It’s been five years and four albums since Goldfinger broke into the mainstream with the hit “Here In Your Bedroom,” and by now the So-Cal punkers have gotten used to taking flak from punk purists. “I think anytime you go out of your way to hate somebody, it’s out of sheer jealousy,” bassist Kelly LeMieux says. “For these people to go out of their way to write interviews on how fucking lame we are it cracks me up. Because it takes more energy to do that then it does to say something positive, and I kind of get off on that.” Goldfinger even contemplated naming their latest release “Slander” for all the negative press they’ve received, but settled on the more fitting title of “Stomping Ground.” Lead singer John Feldmann, however, has taken the comments from the interviews personally, which inspires the hardest track on the new album, a song called “The End of the Day.” In the song, Feldmann screams, “Trying to find what my music should be/ Like you’re an authority/ I have my own teachers/ I’ll never need your help.” All the negative press may have had an affect on the band as “Stomping Ground” may be their angriest release to date and certainly a departure from the ska-laced “Hang Ups,” which contained more “sappy love songs” as LeMieux describes. “We were just in more of an agitated, aggravated mood when writing this record,” LeMieux says. “We were having our male menstruation.” Also new to the band is LeMieux himself. After Goldfinger’s previous bass player decided to leave the band, Feldmann knew LeMieux was the right man for the job and called on the former 22 Jacks bassist. LeMieux blended easily with the band because he and Feldmann grew up playing together from 1988 to 1993 in a band called the Electric Love Hogs. “I’ve played with John longer than Darrin and Charlie have,” LeMieux says. “So me and John go back a long way.” With the addition of LeMieux, Goldfinger finds more of an energy balance. “I actually move on stage. Simon wasn’t a big mover or shaker,” LeMieux says. “I’m a bit more of the coffee generation.” LeMieux, who did a good portion of the writing for the punk band 22 Jacks, feels he has even more say in Goldfinger because it better fits the style of music that he wants to play. “I had a little more to offer than I was giving to the Jacks,” LeMieux explains. “The Jacks are more of a good time happy band and Goldfinger is more pissed off. This band’s a little more aggressive.” Goldfinger’s new album contains plenty of aggression, absolutely no horns and only a hint of ska which is quite a difference from the band’s previous albums. LeMieux says that although the band came into the studio with a few ska songs, they didn’t turn out as good as the other songs so they were nixed. In fact, LeMieux doesn’t consider Goldfinger a ska band at all, contrary to what critics and record stores may label them. “I’ll go into a store and I won’t see Goldfinger,” LeMieux says. “Then I’ll go into the ska section and there we are and I’m like, `we’re not a fucking ska band.'” The band has also stopped bringing horn players on the road with them, something they’ve done often in the past, but LeMieux has no problem with that decision. “The horns are dope, but the horn players are kind of geeky and they get in my way all the time,” LeMieux says. “To bring two other people out on the road for like four songs is just a pain in the ass.” Touring has been the priority for Goldfinger, who, in 1996, played at over 380 shows. Their intensive touring schedule combined with their radio hit, “Here In Your Bedroom,” sparked the loyal fan-base that they cater to today. However, touring has slowed down for the band in the past couple years for various reasons. Lead singer John Feldmann took some time off to help produce albums for Chicago-based groups Showoff and Mest, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer got married. Ultimately, the band is not afraid to admit that touring has taken its toll. “Touring is grueling; it’s hectic. People don’t understand, they think it’s all shits and giggles,” LeMieux says. “It’s like `oh you’re in that big huge bus and you guys must be millionaires’ and it’s like `you know what, no we’re not.’ We’re eating turkey and vegetarian wraps and drinking Snapple and driving to the next town.” LeMieux does, however, understand how lucky he is. “You’ve got to put it into perspective. When you fall off your skateboard and your arm’s broken and you think you’re never going to be able to play bass ever again, you go, `Whoa that’s kinda scary, my job is really cool, I do have a good life,'” LeMieux says. “Stomping Ground” was delayed by a few months, partly because the label wanted them to wait. Also, the band added the latest single, “99 Red Balloons,” at the last second and wrote new songs. “It’s the whole musical machine,” LeMieux says. “We’ve got Mariah Carey’s new record coming, you’ll get lost in the shuffle because you sound exactly like Mariah Carey. Unfortunately you can’t go `Up yours. It’s coming out this week.’ We don’t have that option and a lot of people don’t. Even Pearl Jam’s gotta go through that crap.” But being on a major label does have its benefits, and Goldfinger has reached more fans by signing with Mojo Records than they would have otherwise. Instead of staying pissed off at those who call them sellouts, Goldfinger is finding a solution and as LeMieux says, “It’s better to be hated than ignored.”