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Kaleo Wassman – Vocals/Guitar
Bret Bollinger – Vocals/Bass
Yesod Williams – Drums
“It’s the hardest thing we’ve ever done as a band to make this record,” says guitarist/vocalist Kaleo Wassman of Pepper, in speaking on the recording process of their new self-titled album. “It speaks loudly and widely to a broader audience while maintaining everything good about the band, which, first of all, is our positive attitude.” After releasing five albums, Pepper has opened a new chapter in their storied career. Drummer Yesod Williams adds, “This record feels very cohesive in a way our past releases maybe didn’t. I think it’s an album that can appeal to everyone, as well. We’ve been pigeonholed in the past so this is an opportunity to transcend all that and spread our wings even wider.”
The trio, who formed in 1997 and moved to the mainland from their hometown of Kailua Kona, Hawaii in 1999, pressed pause after the release of their fifth album, Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations, in 2008. There was a sense of fatigue and disunity amongst the three musicians, who took some time off from music both apart and together before rejoining to create an EP, Stiches, in late 2010. The songs on that release re-energized the group, revealing an urgent desire to make a new album that reflected where they are in their lives and career now. After some tour dates in support of the EP, Pepper sat down and focused on their sixth album, a self-titled released that swings open the door on this new chapter.
The musicians went into the studio with Matt Wallace, a producer known for his work with Maroon 5, O.A.R. and Faith No More, in early 2012. Matt helped focus the group’s vision and expand their musical knowledge base, an experience the band members compare to being in their own version of college. The album was recorded in various studios over the course of a year, honing in on Pepper’s re-defined self-identity and how that focus was reflected in the songs.
“We learned so much,” Yesod says. “Matt help us really focus on the art of songwriting. He sat in the room with the three of us with a fine-tooth comb and went over every word, every melody, every sound. He showed us that it’s important what you do play as well as what you don’t play, creating both spaces in the songs. We learned how powerful simplicity can be. Plus, we had such a good time recording this album and I think that shows.”
The resulting album, self-titled to accentuate where the band feels they are presently, broadens Pepper’s style, veering into new sonic territory while still retaining all the fun elements that make the band so beloved by their fans. The ever-present sense of life surges through the tracks, bolstering the sense of optimism throughout. The party anthems, the beach hang melodies, and the boisterous rhythms are all there, each song carefully crafted to best express these sunny moments by the ocean.
“This album is basically 12 snapshots of where we are,” vocalist/bassist Bret Bollinger says. “There are songs that will remind you of your favorite Pepper songs, but by the end you’ll hear some unexpected things. You’ll realize that the songwriting is so much more refined. And there’s laughter in the background of the songs. That’s how good the vibe is on the record.”
Pepper has toured extensively with groups like 311, Slightly Stoopid, Flogging Molly and Sublime With Rome, and spent several summers on Warped Tour – and this live sensibility shows. You can almost feel the sand in your toes and the sun on your back as the album progresses, the musician’s amiable personalities palpable beneath the island rhythms and mellow tones. The band’s music – both live and on their releases – is really about enjoying life and being grateful for each experience, a sensibility that’s very familiar to the three musicians currently in their career. From their 1999 debut Give’n It to their 2006 standout album No Shame, which was recorded with 311’s Nick Hexum, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal and Butthole Surfers’ Paul Leary, Pepper has embodied not only a style of music but a lifestyle, one that’s most easily found on beaches across the world, but also one that’s relatable to anyone anywhere.
Released via their own label LAW Records, their universal appeal has led their music being placed in various movies and TV shows, including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Good Luck Chuck, as well as several video game soundtracks. The band’s story to date has been a prolific one. But as Pepper turns the page into a fresh chapter with this new album, it’s clear that the band’s passion for music and life will continue on for years to come.
“We’re so blessed to be in this position,” Kaleo says. “We want to do the best we can with it. We had humble beginnings in our small town in Hawaii and we’re still that same humble band. We don’t take any of this lightly. Every day I wake up and think about how I have the best job in the world. The level of gratitude and happiness I have that we’re able to do this is incredible and I hope people can hear that when they listen to our new songs.”
