Pepper to add dash of spicy lyrics to Marquee show
By ALBERT CHING
Get Out

If you’ve listened to alternative rock radio within the last year, chances are you’ve heard Pepper’s hit single “Give It Up.” And if you’re easily offended, chances are you turned the radio right off.

With lyrics like “Let’s put our minds away and let our hormones do the rest” and a chorus asking “Why don’t you have some dirty, hot sex with me?” drummer Yesod Williams says some people have misunderstood the group’s intention.

“We started the band to have fun,” Williams says. “ ‘Give It Up’ was, in a way, poking fun at pop-punk.
“We’ve experienced people saying, ‘You guys are so offensive, you guys disrespect women.’ ”

The band is quick to note that a large chunk of their fanbase is female and Williams adds, “It all comes down to our sense of humor.”
And humor is a big part of what Pepper has to offer. So is a strong connection to their hometown of Kona, Hawaii. Fans can witness this combination as Pepper embarks on their first headlining tour which starts in Tucson on Thursday and hits Tempe’s Marquee Theatre Friday night.

Kicking off the tour in the Grand Canyon State was an easy choice.

“We love Arizona,” Williams says. “Phoenix, Tempe — those shows are epic. It’s one of our best markets besides Hawaii.”

The Valley has been kind to Pepper. The Edge (103.9 FM) was one of the first radio stations outside of Hawaii to play “Give It Up,” although the song didn’t get any spins until the album “Kona Town” had been out for almost two years.

“When we recorded that CD, pretty much no one knew who we were,” Williams says. “It took a while for people to catch on.”

The band recently released their third disc, “In With the Old,” and its first single, “Ashes,” is following in the success of “Give It Up.” Williams says the new album is more “mature” than past efforts, but still retains a sense of playfulness.

“We want to spread the fun to other people, make other people laugh at us,” he says.

Although Pepper may not take themselves seriously, they promise a seriously good time.

“If you want to have the time of your life, and have something to talk about for weeks, come check out the show,” Williams says. “If nothing else, there’ll be a bunch of hot chicks at the show.”