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Dream-pop, garage-rock, black-punk. In an era where the blogosphere battles to name genres, sometimes it’s nice to simply return to rock ‘n’ roll, which is just what we have for you in the first Artist of the Month profile of the new year. “As cliche as that is, I think that\u2019s what we\u2019re going for. A fun rock and roll band,” said Penny, a newly-minted member of the Oklahoma rock group, who recently joined with her partner Mandy, adding a much appreciated feminine flavor. They do after all, have a sky-rocketing new album titled\u00a0Just Enough Hip to be Woman.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

BRONCHO<\/a> <\/strong>performs at\u00a0Beacon Theatre tonight supporting the one and only Billy Idol. Shortly before they hit the road, Sophie Saint Thomas caught up with Penny as she was getting ready to embark on a six-week tour.<\/p>\n

ST: What is your experience with touring? <\/b><\/p>\n

P: Honestly, I\u2019ve loved it since I started doing it. I went on my first tour as a solo artist with another friend of mine who was also a solo artist at that time. I just love it, I love traveling. I love kind of having everything I need with me girl scout style. I see it as not much different than outdoor survival camping. I just kind of see it as the urban woods.<\/p>\n

ST: Is this the first tour you guys as a group have done together?<\/b><\/p>\n

P: No, Mandy and I just joined the band this last summer. We did our first tour with the guys I believe in August. It was like a five week run. We were basically touring from August to December with a few breaks and then we had December off, and now we\u2019re at it again.<\/p>\n

ST: How did you end up joining the band?<\/b><\/p>\n

P: I’ve known Ryan for a few years now. I grew up in Norman, which is the town that they\u2019re based in. Where they were hanging out and went to school. So I had hosted house shows at my house with them, and I\u2019ve been to a lot of shows, just between musical mutual friends I guess. When I met Mandy we started playing music together. I heard that their old bass player was leaving the band. So I kind of pursued it a little bit, and six to eight months later I talked to Ryan, and he invited both of us to be in the band which is awesome because we live together and we\u2019re partners. She\u2019s kind of the only thing that keeps me from being on the road. So it\u2019s really awesome to be able to bring her with me.<\/p>\n

ST: How is it being with all those guys?<\/b><\/p>\n

P: It\u2019s good. The bands I previously was working with and touring with was much different. Musically, and also socially I played with two girls. And so I was mainly traveling with three girls which was a totally different experience. All three of us were\u00a0around the 21-24 age so needless to say we were kind of crazy all over the place. I think the energy of this current group is like… I just feel like they\u2019re my brothers. I have always been a tomboy so we just feel really comfortable.<\/p>\n

ST: \u201cClass Historian\u201d is really blowing up and getting a lot of attention. How has that experience been?<\/b><\/p>\n

P: I definitely feel lucky to be with them at this time. I\u2019ve been watching these guys tour kind of parallel to my former musical life, and to be able to be in this band at this moment in time is pretty amazing. I do my best to not take too much credit for any of the actual success that\u2019s going on right now. But it is super exciting. And I\u2019m just \u00a0constantly being flattered by people always hearing it on the XM Radio or wherever they’ve heard it. It\u2019s kind of far out; We had a spot in the local paper recently, which was definitely the first time I\u2019ve been called out like: \u201cYou\u2019re that girl in that band!\u201d It\u2019s very weird, it\u2019s very new, I\u2019m trying not to get too used to it.<\/p>\n

ST: I hope you\u2019re enjoying it!<\/b><\/p>\n

P: Definitely. I\u2019m just trying to let it in and let it be real.<\/p>\n

ST: I\u2019m sure you and Mandy joining has changed the dynamic, can you speak to what you\u2019ve brought to the band?<\/b><\/p>\n

P: One obvious change is certainly the vocal presence. I\u00a0think we\u2019re moving to a really awesome place vocally where Mandy and I get to be sort of this more angelic presence over kind of the rougher vocals of the guys. It rounds it out really well. I was definitely worried at first about the former fans…I don\u2019t know, it\u2019s probably just girl insecurity. I never wanted people to be like, “Oh you\u2019re good for a girl.” I think especially as the bass player like their former bass player, I respect him a lot. So the first show I was definitely watching a lot of people like, \u201cYou approve right?\u201d I\u2019m less about seeking approval now, and I\u2019m just having a really good time with the guys. I\u2019m no longer feeling like I don\u2019t fit in anymore.<\/p>\n

ST: I enjoy the female aspect; I love how it\u2019s all come together. The album title <\/b>Just Enough Hip to be Woman –\u00a0<\/i><\/b>were you part of the creation?<\/b>
\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

P: I honestly was not there but I totally can imagine how it came up, and it was probably the guys and some friends totally joking around and one of them probably said it in one way and another one said it in another way and then it went around in circles because it\u2019s worded so strangely. I thought it was funny when I found out what it was because I didn\u2019t even hear the new record or know the title until he had already asked me to be in the band. So part of me was like \u201cMaybe he knew\u2026\u201d but I don\u2019t think that he did. I think it\u2019s just that perfect.<\/p>\n

ST: How would you label your sound? I\u2019ve read the term \u201cgarage punk\u201d thrown around a lot on the internet.<\/b><\/p>\n

P: Anytime we\u2019re asked that at a border crossing, because they always ask \u201cWhat band are you in?\u201d and then \u201cWhat kind of music do you play?\u201d We all collectively answer with \u201crock and roll.\u201d As cliche as that is, I think that\u2019s what we\u2019re going for. A fun rock and roll band. We\u2019re all just having fun and ideally we just want everyone in the audience to be loose and crazy. I think \u201cpunk\u201d is a bit of a stretch I think \u201cgarage rock and roll\u201d is kind of where it\u2019s at.<\/p>\n

ST: Well, rock and roll is a cliche for a reason, it\u2019s great. Are you excited to play with Billy Idol? \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

P: Yeah, I\u2019m so stoked.<\/p>\n

ST: Well congrats on everything that\u2019s happening, and thanks for taking the time to speak with me.<\/b><\/p>\n

P: Thank you!<\/p>\n