Legendary queercore punk band Pansy Division return after seven years to celebrate their 25 year anniversary with the announcement of their 9th studio album Quite Contrary, out September 9 on Alternative Tentacles. Leaders in their community, the band’s bluntness and humor stood out amidst the '90s alterna-rock scene, paving a road of acceptance & empowering the political climate. The fourteen tracks on Quite Contrary feature the group’s signature tongue-in-cheek lyrics and infectious melodies woven with profound and topical discussions.

 

Cheeky anthem “Love Came Along” is a brutally truthful song about love & lust. Revered in the punk community for challenging gay rights issues, “Blame The Bible” is strapped with a catchy melody and politically pungent lyrics pointed at the current Presidential election. Slicing open with growling guitar chops and percussive bass “Halfway To Nowhere” is a siren song to a lifestyle of prolonged substance abuse. Opening track “He’s Trouble” leads with driving tight alt-punk guitar fuzz, with tight vocal harmonies and an earworm of a chorus. “He’s Trouble” premiered with Stereogum today!

 

Pansy Division was founded in San Francisco in 1991 by guitarist/singer Jon Ginoliwho is joined by bassist/singer Chris Freeman, guitarist/singer Joel Reader and drummer Luis Illades. Not only did their music and stance defy stereotypic norms of rock musicians being openly gay, they also broke gay cultural stereotypes that rock wouldn't interest gay people. Formed with the intent of forming a gay rock band, Pansy Division was the first group to be so open with their sexuality. Raised on a diet of 60s pop and 70s punk, their sound was suitably crunchy and catchy as hell.

 

Beginning in 1993, they put out an album a year for six years on Lookout Records. Their music caught the attention of former Lookout labelmates Green Day, who took Pansy Division on tour for a couple of months in 1994 at the height of the mania surrounding their breakthrough album Dookie. 2009 saw the release of the band’s last album That’s So Gay, which was raucous and raunchy as ever, a documentary film about the band, Pansy Division: Life In A Gay Rock Band, which played numerous film festivals worldwide, and Jon’s memoir Deflowered: My Life In Pansy Division, of his stories and experiences in the band.

 

Catch Pansy Division on tour this fall! Full list of dates below or click HERE.

9/20: Somerville, MA @ ONCE Ballroom

9/21: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

9/22: Washington, DC @ Hill Country Live DC

9/23: Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

9/24: Brooklyn, NY @ Sunnyvale

11/4: San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar

11/5: Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar

11/6: Palm Springs, CA @ Pride Festival

11/9: Seattle, WA @ Funhouse

11/10: Portland, OR @ Dante’s

11/11: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill

11/12: Los Angeles, CA @ Viper Room

 

Quite Contrary Track List

1. He’s Trouble
2. Love Came Along
3. You’re On The Phone
4. Kiss Me At Midnight (New Year’s Eve)
5. Halfway To Nowhere
6. Work On It, Babe
7. I’m The Friend
8. Blame The Bible
9. Mistakes
10. It’s A Sin
11. My Heart Aches For You
12. (Is This What It’s Like) Getting Old
13. Too Much To Ask
14. Something Beautiful

Pre-order Quite Contrary

 

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Photo Credit: Martin Meyers