats and plays every instrument. He's able to open up your eyes and make you think about things you can do on an album that maybe you didn't think about."

Case in point is "Amazing Because It Is," which started as a very basic song but built into a horn-touched, choir-augmented album pinnacle. "It's way different from anything else on the record, but I think I might like it the best," Gillespie says of the spiritual opus. "It started with one take on the vocals and I kind of kept it stripped down. And then I went to a church-to like a youth group-and they invited all of their affiliated youth groups and I played a few songs for them. And I am so pleased with how it ended up."

Nearly as magical is the disc's tender, countrified moment, "Dirty And Left Out"- which took shape after the Aarons spent an evening absorbing Ocean Beach by Red House Painters. If the latter--which counts a guest vocal collaboration with former Sunny Day Real Estate singer Jeremy Enigk--is a noticeable shift from the bone-crunching attack fans have come to expect from Aaron through his work with Underoath, Gillespie says it's completely natural. "As much as I love what I do in that band, there are songs in me and music that I enjoy just as much that comes from melody," The Almost principal explains.

While some artists might find themselves overwhelmed by the prospect of working alone, Aaron says he thrived by working on his own with Sprinkle. "I'm used to working in this band environment," he admits. "So that was a shift. But when I hit my stride, I could just go for things. I didn't have to explain what I was looking for to someone else or over-think anything."

From the inventive Thursday-meets-Oasis vibe of "Everyone Here Smells Like A Rat" to the breathtaking, undying roar of "I Mostly Copy Other People"--which benefits from the bass and guest vocal work of The Starting Line's Kenny Vasoli --Gillespie plays from the heart on Southern Weather. Throughout the album Aaron incorporates pieces of his youth.

Most visible is the disc's commanding opening track and first single, "Say This Sooner," which introduces the album with an attention grabbing, percussion-driven anthem. "I grew up in the Deep South," he says of the urgent, hook-fostered opener. "Like anyone, I've had struggles along the way. But I am very much informed by Southern values and I think the songs speak to that."

Just as informed are the Gillespie devotees that scored The Almost the top three songs and #1 artist ranking on PureVolume some four-plus months in advance of Southern Weather's April 3, 2007 release. The first week the songs were up, they received over 100,000 combined plays on PureVolume and MySpace. If Aaron's initial apprehensions about the project being accepted have subsided, it's that honest piece of his personality that is rare for a performer of his magnitude.

In advance of an early 2007 tour to test The Almost record on the road with his band--built from a line-up of Jay Vilardi (guitar), Alex Aponte (bass) and Kenny Bozich (drums) and himself--Gillespie was worried about how he'd be received, despite the fact most of the gigs were sell-outs and they all went off with out a hitch, setting the stage for their upcoming Warped Tour commitment.

Between his own duties out in front of The Almost and Underoath's touring and recording schedules, Aaron Gillespie is fully committed until 2008. For now, he's a firm believer in his ability to balance both. "Underoath is extremely special to me," he says of the group he co-founded in 1998 which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Album Chart with June 2006's Define The Great Line.

"Whereas with Southern Weather, it's got a much broader scope," he continues. "From a 12 year old listening to her iPod on the school bus to a 38-year old guy commuting on a train, I'm excited by the fact that this album can find an audience with a lot of different people."

MXPX 'Secret Weapon' Bio

MxPx Secret Weapon
Mike Herrera: Bass/Vocals
Tom Wisniewski: Guitars
Yuri Ruley: Drums

Sometimes you can go home. Just ask the iconic, idyllic punk/pop stalwarts MxPx, who have returned to the almighty Tooth & Nail Records for their exhilarating, dexterous eighth studio album, Secret Weapon. Long on the highly-charged, infectious anthems that made them scene favorites and boasting a smattering of adventurous, classic pop-inspired winners, the trio – consisting of frontman/bassist Mike Herrera, guitarist Tom Wisniewski and drummer Yuri Ruley – has delivered what can only be called its most accomplished and cohesive disc yet.

