I first caught the Bollweevils in the late 90’s at a hall show and it seems that the years have been kind because they sound just as vibrant and lively as ever on this new album “Essential”. Ironically, if you are a fan of 90’s punk rock The Bollweevils are essential to your record collection. Along with their new label Red Scare Industries the band is proud to present their first album in over 14 years and it’s 10 tracks that will make you nostalgic for 90’s punk rock. The first two singles “Predisposition” and “Liniment and Tonic” give us just a taste of what this album is all about if you are looking for what to dive into first.
The band has picked the name ‘Essential‘ because they’re all essential workers as the band puts it “educators, first responders, and of course leading the way is Dr. Daryl Wilson, the most ostentatious Afro-Punk frontman in the Midwest. It’s one big unity song for the punk community and the workin’ stiffs that got us through the pandemic, and everyone is invited to this party.”
The Bollweevils have existed since the late 80’s and I have in my own record collection multiple 7”s and LP’s for almost 3 decades now, so it’s always exciting to hear bands mature but still able to bring the intensity that their younger selves were known for.
The band consists of Daryl Wilson on vocals, Pete Mittler (The Methadones) on bass, Ken Fitzner on guitar, and Pete Mumford on drums. Over the years the band has played the Chicago scene and around the country on shows with Naked Raygun, Rise Against, Rancid, Dead Kennedys, The Lawrence Arms, The Smoking Popes, and many more.
Vocalist Dr. Daryl Wilson has this to say about the new album, “We are really excited about our upcoming shows and the release of our new LP. It has been a long time in the making, but it's well worth the wait. We love every track on the record and we are glad it's finally available for everyone to hear and experience. It is everything we expected and we are so proud of the art we have created. If you are an old fan prepare to be extremely happy, and if you are a new fan, we welcome you to experience The Bollweevils at one of our best moments.”
If you are a punk rock fan of anything like The Descendants to Rancid you are going need this record. For fans who have never heard of The Bollweevils they are a band you should check out, they weren’t the biggest name in the game but they always put out solid records that any punk rock aficionado could easily appreciate.
UPCOMING SHOWS
5/20 @ Pouzza FEST, Montreal, QC
5/27 Record Release Show @ Chop Shop with The Dopamines, Chicago, IL
10/27-10/29 @ FEST, Gainesville, FL
