Pennywise

The Golden State has long represented power, possibility, and a place where dreams are made—and sometimes nightmares come true. From the silent film era to skid row, Disneyland to Ronald Reagan, from celebrity excess to social unrest, California has always been a cultural epicenter, defined by its contradictions. As the late Tupac Shakur famously said, Cali is where “we riot, not rally.” And few bands embody the raw, rebellious energy of California like Pennywise.

Hailing from Hermosa Beach, CA, Pennywise has endured with a vibrancy that reflects the spirit of California itself. For over three decades, the band has remained unchallenged in their corner of the punk rock world—outside the margins of the mainstream but firmly entrenched in the hearts of fans. Revered by generations, Pennywise is a staple on SoCal radio airwaves and the worldwide festival circuit, delivering anthems that inspire crowds to fill theaters and clubs.

At their core, Pennywise possesses the unique ability to merge the subversive with the celebratory. Their songs, fast-paced and full of energy, are expertly engineered to inspire radical change, personal empowerment, and unapologetic rebellion. On paper, their message might seem like a mess of contradictions, but when those riffs kick in and the lyrics hit, it sounds exactly like California: raw, restless, and ready to burn.
Classic Pennywise tracks like “Same Old Story,” “Fuck Authority,” “Alien,” “Homesick,” and “Bro Hymn” are now as fundamental to punk rock and hardcore as stage dives and distorted guitars. These songs have become the soundtrack to a generation, and their influence continues to reverberate throughout the scene.

The band’s creative chemistry has always been its driving force. The push-and-pull between their diverse personalities has resulted in some of punk rock’s strongest songs, obliterating any semblance of sameness and delivering a remarkable cohesive whole. Whether playing in front of die-hard fans or newcomers discovering them for the first time, Pennywise’s performances are electric, charged with the same fierce energy they’ve always had.

Never Gonna Die, the band’s first album of brand-new material in over ten years, is a defiant return to form. Featuring frontman Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin, and bassist Randy Bradbury, the album is both timely and timeless, taking head-on the chaotic state of the world with the determined sound Pennywise fans know and love. Produced once again by rock producer Cameron Webb (Motörhead, NOFX, Alkaline Trio), Never Gonna Die was crafted in the same space where the band wrote their classic songs with late bassist Jason Thirsk.
Tracks like “We Set Fire Tonight” serve as a furious anthem of resistance, challenging the global “austerity measures” that deny basic social services to the vulnerable. “American Lies” cuts through the fog of misinformation and disingenuous worldviews, urging listeners to reject partisan posturing in favor of true patriotism. “Can’t Be Ignored” addresses society’s insatiable hunger for more, which threatens to destroy both the spirit and the world as we know it.

The title track demands an evolution in consciousness, urging people to reject centuries of dogma and to never accept the prejudices that seem “Never Gonna Die.” "Live While You Can (Time Bomb)" offers Pennywise’s take on the timeless advice to enjoy the present and never let the bastards get you down. Meanwhile, “Goodbye Bad Times” underscores the band’s ethos of personal empowerment, communal interdependence, and resilience.

As ever, Pennywise continues to tour relentlessly across the globe, playing to like-minded rabble-rousers and mischief makers. Their music exposes the world’s flaws and their own while celebrating life loudly and unapologetically. And just as the terrifying clown from It has reemerged in pop culture, so has Pennywise—stronger than ever. As Forbes Magazine put it, “It doesn’t just float, it soars.” Pennywise? They effin’ scorch.