Protomartyr (band)

Protomartyr is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It features Joe Casey on vocals, Greg Ahee on guitar, Alex Leonard on drums and Scott Davidson on bass guitar.

Protomartyr
Protomartyr at Sled Island 2016
Background information
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres
Years active2010–present
Labels
Associated actsButt Babies, Spray Paint, Tyvek, R. Ring, Kelley Deal
Websiteprotomartyrband.com
Members
  • Joe Casey
  • Greg Ahee
  • Alex Leonard
  • Scott Davidson
  • Kelley Deal
Past members
  • Kevin Boyer

History

Prior to Protomartyr, Greg Ahee and Alex Leonard were performing as a duo, which was named Butt Babies. They were soon joined by Joe Casey, who started to perform on vocals at Butt Babies shows. Kevin Boyer of Tyvek joined Protomartyr on bass and second guitar for a short time before leaving the act due to the working schedules with his other band. As Scott Davidson joined the band on bass, Butt Babies transformed into Protomartyr.[1][2]

The band released their debut album, No Passion All Technique in 2012 via Urinal Cake Records.[2] This was followed by "Colpi Proibiti" in the same year, via X! Records.[2] Their second studio album, Under Color of Official Right, was released in April 2014 via Hardly Art record label.[3] A third studio album, The Agent Intellect, followed in October 2015.[4] The album was critically acclaimed, being rated 85/100 on accumulator website Metacritic,[5] and featured in best of 2015 lists in The A.V. Club,[6] Chicago Tribune,[7] Rolling Stone,[8] Metacritic,[9] Spin,[10] and Consequence of Sound.[11]

Protomartyr signed to Domino Records in 2017, and released fourth studio album, Relatives in Descent, on the label in September 2017.[12] The group's fifth album, Ultimate Success Today, was originally scheduled to follow in May 2020,[13] but was subsequently postponed to that July due to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.[14]

The band has extensively toured in the United States and Europe[15] and performed at SXSW, CMJ Music Marathon, Pitchfork Music Festival, and others.[16]

Musical style

Protomartyr's music has been labeled as post-punk[1][16][17][18][19] and punk rock.[19] Josh Terry of Consequence of Sound stated that the band "blends the moody atmospherics of ‘70s U.K. post-punk with the raw sensibility of their Motor City garage-rock forebears."[18] The band's sound was compared to other post-punk acts such as Wire, the Fall, Pere Ubu, the Constantines and Iceage,[1][20] as well as local acts, most notably Tyvek.[19] Vocalist Joe Casey also expressed appreciation for Pere Ubu and the Fall.[1][2] His baritone vocals have been compared to Ian Curtis of Joy Division, Mark E. Smith of the Fall and Nick Cave.[2][18][21][22]

Influence

The band have been cited as an influence by contemporaries such as Shame,[23] Idles,[24] The Dirty Nil,[25] Vundabar[26] and The Devil Wears Prada.[27]

FRIGS,[28] Fontaines D.C.,[29] Bully,[30] Parquet Courts (whose A. Savage called Joe Casey "one of the best lead singers right now [...] His whole stage thing is awesome, but it’s not even a ‘thing’—it’s just who he is")[31] and Iggy Pop (who called them "the best band we’ve got in America right now [...]")[32][33] are fans of the band.

Band members

Current members
  • Joe Casey – vocals
  • Greg Ahee – guitar
  • Alex Leonard – drums
  • Scott Davidson – bass guitar

Past members
  • Kevin Boyer (Tyvek) – bass, guitar

Touring members

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles
  • "Dreads 85 84" (7") (2012, Urinal Cake Records)
  • "Colpi Proibiti" (7") (2012, X! Records)
  • "Dope Cloud" (2015, Hardly Art)
  • "Scum, Rise!" (2015, Hardly Art)
  • "Jumbo's (Live)" (2015, Joyful Noise)
  • "580 Memories" (2015, Joyful Noise)
  • "Born to be Wine" (2016, [adult swim])
  • "My Children" (2017, Domino)
  • "Don't Go To Anacita" (2017, Domino)
  • "Wheel of Fortune" (2018, Domino)
  • "Processed By The Boys" (2020, Domino)
  • "Worm In Heaven" (2020, Domino)
  • "Michigan Hammers" (2020, Domino)
  • "Old Spool and Gurges 1" (2020, fund-raising Bandcamp-only release of two previously-released songs: "Born to be Wine" and "French Poet")[35]

