Van Warped Tour Kick Off

The annual Vans Warped Tour Kick-Off Party at The Key Club in Hollywood featured performances by Death Punch, Beacher’s Madhouse, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Pretty Reckless, Pierce the Veil and Andrew WK.

Fanbolt was in attendance that night, mingling with Warped bands, past and present.

Buzz band The Pretty Reckless, are set to play the entire Warped Tour this summer. Lead singer Taylor Momsen describes the record as “death, love and rock n’ roll.” In addition to finding inspiration in rocker femme fatales Cherie Currie and Courtney Love, Momsen says, “I would also say The Beatles, Audioslave and Nirvana, but The Beatles are my biggest inspiration!”

The band’s first single “Make Me Wanna Die” is on the Kick-Ass movie soundtrack.

The album title and official release date for the major label debut (Interscope) has yet to be announced.

Taylor Momsen is best known for her acting role as Jenny Humphrey on The CW hit series Gossip Girl.
Although The Dollyrots aren’t scheduled to play the VWT this year, they stopped by to lend support and promote album California Beach Boy out August 3rd on Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records.

Singer Kelly Ogden and guitarist Luis Cabezas both agree that Sum 41, also in attendance at the party, is their favorite VWT band. “We went to The AP Party at SXSW, and Sum 41 was the best live band I’ve ever seen,” smiles Cabezas. “In terms of a newer punk band, you know what I mean?”

Unbeknownst, Odgen plays in a Sex Pistols tribute band, discovering them at the age of 16. “I was learning how to play guitar,” she recalls. “Luis would drive my little sister home from school everyday and play their records. I was like, ‘Oh my Gosh, what is this?!’ And then I learned about punk rock!”

Bleed The Dream singer Brandon Thomas announced a new hip-hop side project called Dead Money Massive. “I always had a love for hip-hop and dance music. I just never had the chance to get that out, so I decided I wanted to get the funk on but with a dirty punk rock vibe to it!”

He continues, “I started listening to hip-hop back in the 80s, Beastie Boys and Grand Master Flash. Growing up in Baltimore, I had no choice but to embrace it. I always wanted to infuse some of my music with that, but I was doing this ‘rock’ thing my whole life, and I thought it was time to get that out of my system.”

As of late, Thomas also reconciled with guitarist Dave Aguilera and a new Bleed The Dream record is scheduled in the works.

The Vans Warped Tour starts June 25th in Los Angeles and runs nationwide until August 15th. Check out www.VansWarpedTour.com for more info.

Interview By: Jeanette Nguyen