Pepper: Self-titled

[Amanda Graziano]

On Tuesday July 30, 2013, KROQ welcomed Pepper to The Red Bull Sound Space. While in the midst of their busy schedule, the band stopped by for a quick Q & A with Stryker, as well as an intimate performance for a small group of fans. The up close and personal encounter was kept as censored as possible, given that it was being streamed live via KROQ.com; however, as any Pepper fan knows, there's really no censoring the rambunctious trio.
As expected, the guys walked in grinning from ear to ear; and how could they not? They recently made their late night tv debut as the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel, signed to Island Def Jam Records, set a release date for their forthcoming album, and to top it off, they were about to play an exclusive show for some KROQ winners. However, unexpectedly, they were all wearing shirts! Weird, right? Thank God Stryker addressed this issue right off the bat.
The Q & A got a little more serious after that, as it touched on the band's writing process, their new home at Island and their soon to be released self-titled album. Kaleo, Yesod and Bret all took turns fielding questions, however, amidst the serious conversation, not one of them could resist cracking jokes at each other, Stryker or even the fans. The playful nature of the guys was just as welcoming off stage as it was entertaining on stage, and it definitely set the tone for the afternoon.
After the Q & A concluded, chairs were cleared off of the stage and the music commenced. Pepper's short but rowdy set included their latest single "Mess Around" (A.K.A. "FKARND"), as well as some oldies like "No Control" and "Ashes." It also included "Honey Girl", a song off of their unreleased, forthcoming album. For fans who haven't been able to catch the guys in concert recently and hear the song, don't worry, it's definitely a Pepper tune.
It sounds like 'Pepper' will be all that fans are expecting and even more than they can possibly anticipate. The band is in a good place, both figuratively and literally, and with the support of a major label and the love of loyal fans, it seems as though the humble and talented gentlemen have nothing but good things to look forward to.

For pictures from the show, go to: www.ANT-Photography.com.