Pencey Prep
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Defunct | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Belleville, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music |
Pencey Prep was a punk rock group originating from Belleville, New Jersey, United States.
Background
Prior to forming Pencey Prep, Frank Iero and Neil Sabatino were involved in local punk acts Sector 12 and Stick Figure Suicide, respectively. During his time at Rutgers University, Iero took on the roles of guitarist and lead singer. Alongside labelmates Thursday, Pencey Prep emerged as a significant part of New Jersey’s growing post-hardcore and punk movement, securing a contract with Eyeball Records in 2001. They shared stages with bands such as Nada Surf, The Strokes, and New Found Glory at New Jersey’s inaugural Surf and Skate Festival held in Asbury Park, NJ. Their only full-length release, Heartbreak in Stereo, came out through Eyeball Records in 2001. However, poor turnout during a three-week tour across the Midwest and internal disagreements resulted in the band disbanding by May 2002.
According to their Myspace profile, the band's name was inspired by the school from which Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, was expelled.
After Pencey Prep
In 2001, Sabatino left to create Fairmont, initially conceived as a solo acoustic endeavor before expanding into a five-member ensemble. Shortly thereafter, McGuire joined Fairmont on bass, remaining until 2007 before collaborating with Iero as a touring bassist for the hardcore outfit Leathermouth.
Following Pencey Prep’s breakup, Iero participated in projects such as I Am A Graveyard and Give Up The Ghost prior to becoming rhythm guitarist for My Chemical Romance just before their 2002 debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, also released via Eyeball Records. His experience with Pencey Prep contributed significantly to his live performance skills beyond small venue shows. Keyboardist Simon toured with My Chemical Romance and co-created the 2013 comic series The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys alongside Gerard Way.
In 2020, Mint 400 Records (headed by Sabatino) and B.CALM Press (associated with Iero) announced a remastered reissue of Heartbreak in Stereo, marking its first official re-release since 2007. This edition became available on streaming platforms in 2021, accompanied by physical releases on CD, vinyl, and cassette formats within the same year.
Members
- Tim Hagevik – drums (1999–2002)
- Frank Iero – lead vocals (2000–2002), guitars, backing vocals (1999–2002)
- John McGuire – bass guitar, backing vocals (1999–2002)
- Shaun Simon – keyboards, moog synthesizer (1999–2002)
- Neil Sabatino – guitars, backing vocals (2000–2001)
- Bruno Rocha – lead vocals (1999–2000)
Discography
Albums
- Heartbreak in Stereo (2001/2007 on Eyeball Records; 2020/2021 via Mint 400 Records & B.Calm Press)
Singles
- ...Trying to Escape the Inevitable. (2000, Riversideriot)
- Long Walk to Forever (2000, Self-Released)
Pencey Prep song list
| Title | Writer(s) | Album(s) | Year | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "8th Grade" | Pencey Prep | ...Trying to Escape the Inevitable. Heartbreak in Stereo |
2000 2001 |
[1] | |
| "10 Rings" | Pencey Prep | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "19" | Pencey Prep | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "Attention Reader" | Pencey Prep | Non-album track | 2001 | Distributed via band's website in fall 2001 | [2] Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
|
| "Don Quixote" | Pencey Prep | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "Fat and Alone" (hidden track) | Neil Sabatino | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "Florida Plates" | Pencey Prep | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "Heroine Slow" | Pencey Prep | Non-album track | 2001 | Shared on MySpace following June 2001 recordings | [2] [3] |
| "Home" | Pencey Prep | Non-album track | 2001 | Released on MySpace after June 2001 sessions | [2] [3] |
| "Lloyd Dobbler" | Pencey Prep | Long Walk to Forever Heartbreak in Stereo |
2000 2001 |
[1] | |
| "P.S. Don't Write" | Pencey Prep | Heartbreak in Stereo | 2001 | [1] | |
| "Rebuilding Home" | Neil Sabatino | 'Pretending Greatness is Awaiting' | (Fairmont, 2001) | ||
| "The Secret Goldfish" | Pencey Prep | '...Trying to Escape the Inevitable., Heartbreak in Stereo | (2000, 2001) | ||
| "Trying to Escape the Inevitable" | Pencey Prep | 'Heartbreak in Stereo' | (2001) | ||
| "Yesterday" | Pencey Prep | 'Long Walk to Forever', Heartbreak in Stereo | (2000, 2001) |
References
- Sources
- Further reading