Pennywise is an American punk rock band, currently composed of Fletcher Dragge, Randy Bradbury and Byron McMackin. The group was formed in 1988, and they released their self-titled debut album in 1991. Since then, they have released a new album every other year, except for their most recent album, 2008’s “Reason to Believe,” which was released three years after their previous effort. In 1996, original member Jason Thirsk left the group to fight his alcoholism. Although he initially succeeded, he later relapsed and committed suicide, at which point Bradbury joined the group.
After Thirsk’s death, the group continued to produce albums steadily and maintain a strong fanbase. Lead singer Jim Lindberg left Pennywise in August 2009; the group recently chose Zoli Teglas of Ignite as a temporary replacement, but no official permanent replacement has been found. Despite their setbacks, Pennywise continues to be a successful rock band and tours often, most recently in the fall of 2009.
