BIO: 

PINKEYE came out of Asheville, North Carolina during the long, strange days of the COVID shutdown—born in a Black Mountain garage and fueled by the need to make something loud, fast, and real. What started as a scrappy side project quickly locked into a full-throttle punk trio: Scott Sturdy on bass, Chad Clay on drums, and Joe Hooten on guitar. All three trade off lead vocals and songwriting, channeling the reckless spirit of ’70s punk into a sound that’s raw, wired, and impossible to fake.

Rooted in the influence of bands like The Stooges, Dead Boys, and MC5, PINKEYE doesn’t chase polish or trends. Instead, they lean hard into volume, sweat, and momentum—earning a reputation across the Southeast for live shows that feel more like controlled explosions than performances. Along the way, they’ve shared stages with Agent Orange, Pylon Reenactment Society, and Soul Asylum, steadily building a following the old-fashioned way: by showing up and blowing the doors off.

Their second album, Better Stay Clear!, released in August 2025, captured that energy on tape. Recorded live in the studio with producer Kevin Boggs at Loc Level Sound in Arden, NC, the record was met with rave reviews and expanded the band’s sonic reach with guest appearances from Jay Gonzalez (Drive-By Truckers), Myles Dunder (Dr. Bacon), and North Carolina underground icon Hope Nicholls (Fetchin’ Bones, It’s Snakes).

In January 2026, PINKEYE followed it up with Unplugged: Live at Fleetwoods, a one-night-only, stripped-down live recording released exclusively on Bandcamp—proof that even with the amps turned down, the songs still hit hard. Fiercely DIY and proudly no-frills, PINKEYE is loud on purpose, honest to a fault, and always pushing forward, with studio time booked in Spring 2026 to begin work on their third album.

 Band Members: 

Chad Clay: Drums, vocals

Joe Hooten: Guitar, vocals

Scott Sturdy: Bass, vocals