Split and collaborative releases
  • A Half Of Seven: "Blues Festival"/"Loud Underneath" (with R. Ring) (2015, Hardly Art)
  • Live At Vera: "Uncle Mother's"/"Barfuß durch die Scherben" (with Die Nerven) (2017, Roekie)
  • Irony Prompts A Party Rat: "Corinthian Leather"/"Bags & Cans" (with Spray Paint) (2018, Monofonus Press)
  • Telemetry at Howe Bridge: "Pontiac '87"/"Forbidden" (with Preoccupations) (2018, Domino)

Live albums
  • Rosé, A Fine Wine To Be Enjoyed By Couples Or Friends At Any Occasion (2012, Double Tapes)
  • Vari-Speed Mithridates (2013, Gold Tapes)
  • Dredging The Grotto (2015, none)

References
  1. DeVille, Chris (March 5, 2014). "Band To Watch: Protomartyr". Stereogum. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. Callwood, Brett (January 16, 2013). "Punk N' Disorderly". Metro Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  3. McGovern, Kyle (January 10, 2014). "Stream Protomartyr's Post-Punk Punisher 'Scum, Rise!'". Spin. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  4. Coughlan, Jamie. "Protomartyr Announce New Album, Share 'Why Do They Shake?', Tour Dates". Overblown. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  5. The Agent Intellect by Protomartyr, retrieved 2017-11-15
  6. Rytlewski, Evan. "The 15 best albums of 2015". Music. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  7. Kot, Greg. "Best albums of 2015: Kendrick Lamar, Courtney Barnett and more". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  8. "Rob Sheffield's Top 20 Albums of 2015". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  9. "The Best Albums of 2015". Metacritic. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  10. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Spin. 2015-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  11. "Top 50 Albums of 2015". Consequence of Sound. 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  12. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2017-09-28). "Protomartyr: Relatives in Descent review – sensational, bloodied but unbowed post-punk". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  13. "Protomartyr announce new album, 'Ultimate Success Today' out May 29; share "Processed By The Boys" video". Domino Recording Company. March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  14. @protomartyrband (28 April 2020). "Our album has been pushed back to July 17th. We thank you for your patience and hope it will be worth the wait. Additionally all shows scheduled or penciled into a calendar with a hopeful hand have been cancelled. We'll try again with what remains in 2021" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. "5 Questions with: Protomartyr". BrooklynVegan. March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  16. Roberts, Randall (March 16, 2014). "SXSW 2014: All hail the losers, the misanthropes and the unhip". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  17. Larson, Jeremy (February 25, 2014). "Protomartyr - "Come & See"". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  18. Terry, Josh (February 26, 2014). "Listen: Protomartyr's new song "Come & See"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  19. DeVille, Chris (January 10, 2014). "Protomartyr – "Scum, Rise!"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  20. Hann, Michael (March 6, 2014). "Protomartyr: Detroit punk strikes back". The Guardian. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  21. McDermott, Patrick (February 24, 2014). "Stream: Protomartyr, "Come & See"". The Fader. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  22. Minsker, Evan (June 17, 2013). "Protomartyr - No Passion All Technique". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  23. Radical, Norwich (2018-12-01). "PROPER MUSICIANS – AN INTERVIEW WITH SHAME". The Norwich Radical. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  24. "The Quietus | Features | Escape Velocity | Stendhal Syndrome: Idles Interviewed". The Quietus. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  25. "The Dirty Nil: Interview". Louder Than War. 2015-09-22. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  26. "Boston's "sludgy-jangly-pop" group Vundabar gives mixtape ft. Bowie, The Fall & more in Recipe #12". Signal Kitchen. 2016-02-04. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  27. "Hear Devil Wears Prada Members Go Post-Punk on New God Alone Song "Heavy Metal"". Revolver. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  28. "Get to know Toronto band FRIGS ahead of their Red Bull Sound Select show". Red Bull. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  29. Craig Angus (2019-04-19). "Fontaines DC: 'Some of the best art is written about places when they're in certain times of flux – Dublin's in that place right now'". The List. Retrieved 2020-06-01. When it comes to looking to their environment for inspiration, the band are in good company. Detroit punks Protomartyr ('fuckin' great band', says Curley) reflect on the rapidly changing city of Detroit to riveting effect.
  30. Leggett, Penelope (2015-08-06). "Bully talks inspiration, recording, and vegetarian eats at Pitchfork Music Festival". The B-Side. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  31. "Cover Story: His City of Ruins". Spin. 2014-08-04. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  32. "Protomartyr – La Route du Rock". Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  33. "Relatives in Descent Album Review, Protomartyr". DrunkenWerewolf. 2017-10-03. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  34. "Kelley Deal joining Protomartyr as part of the band for Midwest shows". Brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  35. "Protomartyr donating proceeds from Bandcamp release Old Spool and Gurges 1 to charity". The Line of Best Fit.
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