Alex Pennie

Alex Pennie
Alex Pennie performing
Alex Pennie performing
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Gregor Pennie
Born (1985-12-14) 14 December 1985 (age 38)
GenresRock, electro, pop punk, hardcore
Instrument(s)Vocals, synthesizer, keyboards
Years active2003–2007 (The Automatic)
2008–2009 (Decimals)
2009–2015 (Goodtime Boys)

Alexander Gregor Pennie (born 14 December 1985) is a musician who was previously in the band The Automatic from the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, where he provided unclean vocals as well as playing synthesizers and keyboards for the act. Pennie left The Automatic in late 2007. Since then he has been in other bands, the latest of which was the Goodtime Boys, which disbanded in 2015.

Musical career

The Automatic (2004–2007)

Alex Pennie joined The Automatic in 2004 as backing vocalist and keyboard player after the band rebranded themselves The Automatic, after previously being known as White Rabbit. Pennie's unique vocal style and energetic live performances became trademark signatures of The Automatic.[1][2][3]

During his time in The Automatic Pennie was featured on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and with bandmate Robin Hawkins stood in for Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1. He also took on lead vocal responsibilities on the band's cover of "Gold Digger" by Kanye West and "Epic" by Faith No More.[4] With writing commencing on the band's second album, Pennie was finding being in the band "increasingly unenjoyable", and after completing the Not Accepted Anywhere album tour, he left the band, playing his final date at Get Loaded in the Park on 25 August 2007.[5][6][7]

Decimals (2008–2009)

After leaving the band Pennie moved for a short time to the US where he was supposedly working with a new punk band. However, months later his new project was announced: an indie-electro band Decimals, for which Pennie provides lead vocals. Decimals lasted till late 2009.[8]

Goodtime Boys (2009–2015)

The Goodtime Boys [de] were founded in 2009, a British punk–emo band, consisting of Alexander (vocals), Casey McHale (drums), Samuel Phipps (guitar), Lewis Johns (guitar) and Leigh McAndrew (bass).

The group released their debut album What's Left to Let Me Go in 2012 on Bridge Nine Records. They previously published two EPs: "Are We Now, Or Have We Ever Been" (2011, Tangled Talk Records) and "Every Landscape" (2012, Bridge Nine Records). In 2013 they made a joint EP with the American emo band Self Defense Family on Palm Reader Records. The second album Rain was released in May 2014.

The group toured Europe with Landscapes, More Than Life, Caspian and Defeater. On 6 January 2015, the group announced its dissolution.

Equipment

Discography

With The Automatic

  • Not Accepted Anywhere - 19 June 2006 - vocals/keys
  • Gold Digger, Easy Target, Epic, Time=Money, Jack Daniels, Song6, Trophy Wives, High Tide on Caroline Street, Night Drive
  • Steve McQueen and Revolution original recordings

With Yourcodenameis:milo

With Decimals

  • Something, Dead End Kids, Shout and Sing, Retreat, Want Want Need, "Fireflies" - Lead vocals

References

  1. ^ The Automatic: ULU, London, Monday 24 July NME, 11 August 2006
  2. ^ The Automatic @ Pianos: Keep Your Eyes Peeled! The Music Slut, 19 March 2007
  3. ^ The Automatic cause havoc on Shockwaves NME Awards indie tour NME, 2 February 2007
  4. ^ The Automatic: Spender Pennie BBC, 27 February 2007
  5. ^ NME 19 May 2007 Page 35
  6. ^ "Automatic now Pennie less". icwales (Gavin Allen). 7 November 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  7. ^ "In the magazine this week... - The Automatic on how Pennie left". NME. 3 November 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  8. ^ "decimals (decimalsmusic) on Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 6 August 2020.