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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.”
Storm Trooper
Pepper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So now you pass me the laser beam and you want me to join the team. Well I'm not used to these kinds of things, but this is what the evil brings. Let me tell you bout the fire. You could bring the waters up above. I'll bring my favorite people and I'm bringing all my love. You want a battle well don't look very far, you want to fight somebody come fight the superstar. I knew you wouldn't stand a chance you left without a passing glance, there's nothing you could ever do to keep me from stopping you
It's so dark and lonely out here in outer space, but at least I got my keyboard and my low bot has his bass.Playing street sweeper tunes and watching tye fighters fly by. Things would be better if I was back at home with pepper burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather so far and so alone a million light years away. Storm trooper storm trooper back up from my door I got my blaster set I'm ready to start a minor war. This won't be the day you were hoping for so just walk away walk away. Better run now cause your done now cause your standing in a bad mans town, boy. Time to get back to my daily routine have a beer at a bar on tattooine.
You take away everything , make my people scream out loud. Just bring it back Lord just bring it back. You mess it up and you rearrange open your eyes and turn the page. Just bring it back.
The lyrics of Pepper's song "Storm Trooper" touch upon topics like distrust, conflict, and a desire for peace. The opening lines suggest that someone is trying to remain anonymous and unidentified, but the singer is not fooled and demands that they give them space. The repeated refrain of "Storm trooper storm trooper why are you here" echoes this sentiment of not feeling safe or secure with an unknown presence around. The verse then talks about the presence of informers and people who spy on others.
In the second verse, the singer is given a laser beam and offered a chance to join a team, but they refuse and talk about the fire within them. The superstar reference could suggest that the singer sees themselves as someone who has overcome major obstacles and is now too powerful for anyone to handle. The bridge suggests a longing for home and a sense of loneliness, indicating that this conflict has taken the singer to unknown territories. Finally, the last verse talks about a desire for things to return to how they once were and a plea for respect.
Overall, the song seems to tap into the current cultural moment of divisiveness and distrust, perhaps even referencing the current global political climate. But the repeated use of the phrase "storm trooper" could refer to the Star Wars franchise and the idea of someone being controlled by a larger collective, suggesting that individual freedom and autonomy may be the ultimate goal.
Line by Line Meaning
You think that we can't see your face.
You underestimate our perception abilities.
I think you need to give us our space.
You need to back off and stay away.
you know that we can raze this place and leave you without a trace.
We can completely destroy this place and make you disappear without a trace.
Storm trooper storm trooper why are you here the youth them getting restless and they don't want you near.
The young people are getting restless and they don't want you around, which begs the question, why are you here?
Your watching us your watching us it so improper we've seen your kind before we call it informer.
Your constant monitoring of us is inappropriate and reminiscent of an informer, which we've dealt with before.
Storm trooper storm trooper where will you go? This world she no like you so you better stay low.
This world dislikes you, so you need to find a place to hide and avoid attention.
And up from the mountains and out from the trees, that is where you come from you crawl like the one disease.
You come from hiding in the mountains and trees, and you're like a virus that crawls out and infects everything.
So now you pass me the laser beam and you want me to join the team. Well I'm not used to these kinds of things, but this is what the evil brings.
You offer me a laser beam and ask me to join your team, but I'm not accustomed to these things. Unfortunately, this is what happens in the world of evil.
Let me tell you bout the fire. You could bring the waters up above. I'll bring my favorite people and I'm bringing all my love. You want a battle well don't look very far, you want to fight somebody come fight the superstar.
We're going to bring the heat and passion to this fight. You can try to bring water, but we'll bring our best people and lots of love. If you're looking for a battle, don't look too far, because we're ready to fight.
I knew you wouldn't stand a chance you left without a passing glance, there's nothing you could ever do to keep me from stopping you.
I knew you would never be able to succeed in stopping me, and you leave as quickly as you arrived, without a second look. You have no power over me.
It's so dark and lonely out here in outer space, but at least I got my keyboard and my low bot has his bass. Playing street sweeper tunes and watching tye fighters fly by.
Outer space is a lonely and dark place, but I have my keyboard and my companion with his bass guitar. We play tunes and watch tie fighters fly by to pass the time.
Things would be better if I was back at home with pepper burning pakalolo not even noticing the weather so far and so alone a million light years away.
Life would be better if I was back home with my friend Pepper, smoking pakalolo and not even noticing the weather. Instead, I'm a million light years away, feeling very alone.
Storm trooper storm trooper back up from my door I got my blaster set I'm ready to start a minor war.
Storm trooper, you need to back away from my door. I have my weapon at the ready and I'm prepared to engage in a minor conflict.
This won't be the day you were hoping for so just walk away walk away. Better run now cause your done now cause your standing in a bad mans town, boy. Time to get back to my daily routine have a beer at a bar on tattooine.
You won't get what you hoped for, so just turn around and leave. You better run now because you're in a place controlled by a dangerous person. It's time for me to go back to my normal routine and have a beer at a bar on tattooine.
You take away everything , make my people scream out loud. Just bring it back Lord just bring it back. You mess it up and you rearrange open your eyes and turn the page. Just bring it back.
You've taken everything away from us, causing our people to suffer and cry out. We pray that things will return to normal. You've created chaos and disruption, but we ask that you fix it and bring everything back to its proper place.
I believe I'll interject to talk about the word respect. Its not a word that's in your hands its more about the common man You took your time and paved the way making room for other man to play a grip of bodies a mess of minds endless conversations to rock. na na na na
I want to talk about respect. It's not something that you control, it's more of a shared idea among common folks. You've had your time and created an open space for others to have their turn. There are many people here, with different ideas and opinions, and we're going to have a lot of conversations and fun.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind