Pela's frontman Billy McCarthy was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California and dropped out of high school at age 16, after which he played in failed bands up and down the west coast, later moving overseas to Europe to make a living as a subway busker. He worked in 10 countries, most of which would have him only long enough to pay for one-way tickets to the next city. (During this tour of duty he attempted to play a restaurant in Italy dressed as a pirate; had his front teeth knocked out in a fist fight; and lost the tip of his index finger somewhere along of the way.)

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