Nate Gangelhoff (Banner Pilot)

Many bands like to experiment with the writing process of a new album. As for Banner Pilot, not much has changed in three years. The dudes had a year to complete their fourth full-length album and came out with the catchy punk we've grown to love and expect.

They have achieved a mixture of the same old Banner Pilot songs with a new flare. On April 15, 2014, Banner Pilot released Souvenir on Fat Wreck Chords. Interviewer Samantha Barrett spoke to Nate Gangelhoff to talk about the new record and some weird chords.

Buzz Osborne (The Melvins)

Buzz Osborne has gone acoustic. His new solo album, This Machine Kills Artists, features just Osborne and a guitar kicking out 17 sparse, stripped down songs.

But, this isn’t your average namby-pamby wah-some-guy’s-dad-didn’t-spend-time-with-him-waaaaah long player. Instead, Osborne strikes down on the strings with an aggressive force and conjures up hard, haunting, cold chords. On top of that darkness, he sings songs like "Drunken Baby" and "Useless King of the Punks."

To see why Buzz pulled the plug on himself, Punknews’ John Gentile spoke to the guitarist about the new album, obscure movies and why wasted Melvins fans tend to be the most knowledgeable.

Stacey Dee (Bad Cop/Bad Cop)

As one of the newer and more unknown bands on the Fat Wreck Chords roster, Bad Cop/Bad Cop is a band that is sure to gain some attention. The all-female four-piece punk band is looking to make a statement, have some fun and make you dance. Punknews staff interviewer Christopher Barrett spoke with Stacey Dee about coming together, smashing labels and flipping tables.

Bruce Duff (Cheetah Chrome, Twisted Roots, ADZ )

Bruce Duff has done it all. He was in the Twisted Roots with Paul Roessler and Dez Cadena. He jammed with Wayne Kramer of the MC5. He was Epitaph Records’ first publicist. He’s hung out with Bo Diddley. He was the Circle Jerks’ PR man. He recorded a concept album with Finland’s biggest prog band. He’s on Metal Massacre 5. He ran the day-to-day basics of XXX Records. He rocks out with Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys on a regular basis. He opened for GG Allin before GG’s main thing was pooping on himself.

And now, he’s spilling his guts. In his new book, The Smell of Death, Duff tells the wild tales from the road -- and also, the long, grueling hours that go with it. There are also French skinheads mentioned.

Because Duff is putting it out there for all the world to see, Punknews’ John Gentile spoke to him about the book, if Bo Diddley is cool and that time the Circle Jerks made a girl cry.

Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds)

When you think of legendary hardcore punk vocalists, the obvious candidates come to mind instantly: Jello Biafra, Henry Rollins, Glen Danzig, Ian Mackaye. One that never fails to come up in the debate is Kevin Seconds, frontman of 7 Seconds and an accomplished solo musician. For 34 years, Kevin Seconds has been making waves in the underground music scene with his political messages and positive missives. While 7 Seconds has never officially disbanded as a group, they have taken some time off over the years, but are now ready to unleash their first studio album in nine years, titled Leave A Light On, released yesterday on Rise Records. Punknews staff interviewer Gregg Harrington recently spoke to Kevin about the new record, his solo career and starting up the hardcore scene in Reno.

Adam Alive (It's Alive Records)

When Adam Alive put out The Copyrights’ Button Smasher 7-inch in 2004, he wasn’t sure his label, It’s Alive Records, would make it to a second release. He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to clear his closet of the 300 records he pressed. Fast forward to 2014 and the label is celebrating its tenth anniversary and closing in on 100 releases, with a catalog that boasts releases from pop-punk bigwigs like Teenage Bottlerocket, The Dopamines and House Boat. Punknews copy editor Adam Eisenberg rang up Adam Alive to look back on ten years of running a label, discuss the joys of helping a band hit it big and find out how an errant stage diver almost put It’s Alive Records out of commission.

Mike Haliechuk (F*cked Up)

Now is the time for Fucked Up to reflect. In the past 13 years, they’ve grown from a basement hardcore band that was accused of having Nazi sympathy to a mysterious entity that claimed to be controlled by a guru named David Eliade to an internationally touring punk band that released 18 minute songs about prostitutes to a collective that recorded a double concept album that was about blowing up a light bulb factory but was actually about them destroying clones of themselves or… something…?

