Pennywise is the self-titled debut album by the melodic hardcore

Melodic hardcore

Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on vocal melody. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming and shouting.-History:...

 punk band Pennywise

Pennywise (band)

Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....

, released on Epitaph Records

Epitaph Records

Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...

 on October 22, 1991.

Writing and production

Writing for the first Pennywise album began around 1989/1990. The band recorded it in 1991 at Westbeach Recorders

Westbeach Recorders

Westbeach Recorders is a recording studio in Hollywood, California famous for recording punk rock groups, such as Bad Religion, NOFX, Rancid, The Offspring and Pennywise. It was established in 1985 by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz and re-located to Hollywood, California in February 1987 and...

 in Hollywood, California.

Reception

Pennywise was released on October 22, 1991, and was the band's first album distributed via Epitaph Records

Epitaph Records

Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...

. This self-titled debut made some impact upon its 1991 release, helping to re-establish the Southern California

Southern California

Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...

n punk rock

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 scene.

Track listing

All tracks by Pennywise

1. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" – 2:06
2. "Rules" – 1:25
3. "The Secret" – 3:33
4. "Living for Today" – 3:07
5. "Come Out Fighting" – 2:16
6. "Homeless" – 2:09
7. "Open Door" – 1:40
8. "Pennywise" – 1:37
9. "Who's to Blame" – 1:35
10. "Fun and Games" – 2:32
11. "Kodiak" – 1:46
12. "Side One" – 2:10
13. "No Reason Why" – 2:36
14. "Bro Hymn
    Bro Hymn
    "Bro Hymn" is a song by American punk rock band Pennywise. It is the last track on both their 1991 self-titled debut album, and 1997's Full Circle as "Bro Hymn Tribute". Its lyrics are about the death of bassist Jason Thirsk's friends Tim Colvin, Carlos Canton, and Tom Nichols, who died in a car...
    
    " – 3:00

Personnel

• Fletcher Dragge
  Fletcher Dragge
  Fletcher Dragge is the lead guitar player of the punk rock band Pennywise, which was formed in 1988.Before he joined Pennywise, he was also in the local punk rock band CON/800...
  
   - Guitar
• Jim Lindberg
  Jim Lindberg
  James William Lindberg is an American singer and guitarist. Active since the 1980s, when he played in local bands in his early career, Lindberg is best known for being the frontman and songwriter of the influential punk rock band Pennywise, where he had remained as a member for 21 years...
  
   - Vocals
• Byron McMackin - Drums
• Jason Thirsk
  Jason Thirsk
  Jason Matthew Thirsk was the former bass player of the California punk rock band Pennywise who grew up in Hermosa Beach, California....
  
  - Bass
• Fred Hidalgo - Cover Design, Cover Art
• Gavin Oglesby - Artwork, Art Direction
• Pennywise - Arranger, Composer, Group