A new star-studded punk collective dubbed The Crew have shared their debut single, “One Voice”, a rousing call for unity in the punk community. Proceeds from physical 7-inch vinyl release song will benefit Musack, a program that provides musical instruments to children and educators.
The supergroup packs a serious pedigree, featuring singer Tim Armstrong and bassist Matt Freeman of Rancid; guitarist Fletcher Dragge and drummer Byron McMackin of Pennywise; and Suicidal Tendencies vocalist Mike Muir.
If anyone know about punk ethics, it’s these guys. “One Voice” preaches inclusivity, a vital element of punk culture that’s become harder to practice during the pandemic. With shows and the DIY scene still largely paused, unity has once again become paramount in times of isolation. The band’s name could also be a reference to 7Seconds’ seminal 1984 LP, The Crew, an album that also promotes messages of scene positivity.
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Musically, “One Voice” sounds a bit like Pennywise fronted by Armstrong and Muir. It originated as a Dragge-McMakin demo before the Pennywise members brought in their famous friends to finish the song. The like-mindedness of the participants made for a seamless collaboration.
“Collaborating with Tim Armstrong, Mike Muir, and Matt Freeman has been an awesome experience; obviously Byron McMackin and I go way back,” Dragge said in a press release. “Byron and I had a demo of ‘One Voice’ laying around for couple years, and I thought it would be cool to bring a couple old friends on board to breath some new life into it. Watching these guys lay down their own personal trademark styles on this song was nothing short of amazing! I think it’s safe to [say] we’re all pretty f**king stoked on the final product, and being able to donate proceeds to Musack feels pretty awesome, as well. Find it, crank it up, and enjoy!”
The single is available digitally via Epitaph Records and on 7-inch vinyl via Stay Free Recordings, the latter release benefitting Musack. The A-side of the disc features “One Voice” while the B-side houses “One in a Million” by Musack-supported act Rippy and the Sillyettes, two young girls from the Navajo reservation who wrote a song about a friend who was sadly murdered.
The 7-inch comes in five colorways and is limited to 500 copies with “no repress.” It releases the first week of July and can be pre-ordered via Stay Free Recordings’ Bandcamp page.
Stream the song “One Voice” below.
