Roaring out of the fog-shrouded hills of Sonoma and drowning out the chatter, New Wave/Prog-Pop troubadours Pardon the Interruption (aka PTI) are taking their place — asserting their voice — in the storied musical conversation of the San Francisco Bay Area.
One foot is planted firmly in the past paying homage to some of the most singular and iconic artists of the ‘70s, 80s and ‘90s. The other is stepping boldly forward, producing original material that is at once nostalgically familiar while also entirely modern and unique. It’s undeniable fun. It will make you dance. It’s like a perfect pepperoni pizza. It’s Pardon The Interruption.
Band leader, lead singer and guitarist David Noble (Wreckless Strangers, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Nina Hagen) has assembled three of the finest, most versatile session musicians in Northern California, and fostered a cohesion that transcends music. PTI’s love for each other and their craft is visceral. You can feel it.
Noble is a San Francisco native who has made stops in Denver and L.A. and is himself among the top echelon of Bay Area guitar-slingers when not fronting PTI. A child of the ‘80s, David’s writing successfully synthesizes his love for pop legends like David Bowie, The Police and Talking Heads, with groundbreaking Bay Area art rock/ska artists like Mr. Bungle and Fishbone — deeply personal and deceptively intricate songs sugar-coated with accessible, catchy hooks.
Bassist Rob Fordyce (Peer Pressure, The Ring, Big Brother and the Holding Company) is a force of nature. Yes, he brings the funk, but that’s too narrow. Fordyce’s propulsive groove and unstoppable enthusiasm are the engine — the heart and the soul that power the machine; and his explosive chops rival the best the Bay Area has to offer.
Drummer Rob Hooper (aka The Other Rob) may be the most in-demand Americana drummer in Northern California, bringing the gravitas, experience, and rock-solid beats honed and hard-earned over decades in Austin, TX, where he worked with Jimmy Dale Gilmore, The Resentments, Carolyn Wonderland and countless others.
Jamison Smeltz (D8FeX, mRthKon, Ten Ton Chicken) is the wild card — the joker — playing an eclectic array of instruments with jaw-dropping proficiency. Smeltz melds the art-pop sensibilities of Bowie and Prince with his shameless love for progressive rock icons like Yes, who first inspired him to take up … the saxophone? Yup, that’s Jamison!
With each show PTI is demanding the attention of fans of funk, pop, ska, jam, prog, and just plain rock ‘n’ roll. The New Wave stylings of Pardon The Interruption are infectious and stand apart from the typical NorCal sound. Take a bite and you'll see these guys mean business!
-Copy by Joshua Zucker, 2023
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Booking Contact
Mackenzie Brown
Phone: 628.243.2216
email: pardontheinterruption1@gmail.com