REVOLT WINE CO.

IKaleo Wassman – Vocals/Guitar
Bret Bollinger – Vocals/Bass
Yesod Williams – Drums

BIO from pepperlive.tumblr.com

The trio formed in 1997 and moved to the mainland from their hometown of Kailua Kona, Hawaii in 1999.

Pepper has toured extensively with groups like 311, Slightly Stoopid, Flogging Molly and Sublime With Rome, and spent several summers on Warped Tour.   Their universal appeal has led their music being placed in various movies and TV shows, including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Good Luck Chuck, as well as several video game soundtracks.

As you listen to their songs, you can almost feel the sand in your toes and the sun on your back.  The band’s music is really about enjoying life and being grateful for each experience.  Pepper has embodied not only a style of music but a lifestyle; one that’s most easily found on beaches across the world, but also one that’s relatable to anyone anywhere.  

“We’re so blessed to be in this position,” Kaleo says. “We want to do the best we can with it. We had humble beginnings in our small town in Hawaii and we’re still that same humble band. We don’t take any of this lightly. Every day I wake up and think about how I have the best job in the world. The level of gratitude and happiness I have that we’re able to do this is incredible and I hope people can hear that when they listen to our songs.”

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Interview with Pepper

Q: What have been some obstacles you’ve overcome that have been huge monumental moments in such a long career, where you’ve thought, “this could be the end?”

A: “That’s a very interesting and great question. You know, growing up and growing pains and getting through them – you get victories and you get setbacks. But it’s what you’re still passionate about and what you’re going to do about it. And what you’re going to do; are you going to move through those hard situations. There are always going to be setbacks no matter what. There are setbacks in life, you know what I mean? And you just put your fucking head down and do it!”

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Q: It’s cool to still hear you guys talk about your passion. After 19 years, what do you do to keep inspired and to keep helping inspire other people?

A: “Well we’ve got a new record coming out in April. Which that’s always super inspiring; injecting new life or blood into this world and being able to play new songs and what not. It’s interesting more from our perspective, and what people don’t know, is how does it make you feel – how they feel. Not just like yeah I really like it or don’t like it but the millions of questions you get like, Why did you do that? or What does that mean? It’s totally subjective, you know.”

(Us): Absolutely! With anything; with both wine and music the same. Everything is subjective and open to interpretation, which is cool.