Hermosa Beach, CA · punk · skate punk

Pennywise

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Hermosa Beach skate-punk institution — 'Bro Hymn' will level the park, as it has for thirty years.

Pennywise took its name from the sinister clown in Stephen King's novel It. The band began in 1988 as a group called P.M.A., short for Positive Mental Attitude, with guitarist Fletcher Dragge, bassist Jason Thirsk, singer-guitarist Keith Brown and drummer Hank Jacobson. Byron McMackin soon joined on drums, and after a run of independent EPs the group signed to Epitaph Records in 1990, releasing its self-titled debut in 1991.

Singer Jim Lindberg left within six months of that debut. Thirsk took over vocals while Randy Bradbury filled in on bass, before Lindberg returned in 1992. The reshuffled band recorded 1993's Unknown Road, an underground hit that won them support slots on tours with bands such as The Offspring and set up wider recognition.

Pennywise's commercial breakthrough came with 1995's About Time, which reached the Billboard 200 and Australia's ARIA chart as punk rock moved toward the mainstream alongside acts like Bad Religion, NOFX, Rancid and Green Day. By 2007 the band had sold more than three million records independently, all released through Epitaph.

Bassist and founding member Jason Thirsk died in 1996, and 'Bro Hymn' was reworked shortly after as a tribute to him. The song has stayed the band's most recognisable release, still built around the same gang-vocal chorus that defined its early records.

Lindberg left again in 2009 and was replaced by Ignite singer Zoli Téglás, who recorded 2012's All or Nothing with the band. Lindberg rejoined later that year after Téglás was sidelined by a back injury, and the group has continued recording and touring with a lineup rooted in its original members.

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