Angry Penguin Productions
Encyclopedia
Angry Penguin Productions is a Rochester, New York
based multimedia company, founded in 2002 by Antonio Esteves and Jonathan Bernier.
area. The two felt their area lacked in variety of music shows and took matters into their own hands. The name they choose as their promotion guise was Angry Penguin and the pair started putting on and promoting one to two shows a week. Their shows took place mainly in bars and occasionally VFW halls. Many of the bands who played early Angry Penguin shows have gone on to great success, including Plain White T's
, Comeback Kid
and Kevin Devine
.
. As the label had no distribution deal, all albums are sold through festival appearances, music concerts and their website.
Angry Penguin's first signing was Dr. Hourai, a progressive metal
band from the greater Westchester County, New York
area. Their first album, Post Apocalyptic Nightmare Volume One: Vibrations in Hyperspace EP was recorded at The Loft studios in Bronxville, New York
in early 2004. The label began what would become a long-running tradition of promoting both themselves and their signed acts on the Warped Tour
in Summer 2004.
In 2007, Angry Penguin Records signed Manchester
, England's Pendleton
, a 4-piece punk rock band. Their first recording (done in England), You, by Us
, was re-issued in the states by Angry Penguin. The band toured the US on the Vans Warped Tour 2007, followed by a self-booked tour, also in the US. In the spring of 2008, Pendleton came back to the states to record their sophomore release The Difference
. The album was done by producer John Naclerio at Nada Recording Studios in New Windsor, New York
.
on August 28. It featured over 15 local bands, including Sirens and Sailors, June Rising, Storm The Bay and Makyo Star.
It has been announced on Angry Penguin's official blog, that the second annual Rage Fest will take place on August 27, 2010 at Water Street Music Hall
series. He is portrayed as having a prominent rage problem, cemented with the tagline "More Violent Than He Needs To Be." Because he is still a developing character, the whereabouts of his origin are unknown, as well as the motive behind his quest for world domination.
on their website. These have been short, sequential series. All four have been illustrated by Peter Lazarski and written by Esteves and Bernier. In a recent review, the website Geek Girl on the Street hinted at purposeful political undertones being present in the comic, though Angry Penguin Productions has yet to respond to the allegation.
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
based multimedia company, founded in 2002 by Antonio Esteves and Jonathan Bernier.
Beginning
Angry Penguin was first started in 2002 when Bernier and Esteves started promoting local music shows (particularly of the Punk Rock, Emo and Metal variety) around the Westchester County, New YorkWestchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
area. The two felt their area lacked in variety of music shows and took matters into their own hands. The name they choose as their promotion guise was Angry Penguin and the pair started putting on and promoting one to two shows a week. Their shows took place mainly in bars and occasionally VFW halls. Many of the bands who played early Angry Penguin shows have gone on to great success, including Plain White T's
Plain White T's
Plain White T's is an American Pop rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 1997 by high school friends Tom Higgenson and Ken Fletcher, the group had a mostly underground following in Chicago basements, clubs, and bars in its early years, and underwent numerous personnel changes.The band is best...
, Comeback Kid
Comeback Kid
Comeback Kid is a Canadian hardcore band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Formed in 2002, the band is currently signed to Facedown Records. Their name comes from a headline in a newspaper about hockey player, Mario Lemieux coming back to the NHL. The band was formed in 2002 by Andrew Neufeld and Jeremy...
and Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine is an American songwriter and musician from Brooklyn, New York, who is known for alternately introspective and political lyrics and melodic acoustic guitar songs...
.
Angry Penguin Records
In 2004, Bernier and Esteves started Angry Penguin Records, an independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
. As the label had no distribution deal, all albums are sold through festival appearances, music concerts and their website.
Angry Penguin's first signing was Dr. Hourai, a progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band from the greater Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
area. Their first album, Post Apocalyptic Nightmare Volume One: Vibrations in Hyperspace EP was recorded at The Loft studios in Bronxville, New York
Bronxville, New York
Bronxville is an affluent village within the town of Eastchester, New York, in the United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately north of midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County. At the 2010 census, Bronxville had a population of 6,323...
in early 2004. The label began what would become a long-running tradition of promoting both themselves and their signed acts on the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in Summer 2004.
