Jess Penner - Vocals, guitars, programming, uke.... sometimes bass, whatever.
Kevin Penner - Drums, vocals, claps.
Bass - Furnished by Tony Green (when actual skill is involved.)
Influences
Everything. Mom loved doo-wop, dad loved folk...
a serious love affair with metal as a adolescent...
Guns N Roses truly rocked my world in the fourth grade.
Throw in the silly ukulele jams that permeated rural Hawaii radio and... a winning performance of "You're so Vain" at the 3rd grade talent show...
Yeah, that basically wraps it up.
I’ve always been a simple girl... a “do it yourself” kinda girl.
The kinda girl who built make-believe ponies out of leftover 2X4’s at dad’s construction sites, who played hide and seek with the neighborhood boys in the banana patch. The girl who’s legs were always bruised up and scabby from soccer, or more commonly biting it on her BMX. The one who didn’t care to use a hairbrush until at least double digit age. Over time, that girl turned into the kinda girl who baked pies, sewed her own dresses, rescued baby birds and spent countless hours alone in the bedroom with the 4 track cassette deck writing songs and practicing Metallica solos. Yeah, that kinda girl.
I always sang, always. I grew up in Kilauea, Kauai on a banana farm.
Dad was an amazingly creative, partially crazy, passionate folk-loving man who played guitar and sang on the porch under the stars.
Mom was a beautiful, business savvy athlete with a serious passion for swing dancing and dessert.
I was lucky enough to sign my first record deal at 15, playing guitar for a band at this point we’ll just keep unnamed. I’m not giving that one up so easily, you’ll have to work for it! We started touring when I was 16 and didn’t stop for almost five years. Five years living in a van with four boys. It was the perfect substitute for a college education (don’t let your mom read that part). It was tough, scrappy, and in many ways a lot like my childhood (I have one older brother who was forced to drag me along with his friends everywhere he went, he’s a Navy Seal now... I know, totally badass). We released four records and played over 1000 shows in almost every state in the U.S. The stories I could tell....
When that was over I decided I wanted to write and record my own records so I started “chandelle”. We played in Hawaii a lot, released a record, got island fever and decided to move to L.A. We built a recording studio and made a couple more records...
the latest being “the cold that keeps you alive” EP (you can buy it on itunes). A funny thing started to happen though.... I started writing all these fun, quirky, pop songs that didn’t fit the indie rock band thing. I was ready for something completely new, and if you are here, reading this bio, then you have stumbled upon exactly that.
So here I am. Nothing is off limits. I want to write songs that make people smile, laugh, and feel alive. I’m working on my debut “Jess Penner” record at this very moment... and hoping you’ll love it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and stay tuned.
XOXO
I just bought your album on Itunes!: ), I'm on my 2nd time listening it through : ), The "In the Stars" first got me hooked, I really am enjoying the album, Great Music : )!
Hey! I gotta say, I'm really hooked to your music! It's so good and unique! Could you possibly make your cover of "Cold Desert" available on iTunes? Pretty pleeeeease! ツ
hey jess:] looove your music. Original and catchy. sooo was the band name spooky tuesday? I was researching for a while and that's the best guess i have:]
heey I'm loving the songs! I looked you up from the hills cause I heard the song and I to get it! so I downloaded itunes and then downloaded your album.. thank you:D its awesome and all happy! good luck with everything!xxx
Thanks for saying hi! Nice to hear from you. Thanks for the compliment - yeah the new shots were for my new EP - "Oh it's Simple".
I'm aiming to return to LA in April/May next year. Would love to do some shows together. Hope you've been well. Take care and have a great rest of the year Francesca x
Hi Jess,Where can I find your cd here in Hollywood? I m italian, i work in Edison.. you know?ihihihi Now I am on vacation in Hollywood, but Tuesday I go back to Italy. Sorry for my English.iihih Kissssss ps: you are very very good. Andrea
Thanks for the add. Im glad to see you are working hard to get your project done, im sure it will be nothing short of amazing. I actually heard you song on a psp promotion video, so you even bleeding over into video games now lol. I will be buying the cd the FIRST DAY it drops as along as you keep me posted. Oh yeah, I have the Chandelle cds already btw. Peace&Love360 ~Ni~
Yeah that is one of my faves at the moment. I was at the hotel cafe for Tyrone's concert and really liked your songs. Hope everything goes great for you and your band. Oh and by the way, I saw your Day's Inn commercial, very cool!