As Secret Weapon uncorks with the 1-2 punch of the title track and “Shut It Down,” it’s hard not to think masterpiece as the Aaron Sprinkle (The Almost, Anberlin) produced set unfolds. If Wisniewski is a little too humble to agree with that notion, he does call the disc’s double-whammy opening, “a face-melter.” Counting a guitar solo from Bad Religion’s Brian Baker, “Secret Weapon,” the incendiary, attention-grabber also finds MxPx wielding its infamous, optimistic tack.

“We’ve always been a band that’s tried to focus on the sunny side of life,” acknowledges Herrera. “But we try to do it in a way that’s real to people and not cheesy. We kind of embrace the dismal and the uplifting at the same time. And “Secret Weapon,” the song and the album, sums up where MxPx is right now.”

The aforementioned “Shut It Down” is an equally blistering homage to the Clash replete with soaring choruses, thundering drums and a vocal cameo from Sugarcult’s Tim Pagnotta. Launched with the proclamation, “This is a public service announcement with guitar!” – a line excerpted from that seminal quartet’s 1982 effort Combat Rock – its an endearing acknowledgment to Strummer/Jones.

“Aaron and I were listening to a playback of our song, waiting for Mike at the studio,” Tom explains. “And it just popped into my head. I was thinking of “Know Your Rights,” so I started shouting it over the song. And Aaron’s like, ‘Dude, that’s sick.’ So when Mike arrived, I was like, ‘Okay, get in front of the microphone.’ And that’s how we paid tribute to my favorite band ever.”

Suggesting kids give up their incessant texting rituals and forgo time in the chatroom for time with their families in the living room, the song’s message is a thought-provoking commentary on technology’s impact on society. “Everyone’s seen that cell phone commercial where the whole family is sitting at the dinner table,” says Tom. “The kid’s asking for the salt or whatever and the dad’s just blowing him up on the text message. And he’s like, ‘Dad. I’m right here.’ Sure it’s funny, but it’s also kind of sad.”

Not so for the alluring contagion “Top of the Charts.” An acerbic look back at MxPx’s frustrations with the music business and its tenure at a major label specifically, it just may be the band’s most accessible number ever. “It’s absolutely based in reality and our experiences with the whole major label world,” says Tom. “It was actually written a while back, after we parted ways with A&M. You know, they’d tell us, ‘Oh, the record’s perfect. It’s great. Then two weeks later they’d be back in touch and say, ‘Yeah. We don’t hear a single. Can you get back to us with a couple more songs.’ Like, ‘I know you just spent the past year writing songs but now can you pull an amazing single out of a hat? Can you just do that for us real quick? Thanks.’”

“It’s one of those things that we almost left off the record because we didn’t want people to think that we were jaded or that we blamed other people for us not having a big hit single,” Mike explains. “We don’t blame anyone. Things just sort of fall where they do and roll with it.”

That’s not to say MxPx hasn’t had its share of triumphs in its decade and a half in operation. Founded in July 1992 by Herrera and Ruley, the Bremerton, Washington-bred band’s line up has remained constant since Wisniewski joined in 1995. Counting a series of alternative radio and video favorites like “Punk Rawk Show,” “Chick Magnet,” “Move To Bremerton,” “I’m Okay, You’re Okay” and “Responsibility” over seven extremely popular studio albums, an array of EPs, plus one live disc and a DVD.

With their weighty back catalog of should-be smashes, returning to Tooth & Nail – a label now running circles around the conglomerates when it comes to getting rock albums on the charts by the likes of Underoath, Anberlin and The Almost – made perfect sense for its glimmering but tenacious eighth album. After agreeing to record three new songs last year for an expanded reissue of its B-sides compilation, Let It Happen, the band and label founder Brandon Ebel patched things up for good.

