Jeff Penalty
Encyclopedia
Jeff Penalty is a writer, filmmaker, and musician, known mainly for his documentary work and his position as a former lead singer of Dead Kennedys
.
. He attended college at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and attended graduate school at the University of Southern California
, where he earned an MFA in Writing for Screen and Television. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
on one occasion each. He shared vocal duties in the Massachusetts pop punk act Just About Done and sang for a short-lived California band called Stupid Ferrets.
In 2003, Penalty became the vocalist for Dead Kennedys
, replacing Dr. Know
's Brandon Cruz
, who was with the band for two years following their reformation without original vocalist Jello Biafra
. Penalty had a fascination with Dead Kennedys
ever since he listened to their debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
. He has been quoted as saying that singing for Dead Kennedys
was "the realization of a dream I never even dared to have." Joining the band at twenty-five, he was considerably younger than his former bandmates. After performing over 50 shows with Dead Kennedys, Penalty announced he was parting ways with the band on March 18, 2008 describing the departure as "not amicable".
) "Do You Remember? Fifteen Years Of The Bouncing Souls
", which won the Best Documentary Feature award at the 2003 D.I.Y. Film Festival in Los Angeles. Alulis and Harlin have since gone on to direct/produce the documentary feature "Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade
and BYO Records
", which was an Official Selection at the 2009 San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
From 2006 through 2007, Alulis and Harlin traveled around the world with NOFX
filming a tour documentary which later became the series "NOFX: Backstage Passport
" on Fuse TV
. Alulis and Harlin served as directors, camera operators, and executive producers on the show, which premiered at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival and aired on Fuse TV in the spring of that year. It will be released as a double DVD set with two hours of bonus footage by Fat Wreck Chords
on March 17, 2009.
, Music Matters Magazine, and Kulture Mutt Magazine, as well as the website Skepchick.org.
(most famed as former keyboard player of The Hold Steady
) has recorded a song "Jeff Penalty" for his third solo-album "Major General", previously appearing on the demo "The Black Rose Paladins". The song refers to a Dead Kennedys
performance at Irving Plaza in New York City, at which Nicolay performed with the World/Inferno Friendship Society, as an opening acts, and the growth in appreciation an initially cynical crowd experienced.
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
.
Early life
Penalty was born and raised in Broomall, PennsylvaniaBroomall, Pennsylvania
Broomall is a census-designated place in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,046 at the 2000 census. The community was named after John Martin Broomall, a 19th century U.S...
. He attended college at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and attended graduate school at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he earned an MFA in Writing for Screen and Television. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
Musical career
Penalty's musical background was mostly as a drummer, performing temporarily with the Pennsylvania band Ralphus and the glam metal parody band Vaz Hoil. He also played drums with Sidekick and The EyelinersThe Eyeliners
The Eyeliners are an American pop punk band from Albuquerque, New Mexico formed in 1995 under the name Psychodrama. In 1996 their name was changed their name to The Eyeliners after having released one single under the Psychodrama name. The group has released EPs on Sympathy for the Record Industry...
on one occasion each. He shared vocal duties in the Massachusetts pop punk act Just About Done and sang for a short-lived California band called Stupid Ferrets.
In 2003, Penalty became the vocalist for Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, replacing Dr. Know
Dr. Know (band)
Dr. Know is a punk band which began as a Nardcore band and now has roots in Los Angeles, CA.They are one of the founding figures of the "Nardcore" punk movement from Oxnard, CA. The band was started by Kyle Toucher, Ismael Hernandez, and Robin Cartwright in early 1981, and after auditioning a few...
's Brandon Cruz
Brandon Cruz
Brandon Edwin Cruz is an American former child actor and currently a punk rock musician, and also works in drug and alcohol rehabilitation. In the late 1960s, the freckled-faced Cruz came to prominence by playing Tom Corbett's charming and conniving son, Eddie Corbett, in the comedy-drama The...
, who was with the band for two years following their reformation without original vocalist Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
. Penalty had a fascination with Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
ever since he listened to their debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables is the debut album by the American hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys. It was released in September 1980 through Faulty Products in the United States and through Cherry Red Records in the United Kingdom.It has been certified by BPI gold.The best selling and...
. He has been quoted as saying that singing for Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
was "the realization of a dream I never even dared to have." Joining the band at twenty-five, he was considerably younger than his former bandmates. After performing over 50 shows with Dead Kennedys, Penalty announced he was parting ways with the band on March 18, 2008 describing the departure as "not amicable".
Film and television career
Penalty (under his given name, Jeff Alulis) directed and co-produced (along with Ryan Harlin of Techno SquirrelsTechno Squirrels
Formed in 2005, Techno Squirrels is a band made up of Ryan Harlin and Lisa Eriksson . Both Eriksson and Harlin are sound engineers and producers for Techno Squirrels. Their music has been used in MTV's The Real World , The Real World , The Real World vs...
) "Do You Remember? Fifteen Years Of The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls are a punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1987. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local...
", which won the Best Documentary Feature award at the 2003 D.I.Y. Film Festival in Los Angeles. Alulis and Harlin have since gone on to direct/produce the documentary feature "Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade
Youth Brigade
Youth Brigade can refer to two different punk music groups:*Youth Brigade , from Los Angeles, California*Youth Brigade , from Washington, DCYouth Brigade can refer to members of the*National Youth Service ....
and BYO Records
BYO Records
BYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
", which was an Official Selection at the 2009 San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
From 2006 through 2007, Alulis and Harlin traveled around the world with NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
filming a tour documentary which later became the series "NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport is a documentary series that was shown on the music network Fuse about NOFX's 2008 world tour. The show documents the stops on the tour and the band's reaction to various events...
" on Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
. Alulis and Harlin served as directors, camera operators, and executive producers on the show, which premiered at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival and aired on Fuse TV in the spring of that year. It will be released as a double DVD set with two hours of bonus footage by Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
on March 17, 2009.
Writing
Penalty is also known to have written feature articles and interviews for Skratch Magazine, Swindle MagazineSwindle Magazine
Swindle was a bi-monthly arts and culture publication founded in 2004 by artist Shepard Fairey. Swindle has not been published since 2009 and is, in effect, folded....
, Music Matters Magazine, and Kulture Mutt Magazine, as well as the website Skepchick.org.
Appearances in pop culture
Franz NicolayFranz Nicolay
Franz Nicolay is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He is perhaps best known for playing the accordion and the piano in The World/Inferno Friendship Society and playing keyboards in The Hold Steady from 2005 to 2010...
(most famed as former keyboard player of The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
) has recorded a song "Jeff Penalty" for his third solo-album "Major General", previously appearing on the demo "The Black Rose Paladins". The song refers to a Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
performance at Irving Plaza in New York City, at which Nicolay performed with the World/Inferno Friendship Society, as an opening acts, and the growth in appreciation an initially cynical crowd experienced.