WaWhen Pepper drummer Yesod Williams first heard Authority Zero’s take on Fugazi’s “Waiting Room,” he knew it was going to hit differently. On Operation Irie — Pepper’s ambitious covers compilation celebrating the punk, ska, and reggae sounds that shaped the band — Authority Zero’s version of “Waiting Room” stands as a highlight, a track that fuses raw punk urgency with the Arizona group’s melodic fire. “They’ve always sort of blended punk rock and reggae, you know, going way back,” Williams says. “And I was stoked to see them on this compilation as well.”
For Williams, having Authority Zero involved carries deep roots in Pepper’s own story. “Actually, I’m glad you brought them up,” he says. “Speaking of those early days of touring with Slightly Stoopid — Authority Zero was right there. They were crushing it with that One More Minute single. It was doing so good. I remember seeing it on MTV and the whole deal.”
Back then, both bands were grinding through the early-2000s indie circuit, swapping shows and helping each other break through regionally. “It was like back in the old days — The Expendables would have you up in Santa Cruz and put you on some of their shows at the Catalyst,” Williams remembers. “And then you had Authority Zero out in Arizona, who was kind enough to bring us out and play with them on their shows. They were definitely a mainstay in those early days.”
What stands out most to Williams, though, is frontman Jason DeVore’s unrelenting energy. “Jason’s such an underrated vocalist,” he says. “His versatility, his depth, his ability to adapt on the fly — he really has one of those veteran presences on stage. Not only does he have such an amazing voice, but his energy and everything… when we used to tour with him a bunch, he would be going off so hard, moving all over the place.”
That energy — sweat-drenched, unfiltered, and genuine — carries straight into their version of “Waiting Room.” “That literally, all jokes aside, just shows the guy’s passion and how much he loves what he does,” Williams says. “And why we’re still seeing him just crushing it out there.”
On Operation Irie, Authority Zero’s “Waiting Room” is more than a cover — it’s a torch-passing moment between old friends who built their scene together. As Williams puts it, “Love, love those boys. Love Jason. All such good dudes. So yeah, of course we had to hit them up to be on the comp.”
Watch the full interview with Yesod Williams on “Operation Irie” Below!