“It’s no secret that years ago we had a pretty well publicized falling out with them but it’s been a long time and things have healed,” Tom says. “We sort of picked up where we left off.” Fresh off the completion of an amicable deal with respected indie SideOne Dummy, MxPx began seriously considering Ebel’s offer to rejoin his label.

“I would say that helped our decision,” Herrera says of Tooth & Nail’s powerful industry position, “but it wasn’t solely based on business. A lot of it was based on redemption and wanting to right some of the wrongs and be righted for some of the wrongs that were done to us. We felt like this was our way to rebuild everything. I think, if anything, regardless of the success of this record, having that relationship with Tooth & Nail again is going to do wonders for our career, our personal lives and the well being of the whole camp.”

Similarly karmic was the decision to re-team with Sprinkle, who handled production duties on MxPx’s 1994 debut Pokinatcha, after he worked with Tom, Mike and Yuri in the summer of 2006 to append new material to the aforementioned bonus edition of Let It Happen. Because Wisniewski didn’t join until ‘95’s Teenage Politics, replacing founding guitarist Andy Husted, he says, “Aaron and realized that although we were friends, I had actually never recorded with him.”

“But he comes from the same mindset as us musically, and he had a lot of great ideas,” Tom adds of the sessions in Sprinkle’s Seattle facility. “And not only is Aaron a man on the rise, based on his credits, he’s able to help deconstruct a song and put it back together in a way that makes a lot of sense.”

Case in point is the adventurous instrumentation the band fused to “Punk Rock Celebrity,” a hard charging rocker that takes a unique left turn at the bridge, integrating piano and a wall of brass. “Mike came in with the song one day and said basically it’s two songs stuck together,” Tom explains. “Once we put it down, we thought triumphant Beatles-y horns and piano would make the song. So once the horn part was perfected, we brought in the horn players. And it worked really well.”

Less designed to poke fun at the punk rockers you see in the gossip rags than to poke fun at the similarities of the bands littering the music scene. “If you look through Alternative Press, every new band looks like every band you’ve seen before,” the guitarist laughs. “It’s kind of the return of ‘80s hair metal in a way. Except now it’s the sideways haircut and the Cyclops look; just slight variations on the same get-up. And we’ve never been like that, one of our favorite bands ever was the Descendents. And they never bought into that image over rock thing. It was all about the music. There was no pre-planned image.”

From the riotous, circle-pit anthem of “Contention,” clocking in at under 90 seconds and which Mike says he wrote “in whole in all of fifteen minutes,” to the stellar harmonies that elevate the lush, splendid “Sad Sad Song” and pay honor to The Beach Boys, MxPx finds the perfect balance of dichotomy and consistency on Secret Weapon.

“Take everything away, the bassline and the lyrics and the melody was all it was,” Herrera says of the germination of the song, which features former Superdrag frontman John Davis on backing vocals and keyboards. “All of the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ kind of came afterward. It just seemed like with that type of song it had to be something completely different. It couldn’t be a punk song. It had to be kind of oldies sounding. And I think punk and the oldies era fit well together, and of course, The Beach Boys’ – that fits like a glove.”

From the explosive closer “Tightly Wound,” which boasts a guest contribution by Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, to the upbeat punch of “Here’s To The Life”, the men in MxPx – who were handed the Keys To The City of Bremerton last year – have delivered the strongest record of its career.

“We don’t take each other too seriously,” Herrera explains, talking about how the band has endured through the years. “We like to travel and play music and do all the things you get to do being in a band, save for long plane rides. This band is sort of a microcosm of how a lot of people live their lives. And “Here’s To The Life,” kind of speaks to that. “Here’s to the life that we always never wanted.’ Like, This may not always be how we planned it, but it is what it is. We might as well enjoy it.’”

With that credo in place and Secret Weapon under its sleeve, 2007 seems certain to be the year that Mike, Tom and Yuri conquer the world. Onward and upward, MxPx!