I first came across Pentimento when I went to see Reggie and The Full Effect on a Friday night in Santa Ana. It was earlier this year and I was in no way prepared for Pentimento, I wasn’t even fully aware of who they were. I just knew that they were opening for Reggie and that they were “really frieken good” according to my concert bestie Jess, who had seen them perform the night before in LA.
When the moment finally came, I was right up front and the lights were being dimmed down. There were shouts all across the room from Pentimento fans that knew very well what was about to happen and that’s when my friend Jess elbowed me in the ribs and said “you’re gonna like them, they’re so good!” and the band came out and wasted no time. They got into their first couple songs and I was sold after the very first one. Before I knew it, my body was swaying to the rhythm of the music and my head was moving up and down appropriately. I knew I was doomed!
Pentimento is a very personal band, everything from song writing to interacting with fans is done on an honest and personal level and that’s always been really important to me as a person who loves music. Their sound tends to lean towards punk rock and it’s as raw and real as they claim that it is. If you’ve ever felt anything at all and have felt it passionately, then the band has something for you to relate too. You can feel that they want to relate to you as well, they are a bunch of really nice and talented dudes and that’s evident in the music and how easy it is to get in touch with them.
(In order left to right: Michael Hansen-drums, Lance Claypool-guitar, Vincent Caito-bass, Jeramiah Pauly-vocals)
Here’s our interview with Pentimento:
Q. Everyone has a story what is yours’?
A. Pentimento was something that the four of us NEEDED in our lives at the time. Everything else we’d done musically up to that point never quite panned out, and we were ready to take the idea of playing music as seriously as possible. We were all ready for a change and wanted to do our best to give it a “real” shot in terms of how dedicated and committed to the band we would be in order to see it grow. Our first show was January 1st, 2011 and we haven’t looked back since.
Q. For people that have never listened to the music before, how would you describe it?
A. At the end of the day, we’re a punk rock band. We’re influenced by so much music though, so it’s hard to say which elements of other genres shine through in our music. It’s impossible for me to label it properly.
Q. Is it surreal getting to tell stories about your experiences to other people in the form of music?
A. “surreal” is definitely the word for it. it’s incredible to have the chance to share ourselves with others and have them relate in such a big way. Absolutely mind blowing.
Q. You guys are touring this Summer, but not in LA, when do you think you’ll be back?
A. We hope to be back to the west coast early in 2015.
Q. As a band you are all really connected to your fans, there is a level of comfort and acceptance that comes along with being able to speak to and interact with your favorite band. What is the best thing about being so close to fans?
A. It was a naturally occurring thing for us to make what we do so transparent. As a kid, whenever ANYone in ANY band gave me the time of day, I would ride that high for months. It made me infinitely respect the band and feel like I was really part of something. By some crazy turn of events, we now have a platform to connect with people, and I feel like it’s an integral part of what we do to maintain a different sort of relationship with people rather than just “band/listener”, you know? I have dreams about Pentimento being more than just a band, and if there’s ever going to be a way for me to make that happen, it’s going to be by providing an experience that takes on a life of its own and is much more involved than just putting out music and going on tour. I want people to be able to fully understand the spectrum of what’s happening musically, and I think a way to achieve that is by being understood as individuals as well.
Q. What was the first song you heard that made you realize you wanted to be a musician? What were you doing and who were you with?
A. Tough question. I think the first time I ever heard “Jack Of All Trades” by Hot Water Music was the first instance I can remember saying to myself “I feel something, and I need to do something about it”. I kept listening to that song and the more I got into other bands, the more I was clear on the fact that I wanted to write about things from my perspective. Even still, 10+ years later, I listen back to that song and feel moved.
Q. Have you ever told anyone that you’ve written music about, that you’ve written music about them?
A. I’m not sure i’ve ever come out and said it, but i’m sure there are people out there who’ve gotten the hint. Good, bad, or indifferent.
Q. What’s the motivation behind the music? What gets you guys out on the stage?
A. The sense of urgency to connect with other people. And of course because it’s a great f*cking time.
Q. Does the fact that your making music for a living, ever set in?
A. Every day the gravity of what’s happening gets more and more real. We just try to keep level heads and continue working towards making this band that we love be something that we can be truly proud of. Of course, we’re proud of what we’ve done up until this point – but we’ve got a long way to go before we accomplish everything we hope to do.
Q. Are you always working on new music and do you find that the sound changes as you guys progress?
A. Always. And I won’t say the sound changes, but as you grow musically and personally, your perception of music and songwriting certainly figures itself out a bit, which can lead to a sonic shift within the music. The heart of the band stays the same though. We just want to make music that sounds like our band is getting better. There’s no need for us to reinvent our own wheel or take some crazy plunge into something that would be off putting for those who enjoy what our music is. We are always looking for ways to improve upon the foundation we’ve built.
Q. What is the most important thing to/ about the band?
A. The most important thing to us is to continue to try and move forward and connect with other people. What we’re talking about in our music isn’t special because it’s totally unique, but we consider it to be special because it’s part of a shared experience. We just want to push beyond where we’re at and make some memories along the way.
Visit their site and check out the music! My favorite song of all Pentimento songs is Subtle Words, let us know which Pentimento songs are you favorite on twitter and facebook, talk to the band on their twitter and facebook! Pentimento says they’ll be back in L.A. soon so keep an eye out for them!