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Buckcherry returns to Penn’s Peak

Buckcherry will bring its party-style music to Jim Thorpe’s Penn’s Peak on March 28.

Touring for the promotion of its newest album, “Warpaint,” Buckcherry released singles “Bent” and a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like a Hole” to whet the appetite of their fans.

“It just happened organically,” Josh Todd, frontman and last original member, said.

“I have to be able to connect with a song in order to own it,” he added, explaining more about the 1990s cover.

“Trent Reznor (of NIN) has always been true to himself, and I like his work, his words, and it’s in my wheelhouse vocally, so we jammed it out.”

The band’s catalog and touring history spans over two decades. They’ve seen a few faces come and go, but this year Todd’s longtime collaborator and lead guitar player, Keith Nelson, left the band before “Warpaint” was written.

“He hasn’t been around for two years now. It was something that needed to happen,” said Todd of the loss.

“We just weren’t aligned, and changes needed to take place. I was the youngest one when we started and always knew I’d be the last one standing.”

The band’s latest incarnation includes Todd as lead vocals, Stevie D. on lead guitar, Kelly LeMieux on bass, Kevin Roentgen on backing guitar and vocals and Francis Ruiz on drums.

“This is the best musical lineup Buckcherry has ever had,” said Todd.

It’s been three years since the band’s last record. Todd and Stevie D. co-wrote this latest offering.

“Stevie has been in the band since 2005, and this album has given him a chance to shine.”

After forming in 1995 and years of grueling touring with some of rock ’n’ roll’s legendary names, Todd said the biggest lesson he learned is the value of consistency.

“You want to be as consistent as you can night after night. I never thought about that until touring with Kiss for our first album.”

That lesson was taken to heart by Todd as “Warpaint” offers the same Buckcherry-style songs, chord changes and drum beats that fans have come to expect from the Southern California band.

Newly promoted to lead guitar, Stevie D. worked to keep the same ’80s hair band meets the 2000s frontman party sound that was first cultivated by Nelson on hits like “Crazy Bitch,” “Sorry,” and “Lit Up.”

The single, “Bent,” kept the redundant power-chord distortion run that listeners have come to expect from the band.

But for Todd, it’s more about the performance.

“We pride ourselves on our live shows,” he said.

“You’ve got to be on stage, you’ve got to tour if you want to make a living in the music game,” he said.

“Being on stage is the best part of this business. You write-rewrite, deal with attorneys, live out of a bag, but it’s the pay off of bringing joy to people all over the world.”

Todd said the band will strive to “give people their money’s worth,” when they take the Penn’s Peak stage.

“They appreciate it, and that’s why they keep coming back.”

Doors will open at 7 p.m. Joyous Wolf will open for the band.

Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak box office and Roadie’s Restaurant.

For more information, visit www.pennspeak.com.

Buckcherry returns to Penn’s Peak at 8 p.m. March 28. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO