v343 - Pansy Division - "The Essential"

PANSY DIVISION, one of the first openly gay punk bands in history, commemorates their fifteenth year together with The Essential Pansy Division! The boys have picked out thirty songs—from classics like Fem in a Black Leather Jacket and Homo Christmas to their newer hits like No Protection—culled from their six out-of-print Lookout! Records releases as well as their 2003 Alternative Tentacles release Total Entertainment!. Slap on a bonus DVD with music videos, TV appearances and live clips, including their 1994 opening stint for GREEN DAY, and you gotta agree that “essential†is no overstatement on our part. PANSY DIVISION formed in 1991 as a San Francisco-based, fully out-of- he-closet punk band. Their catchy pop hooks and smart, outré lyrics found an enthusiastic audience—both queer and straight—all over the world. It probably isn’t too much to say PD’s outness and their humorously frank yet sensitive tackling of social and personal issues changed the world a little bit. The Essential Pansy Division is a tidy summation of their groundbreaking career thus far, perfect for the uninitiated or the consummate fan who wants all the hits on one convenient disc.