Pennywise Reflect on 20 Years of Music

Poison Ivy hung out with Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge (left), Pepper singer/guitarist Kaleo Wassman and Authority Zero frontman Jason DeVore after their epic NYC shows Saturday night, and chatted Dragge up about the Jagermeister Music Tour, playing CBGB in ’88, and what it takes to make a band successful for over 20 years.

Says Dragge:

“The first time [Pennywise] played New York was at CBGB and it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Dragge later echoed those sentiments with the crowd during the band’s set, screaming “New York is the most hardcore city in the world!”

Agreed!!!!

“We go through phases as a band. ‘I’m mad at him, he hates me…’,” Dragge explains, “but at the end of the day, the reaction our audience has to our music and our shows is very powerful. That’s why we’re [still together] after 20 years.”

But two decades of touring also takes its toll.

“You can’t party for eight hours every night and still look like that,” Dragge says, pointing out Pepper shirtless wonders Bret Bollinger and Kaleo Wassman.

Hey, if you can’t join ’em…...

New York Dolls Return to Their Roots

“This is beyond my wildest dreams,” New York Dolls frontman David Johansen said, as the Dolls took the stage at 315 Bowery (former home of CBGB and new home to designer John Varvatos) Tuesday night around 9:45.

It’s been 38 years, but the man’s still still got it. The 59-year old ripped through over a dozen jams with ease, rage, and (so what?) a little help from his lyrics sheets. The performance was in honor of the band’s newest release (Cause I Sez So, out yesterday), but the boys managed to pepper some rocking classics (“Trash,” “Stranded in the Jungle”) through the predominantly new set.

Varvatos, a long-time rock supporter and Dolls fan, opted to sync the performance with a live broadcast to his new Sirius Radio rock ‘n’ roll show, which also launched Tuesday.

Also supporting the boys in attendance were rock fanatic Rachael Ray, Semi-Precious Weapons frontman Justin Tranter, America’s Next Top Model winner CariDee English, handbag designer Jack Germain, and famed rock photographer Bob Gruen, who shot a Dolls documentary in the early ’70s.

Said Gruen:

“Life goes on and things change, but David’s the best entertainer around and the band is one of the best out there. I don’t live in the past, and I don’t think the Dolls do either.”