Pepper

Although Pepper originated in Kona, Hawaii, the group steers clear of conventional Hawaiian styles. Instead its sound merges melodic alternative pop and rock with punk energy and reggae rhythms. The band surfaced during the late 1990s, steadily building an audience through constant road work and releases such as Kona Town in 2001 and Kona Gold in 2009. While reggae continues to anchor the music, later efforts including the 2013 self-titled album and 2016’s Ohana show the trio leaning further into contemporary pop textures.

The trio formed in Kona during 1996, drawn together by an affinity for reggae from the 1970s and early 1980s along with acts like Sublime, Three Plus, the Police, and Steel Pulse. Singer and guitarist Kaleo Wassman joined bassist and singer Bret Bollinger that same year. After cycling through several drummers throughout the rest of the decade, the band settled on Yesod Williams. With that lineup locked in, Pepper relocated from Hawaii to Los Angeles and began supporting major reggae performers including Burning Spear, Shaggy, Eek-a-Mouse, and Pato Banton.

The group first recorded in 1997, laying down a seven-song demo. By 1999 it had landed a deal with the Los Angeles independent label Volcom Entertainment. Tracks from Pepper appeared on various Volcom compilations, paving the way for the full-length debut Give’n It in 2000. A year later the band cut its second album, Kona Town, alongside producer Steve Kravac, whose résumé includes blink-182, Youth Brigade, Guttermouth, Less Than Jake, and other alternative-rock acts. Volcom issued Kona Town in 2002; In with the Old arrived two years afterward while Pepper toured alongside 311 and Snoop Dogg.

Pepper launched its own imprint, LAW Records, whose inaugural project was a 2003 reissue of Give’n It. A concert DVD surfaced in early 2006, followed that autumn by the studio album No Shame and a run of dates with Slightly Stoopid. Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations appeared in 2008. In 2013 the band signed with Island Records and delivered a self-titled release produced by Matt Wallace, previously known for his work with Faith No More and Train. The single “Start You Up” and the album Ohana both surfaced in 2016. The group’s eighth studio effort, Local Motion, reached stores in June 2019.