Pennywise have been spreading their political punk rock messages since the late 1980s. In 1996, following the tragic suicide of Jason Thirsk, Randy Bradbury became the band’s permanent bass player. Now, after 26 years, Pennywise have released their 11th album,Yesterdays, a collection of songs written in their early years that, until now, hadn’t been seen under the dim lights of the studio.
When the BRAG chats with Bradbury, he’s optimistic about the album’s impact on the band’s collective spirit. “With Jim [Lindberg, vocals] coming back into the band, and coincidentally it was our 25th birthday last year, we had plans to make a box set. So we were going through our garages looking for old cool tapes to include, but as we were doing that we started getting the idea that it would be really great to recapture the old spirit that we had when the band started. We’d been talking about the band and how things led to Jim’s departure and we wanted to forget any drama. Also, this way we didn’t have to go in the studio and hash out songs and fight with each other.”
They were also keen to remember Thirsk’s impact on the band. “I’ve heard those guys talking about songs that Jason did that never got recorded, and it’s always important to pay homage to him because he was such a big part of the band in the beginning years. All of that stuff came together at the same time and it just made sense.”
With a box set in the works and an album of old songs just released, fans might wonder if Pennywise are embarking on one final reminiscent hurrah before calling it quits for good. But Bradbury is just as excited about the band’s future. “It makes you realise that this band has been together for 26 years and this is complete dedication. We’ve all dedicated ourselves and there are no other options for us. At some point we said, ‘We’re all-in.’ It’s Pennywise or nothing. So there’s really a focus and a drive to stay alive and keep it viable, keep going and try and get out there and play for fans that appreciate us.
“Obviously if there wasn’t fans then we wouldn’t be able to. So we’re incredibly lucky to have that. The way I see our careers is like having a sailboat and the wind’s picked up and it’s pushing you along. You’re going to go until there’s no more wind. That’s how I look at it.”
Indeed, with tours planned with The Offspring and Bad Religion in the United States, and Rise Against in Europe, Pennywise shows no signs of slowing down. “We normally make it to Australia around January or February,” hints Bradbury. But he’s humble about his job as a punk rocker. “I don’t want people to think it’s a big deal that I play music for a living. I just want to hang out with people that I get along with, that like me, and that I can have a joke with.
“You’re not what you do, you’re who you are, how you act and how you treat other people. If I was all about what I do with my friends, that would last maybe five minutes.”
Yesterdays out now through Epitaph.
