There
was a time when punk rock was dismissed as a fleeting fad, lumped in with disco
and TV bands. But acts like The Ramones, The Clash, and later Green Day proved
otherwise, cementing punk as a powerful voice of youth. Today, Mercy Music
carries that torch. Led by guitarist and vocalist Brendan Scholz, the Las Vegas
trio â€" rounded out by bassist Jarred Cooper and drummer Ryan Seaman â€"
channels the spirit of punk's early days with raw emotion and finely crafted
songs that resonate beyond fast guitars and angst.
For
Scholz, punk was never about image - it was survival. He picked up a guitar
at nine years old and found an outlet for the intensity of life's highs and
lows. Mercy Music's latest album, What You Stand To Lose, produced by
Descendents drummer Bill Stevenson, distills Scholz's knack for crafting
melodic anthems wrapped in emotional honesty. With Cooper and Seaman's tight
musicianship backing him, Scholz creates music that feels urgent and profoundly
human, songs that cut through the noise of an increasingly cynical industry.
The
heart of Mercy Music lies in the genuine connection they seek with listeners
who feel like outsiders. "We've never really fit into one box," Scholz
explains. Their music offers a lifeline for anyone needing a reminder that they
aren't alone. Whether it's the desperate hope of "Believe In We" or the aching
sorrow of "Waiting To Begin," Mercy Music's songs are unflinchingly real â€"
never sanitized, always sincere.
Scholz
has never let go of the drive to create despite setbacks and personal
hardships. His partnership with Cooper, dating back nearly 25 years, anchors
the band's foundation. Their friendship - part brotherhood, part marriage - has endured the darkest moments, allowing their music to be built on trust,
openness, and resilience. Cooper says, "Brendan goes to dark places, and I'm
there to help him find the light."
Mercy
Music will spend most of 2024 on the road, delivering cathartic, no-frills rock
shows that remind you what punk means: connection, catharsis, and survival
through sound. Scholz says it best: "We're not reinventing the wheel. But I
don't think a band is doing exactly what we do. And honestly? That's enough for
me."
Pretty Deadly is a Dallas, Oregon-based punk rock trio born
from what was supposed to be a one-off studio jam-but turned into something too
fun to walk away from. Formed in early 2025, the band features Blaine
(guitar/vocals), Travis (bass/vocals), and Zach (drums)-three longtime players
with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest punk scene. Between them, they've
logged time in bands like Drawback, Ninjas with Syringes, The Disliked,
Faithless Saints, Burn the Stage, Lost City, and The Civies.
Pretty Deadly isn't here to reinvent the wheel. They're here to keep it loud,
fast, and honest. Drawing from the golden age of '90s and early 2000s punk-from
SoCal skate punk to the grittier corners of Northwest alt-rock-their sound
blends melody and grit, simplicity and sneer. There are no rules, just whatever
hits in the moment. Sometimes that means channeling sad or pissed-off lyrics
through a pop melody played at breakneck speed. Sometimes it leans darker and
heavier. But it always stays true to the core: no stress, no filler, just three
friends making noise they love.
Less is more. No bullshit. That's Pretty Deadly.
Punk Rock
Rose City melodic punk band Old Cross pulls influences from the late 90's punk and emo scenes and delivers heartfelt anthemic choruses across basement shows, dive bars and national stages alike.
The band released their LP Dead End Lullabies October 2024 and just dropped their new EP Acoustic Volume 1 Friday, January 9th.