If you were to look up the word piebald in the dictionary, you’d learn that it means “having irregular patches of two colors, typically of black and white.” But if you were to ask any of their loyal fans, they’d probably refer to “Piebald” as one of their favorite bands of all time; a hard to describe, genre-less, energetic four piece known for their raw, matter of fact lyrics, infectious hooks, fun live shows, and their penchant for doing everything on their own terms. And in 2024, Piebald turns 30!

Piebald was founded in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1994 by Travis Shettel (vocals/guitar/keys) and Aaron Stuart (guitar/vocals). Through Andover High School friends and siblings, Jon Sullivan (drums) and Andrew Bonner (bass) were added to complete the original line-up. In a time before cell phones, Spotify, or even Napster, Piebald became an integral part of the same indie, post-hardcore music scene of the Merrimack Valley that birthed musical monsters Cave-In and Converge. Piebald spent their early years playing shows throughout the northeast and releasing a number of split releases and e.p.’s. Their first album, “When Life Hands You Lemons” was released in 1997, their sophomore album, “If It Weren’t for Venetian Blinds, It Would Be Curtains for Us All,” was released in 1999, and the politically tinged, “The Rock Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” e.p. followed in 2000.

In the fall of 2001, Piebald ventured into Q Division Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts to work with esteemed producer, Paul Q. Kolderie (The Pixies, Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr.), and began work on their most ambitious album to date and their final with drummer, Jon Sullivan. On February 19th, 2002, Piebald released their critically acclaimed third album “We Are the Only Friends We Have.” Now joined by Luke Garro on drums, the band embarked on the most thrilling stage of their career. National radio airplay of singles “American Hearts” and “Just A Simple Plan” and tours with the likes of Minus the Bear, Glassjaw, Hey Mercedes, RX Bandits, Saves the Day, and New Found Glory led to more mainstream success and helped birth a cult following.

Due to their never-ending touring schedule after the release of “Friends” (300+ shows in 2002, and 200+ in 2003), Piebald became recognized as “one of the most dependably fun bands of the late 90s/early 00’s emo touring circuit,” (Tom Breihan, Stereogum, Nov 12, 2019). They were “kings of sing-alongs” lead by Shettel who “crafted lyrics that could weave between intensely autobiographical, sociopolitical, and sarcastic,” (Amy Fleisher Madden, Negatives, 2023). Piebald released their fourth album, “All Ears, All Eyes, All the Time” in 2004 and their final album to date, “Accidental Gentleman” in 2007. These two albums saw the addition of more piano-based songwriting, while continuing down their musical path of creating authentic quirky rock with heartfelt lyrics. During this era, Piebald were touring in diesel vehicles that were converted to run on waste vegetable oil. The conversions were fabricated by none other than the band’s own guitarist, Stuart, and longtime band friend, Michael Parziale (greasenotgas.com). Eventually, individual lives became prioritized, the momentum had faded and Piebald “called it quits” in 2008 by playing celebratory shows in New York and Boston.

The band reformed in 2016 to celebrate the digital re-release of their catalog and they haven’t looked back. Since their reformation, Piebald has toured with Dashboard Confessional, The MovieLife and Weakened Friends, have reinstated their annual Holiday shows, and have played festivals such as Boston Calling, Riot Fest, Furnace Fest, and Wrecking Ball. Recently, Piebald has teamed up with Iodine Records to re-master, re-package, and re-release their long out-of-print catalog, and there has even been talk of new music. The impact of Piebald on the alternative music scene is undeniable, and their legacy continues to inspire a new generation of musicians and fans.

A toast to 30 years of Piebald! 

Piebald:
Travis Shettel: guitar, keys, vocals
Aaron Stuart: guitar, vocals
Andrew Bonner: bass, vocals
Luke Garro: drums

TOUR DATES:

Official Pages: Instagram // Website // Facebook
Booking: matt.galle@caa.com
Press/PR: amy@atomsplitterpr.com