Unknown Road
Encyclopedia
Unknown Road is the second album
by Pennywise
, released on August 17, 1993 through Epitaph Records
. After frontman Jim Lindberg
briefly left the band during touring in support of its previous album, Pennywise
(1991), Pennywise began the recording sessions for their second album. Released a year before the success of punk rock in California, Unknown Road gained Pennywise supporting slots on national and world tours with bands such as The Offspring
(who was just about to hit the mainstream with then-new album Smash). Some archived footage of the Unknown Road tour dates can be seen on the band's 1995 documentary Home Movies
.
Like their self titled debut album Pennywise
, Unknown Road failed to chart in Billboard magazine. This would be Pennywise's last uncharted album to date.
and Wildcard
(which were both re-released on CD in 1992). Thanks to the success of the EPs, Epitaph Records
(a label owned by Bad Religion
guitarist Brett Gurewitz
) saw the band's potential and signed them in 1990. In the following year, Pennywise managed to release their first album for the label, which is self-titled
. The album quickly spread throughout the punk community, earning the band some nation-wide recognition. Lyrics in the album endorsed a positive mental attitude, helping promote progressive ideals for Generation X
. Lindberg left the band soon after the debut record. Bass player Randy Bradbury
joined the lineup as Thirsk took over lead vocal duties. In 1992, The Vandals
lead singer Dave Quackenbush took over on vocals for a brief stint. Bradbury left the band and Thirsk returned to bass (Bradbury would rejoin Pennywise permanently after Thirsk's death in 1996). During the 1991-1992 tour, Pennywise began writing their second album, entitled Unknown Road. After Lindberg returned to the fold in 1992, they managed to begin recording their new album at Westbeach Recorders
in Hollywood, California
with producer Joe Peccerillo.
The album also contains a hidden track
"Slowdown". The song's location is either in the pregap
of track 14, or at the end of track 13, depending on the album pressing.
The piano on the track "Unknown Road" is extended after the silence on the closing track, "Bro Hymn Tribute", of the album Full Circle
. This piano piece is taken from the 1992 movie Poison Ivy
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by 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 August 17, 1993 through 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...
. After frontman 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...
briefly left the band during touring in support of its previous album, Pennywise
Pennywise (album)
Pennywise is the self-titled debut album by the melodic hardcore punk band Pennywise, released on Epitaph Records on October 22, 1991.-Writing and production:Writing for the first Pennywise album began around 1989/1990...
(1991), Pennywise began the recording sessions for their second album. Released a year before the success of punk rock in California, Unknown Road gained Pennywise supporting slots on national and world tours with bands such as The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
(who was just about to hit the mainstream with then-new album Smash). Some archived footage of the Unknown Road tour dates can be seen on the band's 1995 documentary Home Movies
Home Movies (video)
Home Movies is the only video by Pennywise. It was released in 1995 and re-released in 2004 for DVD. Before re-releasing it, it was unavailable in any form since 1997.The video includes 9 different chapters:# Fans# Treatments# Pennywise: On The Road...
.
Like their self titled debut album Pennywise
Pennywise (album)
Pennywise is the self-titled debut album by the melodic hardcore punk band Pennywise, released on Epitaph Records on October 22, 1991.-Writing and production:Writing for the first Pennywise album began around 1989/1990...
, Unknown Road failed to chart in Billboard magazine. This would be Pennywise's last uncharted album to date.
Background and recording
In 1989, Pennywise released the vinyl only EPs A Word from the WiseA Word from the Wise
A Word from the Wise is a self-released EP by Pennywise. It was originally released in 1989 as a 7" release and again in 1992, on the compilation album A Word from the Wise/Wildcard, along with the second EP Wildcard.-Track listing:...
and Wildcard
Wildcard (Pennywise EP)
Wildcard is a self-released EP by Pennywise. It was originally released in 1989 as a 7" release and again in 1992, on the compilation album A Word from the Wise/Wildcard, along with the first EP A Word from the Wise.-Track listing:...
(which were both re-released on CD in 1992). Thanks to the success of the EPs, 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...
(a label owned by Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
guitarist Brett Gurewitz
Brett Gurewitz
Brett W. Gurewitz , nicknamed Mr. Brett, is the guitarist and a songwriter of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and sister-labels ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, and Hellcat Records...
) saw the band's potential and signed them in 1990. In the following year, Pennywise managed to release their first album for the label, which is self-titled
Pennywise (album)
Pennywise is the self-titled debut album by the melodic hardcore punk band Pennywise, released on Epitaph Records on October 22, 1991.-Writing and production:Writing for the first Pennywise album began around 1989/1990...
. The album quickly spread throughout the punk community, earning the band some nation-wide recognition. Lyrics in the album endorsed a positive mental attitude, helping promote progressive ideals for Generation X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
. Lindberg left the band soon after the debut record. Bass player Randy Bradbury
Randy Bradbury
Randy Bradbury is the current bass guitar player for the Californian punk band Pennywise.He joined in October 1995 when founding bass player Jason Thirsk left the band. Randy was supposed to switch to rhythm guitar when Thirsk returned, but it never happened due to Thirsk's suicide in 1996...
joined the lineup as Thirsk took over lead vocal duties. In 1992, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
lead singer Dave Quackenbush took over on vocals for a brief stint. Bradbury left the band and Thirsk returned to bass (Bradbury would rejoin Pennywise permanently after Thirsk's death in 1996). During the 1991-1992 tour, Pennywise began writing their second album, entitled Unknown Road. After Lindberg returned to the fold in 1992, they managed to begin recording their new album 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
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
with producer Joe Peccerillo.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Paul Henderson awards the album 4 out of 5 stars and states: "Unknown Road is an inspired effort by the reunited and recharged Pennywise, the first consistently solid release of their career."Track listing
All songs by Pennywise.- "Unknown Road" – 2:46
- "Homesick" – 2:17
- "Time to Burn" – 2:19
- "It's Up to Me" – 3:16
- "You Can Demand" – 2:17
- "Nothing" – 2:33
- "Vices" – 2:03
- "City Is Burning" – 2:12
- "Dying to Know" – 3:04
- "Tester" – 3:14
- "Try to Conform" – 2:40
- "Give and Get" – 2:01
- "Clear Your Head" – 15:44
The album also contains a hidden track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
"Slowdown". The song's location is either in the pregap
Pregap
The pregap on a Red Book audio CD is the portion of the audio track that precedes "index 01" for a given track in the table of contents . The pregap is typically two seconds long and usually, but not always, contains silence...
of track 14, or at the end of track 13, depending on the album pressing.
The piano on the track "Unknown Road" is extended after the silence on the closing track, "Bro Hymn Tribute", of the album Full Circle
Full Circle (Pennywise album)
Full Circle is the fourth full-length album by the punk band Pennywise. It was released on April 22, 1997 and was digitally remastered on March 8, 2005 on the original label. This is the first Pennywise studio album to feature Randy Bradbury, who replaced bassist Jason Thirsk, who had committed...
. This piano piece is taken from the 1992 movie Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy (film)
Poison Ivy is a 1992 thriller and drama film directed by Katt Shea. Andy Ruben transformed Melissa Goddard's story into the screenplay. It stars Drew Barrymore, Sara Gilbert, Tom Skerritt and Cheryl Ladd. The original music score is composed by David Michael Frank. The film was shot in Los...
.
Personnel
- Jim Lindberg – vocals
- Fletcher Dragge – guitar
- Randy Bradbury - bass
- Jason Thirsk – bass (Tracks 4 and 10)
- Byron McMackin – drums