They’ve climbed every mountain. They’ve swam in every sea. They’ve played mind games with every journalist. And so, they are about to release the single LP, Glass Boys wherein they look back at their former selves and talk to their younger versions while the younger versions pass judgment on what they are to become.

Because Fucked Up is about to release the album where they parade their own lives before their very eyes, Punknews’ John Gentile spoke to guitarist/founding member Mike Haliechuk about the new release, what his younger self has to say, and whether or not he’s actually having fun at this whole punk rock thing.

Eric Solomon (Tiny Empires)

The geographically displaced Tiny Empires have quite the year ahead of them. The group, consisting of members of O Pioneers!!! and New Bruises, self-released their debut album this past April and have given Jeff Rosenstock full authority to share the release via Quote Unquote Records.

With tentative summer plans also in the works it seems the band will be making several waves despite their hectic schedules. Punknews editor and interviewer Armando Olivas was able to chat with Eric Solomon about the band's formation and why it took so long for the group to release their debut record. He also inquires about the MMO computer game that they share a name with because why not?

Pentimento

Growth can be a challenging task. It comes with constant self-reflection, the courage to be critical of yourself, and the strength to push yourself even when the challenges seem endless. Pentimento has been progressing since their inception, and with that, they’ve become one of the most well-rounded and strong examples of maturation and sonic integrity. With four releases, they’ve created music that is easily accessible, while also holding onto their integrity and commitment to creating songs that are an extension of who they are as people. They spend a great deal of time writing music that connects with their listeners, without sacrificing their desire to stay true to themselves.

Their releases, which comprise of two EP’s, a split and a full-length, are consistently impressive. A majority of their songs are note-worthy, and they are a band that shouldn’t go under the radar. They’ve found themselves time and time again praised by critics, but are still struggling to be noticed by a large amount of listeners. Yet, this hasn’t deterred them from pushing forward and attempting to become a favorite of the swarm of music fans that have so quickly attached themselves to various underground artists. Pentimento continue to push themselves as a band to gain attention, but also as musicians to write music that is authentic, enjoyable and can be connected to easily by any demographic.

Punknews interviewer Xan Mandell has kept their latest release, Inside The Sea, on repeat and decided to sit them down to understand why they create the music they do, how they look at the songwriting process, and what they are attempting to give to fans.

Sean Bonnette (Andrew Jackson Jihad)

Andrew Jackson Jihad’s new album, Christmas Island has death around every corner. On it, there are gods demanding euthanasia. Ghosts break dance on their own graves. Jesus cries out to stop the crucifixion.

But despite the near-constant parade of finites, the backing music ranges from soothing ballads to snappy, acoustic ditties. One minute a '50s AM radio organ lifts a doo-wop refrain. At the next, a stomping hoe-down beat drives the doggies forward along with a gleeful cheer. The grim reaper is given a nice quinceanera dress and a tiara, if you will. It doesn’t make him any less scary.

But, this contrast of the grotesque and the good times springs from a loss in frontman Sean Bonnette’s own life. Just before recording commenced on the album, his grandfather, who raised him for five years, passed away. Despite Bonnette’s "aw shucks" demeanor, Punknews’ John Gentile sat down with him to speak about that horrid, swirling, twisting, wretched, inescapable abyss that is The End. Also, they talked about Linda Ronstadt.

Click read more to dance with the Devil in the pale moon light… or to reflect on the Stone Poneys.

Shawn and Mark Stern (Punk Rock Bowling, Youth Brigade)

Milk and cookies. Spaghetti and meatballs. Punk rock and bowling. All of these are natural pairings, but unlike the first two, the third relationship was only formalized recently thanks to Shawn and Mark Stern.

The same brothers who brought you Youth Brigade and BYO Records founded the Punk Rock Bowling tournament 16 years ago, but in the last five they’ve turned a weekend of friendly competition between bands and labels into a huge three-day festival with a lineup that spans decades and oceans, and this year includes Cock Sparrer, Angelic Upstarts, Descendents, Against Me!, SNFU and Off!, just to name a few.

Punknews editor Adam Eisenberg caught up with the Sterns to talk about what it takes to put together a roster of this magnitude, how they’ve fared in the bowling competition over the years and what Las Vegas record Punk Rock Bowling is known for breaking.