It’s got to be tough for the members of Fort Collins, Colo., band Tickle Me Pink to celebrate the success of the band’s album “Madeline.”
On the day of the album’s release, bass player and founding member Johnny Schou died of a suspected heroin overdose.
“We are doing better; it has been really hard but our best friends are in the band so it’s a support group,” said Sean Kennedy of Schou’s July 1 death. “The most important thing for us now is touring; we have a great live show. Now we just want people to hear us. That’s what Johnny would have wanted, too.”
In a twist of cruel irony, Madeline explores mortality, drug use, suicide, loss, break-ups and suburbia. Although reviews of recent shows call the band as hard-charging and punk as ever, the death has still taken an emotional toll on the band and its fans.
“So many of the lyrics apply to the current situation,” Joey Barba, the former Brotherhood of Dae Han guitarist who has been enlisted to fill Schou’s spot, told A.H. Goldstein of Denver Westwood. “There’s just a huge meaning.”
But even for the casual listener, “Madeline” is a good album that takes the listener on a journey via blending musical genres while keeping punk front and center.
“We are unique; we have a foundation in punk but we came up with a sound that is more unique,” Kennedy said. “People won’t lump us in with other bands.”
To keep the musical sounds fresh, Kennedy and others don’t listen to other bands’ music before writing sessions. Instead, they gather around and “someone usually plays a cool riff and we write lyrics and it just happens.”
Kennedy is convinced that style will keep Tickle Me Pink’s music growing and maturing for the long run instead of turning the band into a short-term fad.
“We really want to establish a good, solid underground fan base,” Kennedy said. “We don’t classify ourselves or our music. We just want to remain unique and different.”
IF YOU GO
Tickle Me Pink with Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Finch, From First to Last and Our Last Night
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Venue: Recher Theatre, 512 York Road, Towson
Details: $18 Adv., $20 day of show; this show was moved from Rams Head Live; all tickets will be honored; 410-547-SEAT; ticketmaster.com