In 2007, Angry Penguin Records signed Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England's Pendleton
Pendleton (band)
Pendleton was a four piece skate punk band from Manchester, England. They were formed in 2000 and went through several incarnations before becoming Pendleton in 2002 when several of the band members met at the University of Salford...
, a 4-piece punk rock band. Their first recording (done in England), You, by Us
You, by Us
You, by Us was the first release from UK skate punk band Pendleton. It was released on 14 June 2006 by Distort Manchester Records in the UK...
, was re-issued in the states by Angry Penguin. The band toured the US on the Vans Warped Tour 2007, followed by a self-booked tour, also in the US. In the spring of 2008, Pendleton came back to the states to record their sophomore release The Difference
The Difference (album)
The Difference is the first full-length release from UK skate punk band Pendleton. It was released on 1 July 2008 by Angry Penguin Records. It followed the bands previously released EP, You, by Us....
. The album was done by producer John Naclerio at Nada Recording Studios in New Windsor, New York
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
.
Rage Fest
In 2009, Angry Penguin Productions sponsored the first ever Rage Fest, a hardcore and metal daylong music festival at Rochester's Water Street Music HallWater Street Music Hall
Water Street Music Hall is a concert hall in Rochester, New York, located in the St. Paul Quarter entertainment district of Rochester, NY - conveniently located directly off Interstate 490. It opened in 1977 as the Country Warehouse, and has since been The Warehouse, The Horizontal Boogie Bar and...
on August 28. It featured over 15 local bands, including Sirens and Sailors, June Rising, Storm The Bay and Makyo Star.
It has been announced on Angry Penguin's official blog, that the second annual Rage Fest will take place on August 27, 2010 at Water Street Music Hall
Water Street Music Hall
Water Street Music Hall is a concert hall in Rochester, New York, located in the St. Paul Quarter entertainment district of Rochester, NY - conveniently located directly off Interstate 490. It opened in 1977 as the Country Warehouse, and has since been The Warehouse, The Horizontal Boogie Bar and...
Angry Penguin (Character)
The Angry Penguin is a fictional character, found in The Angry Penguin comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series. He is portrayed as having a prominent rage problem, cemented with the tagline "More Violent Than He Needs To Be." Because he is still a developing character, the whereabouts of his origin are unknown, as well as the motive behind his quest for world domination.
Webcomic
Angry Penguin Productions has released four issues of the Angry Penguin webcomicWebcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
on their website. These have been short, sequential series. All four have been illustrated by Peter Lazarski and written by Esteves and Bernier. In a recent review, the website Geek Girl on the Street hinted at purposeful political undertones being present in the comic, though Angry Penguin Productions has yet to respond to the allegation.
Volume 1
- Issue 1: It Takes an Angry Penguin to Raise a Village.
- Issue 2: And in this Iron Corner
- Issue 3: Awakening
Festival Appearances
Angry Penguin annually makes appearances on the entire Vans Warped Tour and at New York Comic Con. In 2010, the company also appeared at C2E2 and San Francisco's Wondercon.Clothing Line
The Angry Penguin appears on a line of adult clothing, including t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, tank tops as well as women's "booty shorts", t-shirts, long sleeved shirts and more. The items depict the Angry Penguin in a variety of circumstances, as well as his enemies and weapons.External links
- http://www.theangrypenguin.com The Angry Penguin website
- http://www.theangrypenguin.com/comic The Angry Penguin web comic
- http://www.youtube.com/user/angrypenguinrecords#p/u/8/yOQreyZiZEc Video "Angry Penguin Loves You"
- http://www.angelfire.com/music5/drhourai/ Dr. Hourai website
- http://www.angelfire.com/music5/angrypenguin/Angry_Penguin_News.htm Original Angry Penguin website
- http://en-gb.facebook.com/AngryPenguinComic Angry Penguin Facebook