Posted on February 19, 2010 - by Editor

PENNYWISE OFFICIALLY NAME ZOLI TEGLAS AS NEW LEAD SINGER/ NEW MATERIAL/ EUROPEAN TOUR

Although not ‘new’ news or surprising-South Bay (US) punk pioneers Pennywise have announced that Zoli Teglas of Orange County’s Ignite, is the band’s new and permanent lead singer.

The members of Pennywise announced that Ignite vocalist Zoli Teglas is now officially the new front man. Teglas, a longtime friend and tour mate, recently played a handful of So Cal shows with Pennywise, including the 2009 Smokeout Festival and a sold out Holiday Benefit concert for Amnesty International at Long Beach Arena. Teglas will join Pennywise on its upcoming European tour which kicks off this April.

Pennywise is currently at work on a new record, its first featuring the new lineup.

Press Release:

After the sudden departure of former singer Jim Lindberg, a member of Pennywise for 19 years, guitarist Fletcher Dragge called Teglas a “natural choice” to take over vocal duties for the band. Bassist Randy Bradbury explains, “What started out as a temporary position was just too good to put an end to. Zoli brings to the table a tremendous vocal ability, creativity, and a die hard work ethic. There is a bond that makes this change feel like it was simply meant to be, and considering the recent unfortunate events, having Zoli join the band is a well needed shot of positive energy.” Teglas was excited to take the stage with his friends, noting, “I’m stoked to be singing with Pennywise. I’m a huge fan of the band and am super grateful to share the stage with my long time friends Fletcher, Byron and Randy.”

Calling it quits was never in the cards for the remaining members of Pennywise. “We love this, we love going on the road,” Dragge explained to AP back in August ’09. “There’s nothing more important to me than being on stage in front of our fans and having them sing our lyrics back at us and feel the energy. This has become so much bigger than just us as a band. It’s become a family and a brotherhood of people that I feel depend on us. I’m still here to continue to deliver the message as are Byron and Randy. Our motto is to follow your dreams and pursue them. Don’t waste time because if you’re wasting time on something you’re not into, then you’re not living. We’re going to go out there and have fun doing what we love until it stops being fun.

“We’ve done things our own way,” Dragge points out, “and we’ve never taken no for answer. We’ve been a punk band for 20 years, and we’ve traveled the world and we’ve had a lot of people tell us what we could and couldn’t do. ‘Tell me what we can’t do, and I’ll try twice as hard to do it.’ That’s the one thing this band has taught me: ‘If you want it bad enough, you can have it.”

Pennywise European Tour Dates
(w/ Strike Anywhere & A Wilhelm Scream)

24-Apr                  Belgium             Meerhout – Groezrock Festival
25-Apr                  Germany             Saarbrücken – Garage / RECONSTRUCTION Show!
26-Apr                  Germany             Hamburg – Markthalle with The Bouncing Souls
27-Apr                  Germany             Berlin – SO36 with The Bouncing Souls
28-Apr                  Austria             Vienna – Planet.TT/Gasometer info & tickets
30-Apr                  Hungary             Budapest – Dürer Kert tickets / more tickets
01-May                 SLO        Maribor – Stuk tickets
02-May                 Germany             Munich – Werk tickets
03-May                 Switzerland          Zurich – Dynamo
04-May                 France              Istres (Marseille) – L´Usine
06-May                 Spain         Barcelona – Sala Apolo
07-May                 Spain         Barakaldo – Sala Rockstar tickets
08-May                 France             Toulouse -Bikini
09-May                 France              Paris – Trabendo
11-May                 UK          Bristol – Academy tickets
12-May                 UK          Leeds – Academy tickets
13-May                 UK          Newcastle – Academy tickets
14-May                 UK          Glasgow – ABC tickets
15-May                 UK          Birmingham – Academy tickets
16-May                 UK          London – Shepherds Bush Empire tickets