When enjoying in a legendary South Bay punk band is your day job, most individuals possible wouldn’t have too many musical facet initiatives. However most individuals aren’t Pennywise bassist Randy Bradbury.
Having often stored the door open for various bands and genres of music, Bradbury’s latest challenge is the Huntington Seaside-based 84 Days. The trio options the veteran songwriter on guitar and lead vocals, Grammy-winning rock producer Cameron Webb on bass and No Doubt’s Adrian Younger on drums (at the very least for the self-titled debut album) — and whereas 84 Days’ sound and tempo differs considerably from Pennywise, it’s nonetheless very a lot a punk-leaning rock band.
When requested in regards to the title, Bradbury says, “The term ’84 Days’ originally started as an inside joke back when I was a teenager, but watching the world change so much it seems to be a fitting description for how things have become … like something I read in a book once. And now we’re in it.”
Although it might appear odd to launch a brand new band after greater than a collective century of expertise within the music business, Bradbury and Webb agree that 84 Days “sounded like too much fun” to not pursue. And if their debut present at DiPiazza’s in Lengthy Seaside again in November was something to go off of, it’ll be a superb time for followers too.
“I think the Randy Bradbury name is bigger than you would think,” Webb says through Zoom. “People obviously relate him to Pennywise, but he’s an individual that a lot of people like — especially other musicians. Everyone knows him and thinks he’s great, so people have just been really supportive of everything.”
“I was just waiting to see what the reaction to the songs would be,” Bradbury provides. “I’d say it’s been very positive so far, so I think we’ll have Green Day opening for us in about a year.”
Jokes in regards to the new band’s recognition apart, Bradbury and Webb’s years within the business have given 84 Days the sort of platform and connections most bands can solely dream of. Working example, when Younger was unable to proceed along with his drumming duties for the band’s first dwell exhibits, Bradbury was capable of recruit his buddy Erik “Smelly” Sandin from NOFX to fill in in the intervening time.
“We’ve both been in the Southern California music scene for decades, so I know a lot of people and made a lot of friends,” Bradbury says. “I’ve kept note of who are the players I look up to and would love to play with; as soon as I found out Adrian wasn’t going to play with us, I knew I was going to ask [Sandin].”
“We’re friends with these people because I work with them or Randy tours with them, so we cross paths all the time in the studio or at shows,” Webb says. “Everyone’s been really supportive of me, who doesn’t do it every day. No one’s like ‘You shouldn’t be doing that.’ They’re like, ‘I can’t wait to see this’ or ‘You’re going to kill it.’ So it does make me feel good to see the community be excited for us to play a show.”
However as Bradbury is fast to level out, all of these connections are “contingent on if you’re doing something interesting” and if the music itself is definitely good. Fortunately, between Bradbury’s elite writing chops and Webb’s tastemaking capacity (as normally seen behind the scenes on different bands’ albums), 84 Days’ self-titled debut isn’t only a enjoyable punk jaunt however a deep look into how the songwriter views the present state of society and the world — together with subjects that wouldn’t precisely match forward of “Bro Hymn” in a Pennywise setlist.
Regardless that 84 Days could have been based across the thought of being a “fun” challenge for its members, none of them is concerned with sticking with it if the band itself is lower than stellar. Whereas Bradbury is used to performing for a residing, the looming menace of dwell exhibits inspired Webb to genuinely apply and tighten his bass expertise, having primarily solely picked one up beforehand to assist in the studio infrequently.
“I grab instruments a lot, but now I had to learn all these songs and rehearse them,” Webb says. “I’ve got to know my s— and play them as well as the pros that do it every single day. I want us to be a killer band, so we’re going to be a killer band. That just means it’s time to stop goofing around. Instead of going home and watching TV, I’m practicing. I’m learning parts. I’m working on riffs. I’m doing all of that. It’s super fun because Randy makes it a great experience. We’re having a good time doing it and everything’s real positive, so we’re going to keep doing it.”
Only a few exhibits and one album into their profession, it’s too early to inform what the ceiling is for 84 Days. The duo may see it persevering with to simply play bars and small venues or rising into one thing a lot bigger. In reality, Bradbury laughs on the thought of among the bands he is aware of opening for them — so long as it’s not his new band upstaging Pennywise.
“I think that that tour would end with a lot of bruises on my body and a lot of smashed guitars and basses.”
