Pep Squad

Emerging from Portland, Oregon, Pep Squad operates as a power-pop quartet carrying punk attitude while drawing equal influence from mainstream pop and underground emo-core punk. Siblings Bryan Everett, who plays lead guitar, and Kim launched the outfit in 1995. A sequence of fortunate circumstances placed them onstage as last-minute replacements at the Northwest Music Festival that same year. The appearance drew widespread praise, leading directly to the release of their self-titled debut on independent imprint Bionic within the following twelve months. The quartet sustained activity by touring in support of the album across 1997, which in turn generated interest from larger labels. Before the year ended they had secured a deal with BEC Recordings, a Capitol-EMI subsidiary. Their opening project for the label, No Doy!, appeared in early 1998.