Back Home
Pepper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun is melting that ego, you better find a new place to hide it.
Do you really know who you are? Does anybody really care?
Go purchase your friends at the mall, there going on sale soon.
Meet us at the check out line so we can all laugh at you.
pre-chorus:
I'm feeling depressed and real low no popularity has taken its toll,
So how could life get worse than this.
verse 2:
They don't know me they never even gave me a chance.
They threw my ass on the bathroom wall I'm thinking bout moving to France.
Well, the last mile is miles away and I'm on my way out of the game.
You don't know what they made me do and I'm not permitted to say.
PRE-CHORUS:
chorus: I got no friends no friends at all people never call me and its all my fault.
I got no friends none at all.
People think its funny but I don't at all.
PRE-CHORUS 2x
verse 3: They'll chase you on your way back home.
Slam the door and jump in bed don't you come out till its safe.
I guess that by then you'll be dead.
Oh why must they come after me why can't they pick on somebody else.
It's like I did something wrong, but I guess its something I missed.
In the eyes of all of them to nothing I'll ever amount, so when I hear people laughing I know who there laughing about.
CHORUS
The song "Back Home" by Pepper addresses themes of identity, social pressure, and loneliness. The first verse calls out those who buy friends and display their ego, questioning if anybody truly cares about who they are as a person. The pre-chorus describes the toll that the pursuit of popularity has taken on the singer, leading to feelings of depression and hopelessness.
The second verse reflects on being an outcast and the rejection faced by the singer. The line "They threw my ass on the bathroom wall I'm thinking bout moving to France" suggests a desire to escape from the environment that is causing pain. The final verse conveys the paranoia and fear experienced by the singer, as they are chased and mocked by others. The song concludes with the chorus, repeating that the singer has no friends and is constantly the subject of ridicule.
Overall, the lyrics of "Back Home" highlight the harmful effects of trying to conform to societal standards and the pain of feeling alone and rejected. The message serves as a reminder to be true to oneself and to value genuine connections with others over superficial popularity.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is melting that ego, you better find a new place to hide it.
Your ego is being exposed, you need to find a way to conceal it.
Do you really know who you are? Does anybody really care?
Do you understand your own identity, and does anyone truly care about it?
Go purchase your friends at the mall, there going on sale soon.
You try to buy your friends as if they were commodities, and they are soon going to be on sale.
Meet us at the check out line so we can all laugh at you.
Join us at the checkout line so we can all ridicule you.
I'm feeling depressed and real low no popularity has taken its toll.
I feel down and low due to having no popularity.
I know there's no way back from this.
I am aware that there is no way to reverse this.
So how could life get worse than this.
I wonder how life could possibly become worse than this.
They don't know me they never even gave me a chance.
Others do not know me because they never gave me a chance to express myself.
They threw my ass on the bathroom wall I'm thinking bout moving to France.
They humiliated me and I am contemplating leaving the country.
Well, the last mile is miles away and I'm on my way out of the game.
I am almost done with this situation and plan to leave soon.
You don't know what they made me do and I'm not permitted to say.
I cannot disclose what they made me do.
I got no friends no friends at all people never call me and its all my fault.
I have no friends because no one contacts me, which is my fault.
People think its funny but I don't at all.
Others find it amusing, but I do not.
They'll chase you on your way back home.
They will pursue you when you go back home.
Slam the door and jump in bed don't you come out till its safe.
Close and lock the door then hide in the bed until it's safe to come out.
I guess that by then you'll be dead.
People will have lost interest in you by then.
Oh why must they come after me why can't they pick on somebody else.
I wonder why they target me instead of someone else.
It's like I did something wrong, but I guess its something I missed.
It's as if I committed an error, but I do not know what it is.
In the eyes of all of them to nothing I'll ever amount, so when I hear people laughing I know who there laughing about.
They view me as nothing significant, so I know they are laughing about me when I hear them laughing.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Klaus Badelt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind