Pierce the Veil: From Punk Roots to Arena Rock and Navigating Unimaginable Loss
Pierce the Veil, the San Diego-bred post-hardcore band, finds itself at a pivotal moment, balancing the soaring heights of a successful career with the profound grief of personal tragedy. On a recent day trip to Los Angeles for meetings, the band – singer-guitarist Vic Fuentes, lead guitarist Tony Perry, and bassist Jaime Preciado – took a moment to reflect at the historic Frolic Room in Hollywood, a fittingly shadowy backdrop for a band grappling with both triumph and loss.
The band’s journey, from scrappy beginnings to headlining major venues like the Forum, is a testament to their enduring vision and unwavering dedication. Their latest album, 2023’s The Jaws of Life, and its deluxe edition featuring the single “Kiss Me Now,” have propelled them back onto the road, with upcoming shows scheduled for Austin, Texas, on October 10 and 11.
Fuentes, reflecting on the band’s origins, credits bands like Paramore and Green Day with demonstrating that success within their genre was attainable. “I looked up to bands who came up in our genre who were doing it, like Paramore and Green Day—seeing that it is possible,” he said. “I always hoped that we would find our way organically somehow.” Formed in 2006, Pierce the Veil initially honed their sound playing fast-paced SoCal punk, drawing inspiration from labels like Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords.
The band’s early days were characterized by a DIY ethos, touring extensively in an RV and learning the ropes of the music industry from the ground up. This resilience proved crucial, not only in building their fanbase but also in navigating the devastating loss they experienced this past year.
On May 22, a private plane crash claimed the lives of several close friends and colleagues, including their longtime agent and manager, Dave Shapiro, shortly after the band’s triumphant headlining concert at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. “I lost my whole crew, my buddies, and it was awful,” Fuentes shared, the weight of the loss still palpable. Live Nation provided grief counseling to the band and crew, and the outpouring of support from fans proved invaluable. Preciado recalled a particularly moving moment at a show, where a fan held up a sign simply reading, “I hope you’re okay.” “I was like, whew. I had to turn around,” he said. “But that’s the kind of love that we have for our fans and I think they have right back for us.”
Pierce the Veil’s ascent wasn’t overnight. In 2007, they played one of their first shows at the now-defunct Knitting Factory, performing for an audience of just a dozen people. They quickly began opening for established acts at iconic venues like the Whisky and the Troubadour, steadily building their following. A major turning point came with their participation in the Vans Warped Tour.
The Warped Tour provided a crucial platform for the band to connect with their audience and refine their sound. Sharing a tour bus with 3OH!3 during their first year, Fuentes described it as “the bottom of the barrel, but we treated it like it was a Rolls Royce.” The tour became a “traveling circus” and a “school of punk rock,” according to Preciado, offering invaluable lessons in navigating the music industry. A chart detailing the band’s Warped Tour attendance and corresponding album sales would illustrate the tour’s impact on their career trajectory.
The release of their 2012 album, Collide with the Sky, marked another significant milestone, expanding their fanbase both domestically and internationally. The album’s resonance was particularly evident in the song “Hold on Till May,” which became an anthem for fans struggling with difficult times, inspired by a fan who had tragically taken their own life. Every May 1, the band receives thousands of messages declaring, “I held on till May!”
After a seven-year hiatus following 2016’s Misadventures, Pierce the Veil returned with The Jaws of Life, recorded in a rented house in New Orleans with producer Paul Meany. The band enlisted drummer Brad Hargreaves of Third Eye Blind, a nod to Fuentes’s musical roots. The recording process was immersive, with the band establishing a creative environment, even posting a sign that read: “More Teeth.”
The album features a diverse range of sounds, from the aggressive “Pass the Nirvana,” which Fuentes described as “one of the weirdest songs we’ve ever written,” to the TikTok-viral sensation “So Far So Fake.” The band’s unexpected success on TikTok, with songs like “King for a Day,” demonstrates the evolving landscape of music discovery. A graph illustrating the spike in streams and social media engagement following the TikTok trend would highlight the platform’s influence.
Looking ahead, Pierce the Veil is already planning their next album, aiming to maintain their creative momentum. “We want to keep the ball rolling and keep the creativity flowing,” Fuentes stated. The band’s journey, marked by both exhilarating highs and devastating lows, continues, fueled by their unwavering passion for music and the enduring support of their fans.
