Local Rockers American Pinup Hit the Road

For any band, going on tour is a rite of passage. Having the courage to take original music on the road and perform in front of untested crowds measures a group’s dedication and talent.

Unlike the rock legends and superstars who traverse the globe in lavish comforts, smaller acts are constrained by their budgets.

“We finally got the van, so the tour is the only thing on our minds,” said Lauren West, frontwoman and guitarist of punk band American Pinup.

After warming up with local shows–including a gig at Port Chester's last month–the band will expand its range.

On March 11, American Pinup is joining fellow Altercation Records band The Jukebox Romantics for a two-week tour of the southern U.S. Spanning six states, the highlight of the tour is South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the biggest music festivals in the country. SXSW has grown from a small gathering in Austin, Texas to a ten-day event combining music, film, and multimedia with thousands of bands. Well known bands discovered at SXSW include The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, and Bloc Party.

It has been a difficult path for American Pinup leading up to their inaugural tour. A lawsuit involving their original name Big Sister, and a falling out with their seminal bassist plagued the band before their debut album.

“It was a rough process,” recalled drummer Andy Porta. “We signed with a label in the midst of recording, changed band members, and changed names. Plenty of upheavals delayed the process.”

Nevertheless, in early February American Pinup released its debut album, Strange Creatures. The album contains songs from the band's inception in May 2009 up to the present.

“It’s a weird collection of songs,” said West. “This particular album is stuff we amassed over a number of years. It’s a bunch of songs from a long period of time – some of which we had to work out on the spot.”

The band’s lineup is unchanged since June 2010. Andy Porta, Tim Robbins (bass), and Lauren West attended White Plains High School. All three were involved in a songwriters club, and Porta and Robbins frequently played music together. After college, the three continued to play music as a group – meshing indy rock, metal, ska, and Motown into their own brand of punk. In need of a guitarist, they posted an ad on Craigslist and Rob Peralta of Yonkers became the fourth member of the band.

“There was a huge punk scene when I was in high school that I took for granted,” said West. “It started dying out in ’06. Now it’s defunct.”

The lack of suitable venues in Lower Westchester has forced the band to travel to Upstate New York and New Jersey for weekend shows. Still, the band has found time to begin work on their sophomore album which they say will be more cohesive and smooth than the first.

 “The big difference between the last record is that our lineup is completely solid,” said Porta. “We are all open to different kinds of music and nobody shuts down an idea immediately. We are all kind of winging it.”

A record deal and a performance at a major music festival is enough to make anyone in their early 20s overly confident, but American Pinup has remained level headed throughout.

“There are still things we need to improve on,” confirmed West. “Our back-up vocals are not always entirely prepared, and we tend to practice our favorite songs more than others.”

The band said they are working on learning more cover songs for the road. Whether it’s original music or covers, American Pinup has come a long way from their days at White Plains High School.

For more on American Pinup including music videos, CD information, and a blog visit - http://www.americanpinupband.com/fr_americanpinup.cfm

 For details on the band’s upcoming tour visit –http://www.altercationrecords.com/