Rad Girlfriend Records is releasing a The Last Mile/Pezz split LP on September 15 and today, we have the good fortune of premiering those tracks!

There isn’t an overall theme to The Last Mile side of the split, but there is definitely a lot of rage, anger, and frustration that comes through in many different ways. There are political songs, call to action songs, songs of sadness and introspection, songs of loneliness, but there is also a message of hope. Bassist Stephanie Cole features more prominently than before on vocals and it makes for a really nice contrast to Chris Snelgrove’s growl. This is also the first time that the band, with its stable line up of Snelgrove, Cole, Mike Gabriel, and Emilien Catalano, has recorded at the same time together.

About the song “Malfeasance,” Snelgrove says, “The definition of malfeasance is intentional conduct that is wrongful or unlawful, especially by officials or public employees. I’m really sick of seeing politicians, cops, judges, and so many more people just do whatever they want, or in the case of politicians, whatever they’re told to do by their wealthy benefactor constituents. I want to believe that people are finally paying attention to this and starting to make a conscious change about how they deal with people in positions of power.

“We, as a worldwide society, have to come together to find a common ground that will empower everyone and not just the few who have all of the wealth and influence. We have to stop putting these people on a pedestal as someone to be revered because of the hold they have on the collective minds of the people. We can do better, this world can be better.”

Pezz offer up a once unfinished recording from 2009, that was finally completed in 2022.

Pezz was formed in 1989 and band cut its teeth as part of the all-ages hardcore/punk scene based at the legendary Antenna Club. In the summer of 1997, Pezz signed to seminal LA-based punk label BYO Records and recorded its second full-length album, One Last Look, at Westbeach Recorders in Los Angeles with noted producer Steve Kravac.

Signing to BYO elevated Pezz’s profile nationally and the band began what would be several years of almost non-stop touring, first in the U.S. and Canada, but later in the UK and Europe. In fact, Ben Nichols joined on bass for a tour and played with the band into early 1998 before leaving to form Lucero.

A record with Steve Albini, a U.S. tour with Leatherface, and world tours followed before Pezz went on hiatus to start families, be peace activists, go to school and travel the world. The band kept in touch and played every once in a while but became a truly active band again in the fall of 2006. After years of nonstop touring with the likes of Hot Water Music, At the Drive-In, Leatherface, 7 Seconds, Samiam, the Bouncing Souls and the late Wesley Willis, Pezz now stays close to its hometown of Memphis for the most part.

Pre-order the split here.

The Last Mile photo by Fabian Contreras

Pezz photo courtesy of Pezz