Portugal. The Man
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Portugal. The Man |
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Portugal. The Man is an American band from Wasilla, Alaska, and based in Portland, Oregon, made up of former members of the band Anatomy of a Ghost. The group was but is no longer signed to Fearless Records. They have a new album to be released on July 21, 2009 titled "The Satanic Satanist".
Style
Musically, Portugal. The Man's style is varied. Their style is rooted in indie, but their songs also contain elements of soul, blues, and folk music. At times, the band chooses to utilize drum machines and/or synth loops to anchor their songs, while at other times, the band chooses to use the more conventional guitar, bass, and acoustic drum configuration characteristic of rock music. The band also utilizes keyboards in much of its music. In addition to their instrumentals, Gourley's distinctly higher-pitched vocals add to Portugal. The Man's unique sound. Lyrically, Gourley provides the band with abstract and/or enigmatic lyrics that rely heavily on imagery. Gourley's verses are usually delivered in the first-person singular or plural.
Band name
The band's name is based on the idea of David Bowie's "bigger than life" fame. They wanted the band to have a bigger than life feel but didn't want to name it after one of their members.
"A country is a group of people," guitar player and vocalist John Gourley explains. "With Portugal, it just ended up being the first country that came to mind. The band's name is 'Portugal'. The period is stating that, and 'The Man' states that it's just one person." The name has more personal meaning as well: Portugal. The Man was going to be the name of a book that Gourley had planned to write about his father and his many adventures.
Also, in the Portugal. The Man lyrics booklet (in the front of the Waiter: "You Vultures!" CD), it states "Music performed and recorded by: The Approaching AIRballoons. The Approaching AIRballoons are: John Baldwin Gourley - Guitars & vocals, Wesley James Hubbard - Keys & Vocals, Zachary Scott Carothers - Bass & vocals, Jason Wade Sechrist - Drums. Additional touring member: Jesse Joe Cunningham". This started confusion with who exactly The Approaching AIRballoons are, and why it's not Portugal. The Man who is credited. It was brought up on their forums, and was cleared up by John Baldwin Gourley, saying, "The Approaching AIRballoons are the backing band for Portugal. The original band name was 'Portugal. The Man and the Approaching AIRballoons'".
Career
The members of Portugal. The Man (with the exception of Jason Sechrist who was born in Portland, Oregon and Ryan Neighbors who grew up in Salem, Oregon) were all born and raised in Alaska. Gourley grew up in various parts of Alaska, even spending a year in the woods, living in a cabin his parents had built that was powered by a generator and had no phone. Around the 8th grade John's dad bought him a guitar. He played a little here and there but mostly wrote. "I started playing mainly because of Zach, who was in this awful cover band and they played at our high school from time to time. It was like Rage Against the Machine covers, which I loved!"
Around August 2002, the band Anatomy of a Ghost was formed. Anatomy of A Ghost quickly gained popularity, but before long, the group broke up. Portugal. The Man was originally started as John Gourley's side project, with Zach playing bass. Before they had a drummer, they used drum machines and synth-loops as the backing beat. Through the demise of Anatomy Of A Ghost, Gourley and Zach Carothers teamed up with Wesley Hubbard (of Mash Potato Mitch and the Jet Puff Marshmellow Men), Nick Klein (former guitar tech for Anatomy of Ghost) and Harvey Tumbleson - and formed Portugal. The Man. The band left Alaska and went to Portland with the intent of recording and touring. The band recorded demos in the summer of 2004 and followed this with a tour with Chiodos that fall. In spring 2005, Klein and Tumbleson left the band to pursue other opportunities and soon after Sechrist joined the band.
Portugal. The Man's debut record Waiter: "You Vultures!" was released by Fearless Records on January 24th, 2006. The album was produced by Casey Bates.
They have played with Action Action, The Matches, and have also opened up for labelmates Gatsbys American Dream on the Stampeding Machines tour, alongside similar acts such as HORSE the Band and Forgive Durden. In the summer of 2006 they were included on the Circa Survive headlining tour The Twilight Army Tour with The Receiving End Of Sirens, Days Away, YouInSeries, and Keating. Portugal. The Man toured with The Fall of Troy, Tera Melos and Damiera on The Fall of Troy's Headlining Winter Tour. In early 2007, Portugal. The Man self-released a new E.P. entitled It's Complicated Being a Wizard on their own label Approaching AIRballoons. The EP comprised one 23-minute original composition, which they nicknamed the "Michael Jordan" for being exactly 23-minutes long, and nine "magic" tracks which reiterate the album in summation, but with subtle differences.
On June 22, 2007 they released their second full-length, Church Mouth, which was again produced by Casey Bates. Shortly before the album's release, the band leaked the recording themselves, putting it online for free download. The band then set out on a full U.S. headline tour with support from The Photo Atlas, Play Radio Play, Tera Melos, and The Only Children among others. They then toured Europe, and followed it up with another US headlining tour with support from Rocky Votolato and Great Depression during September and October. Following this tour, they joined Thursday on a short east coast tour in November alongside Circle Takes The Square.
On January 7, 2008, Portugal. The Man posted a new blog on their MySpace page detailing what the next year would hold for them. They have left their label, Fearless Records, and plan on independently releasing a new studio album and are heading over to Europe again this February. On March 26th, 2008 it was announced in a MySpace bulletin that Ryan Neighbors, their touring keyboardist, is now an official member and the replacement for Wes Hubbard. In the summer of 2008 they were to be the main support band for Rx Bandits national headlining tour.
Portugal. The Man has collaborated with the band The Sound of Animals Fighting on the re-release of their first album, Tiger and the Duke. Portugal. The Man remixed three of the songs on that album.
On July 30, 2008, it was announced that Portugal. The Man was releasing Censored Colors under its independent record label, Approaching AIRballoons (A play on the bands full name being "Approaching AIRballoons Present Portugal The Man"), in partnership with Equal Vision Records. The release date is September 16, 2008.[1]
The band has recently wrapped up their most recent tour, The Gold Tour, with supporting acts Wintersleep and Earl Greyhound. The band have since headed back into the studio to start work on their new album.[2]
Portugal. The Man is listed as a confirmed musical act performing at the 2009 camping and music festival, Bonnaroo. John Gourley was the recipient of the 2008 AP Magizine's 'Best Vocalist of the Year'.[3]
They will also be playing in Grant Park, Chicago, at Lollapalooza 2009 on August 8th. [4]
Band members
Current members
- John Baldwin Gourley - vocals, guitar, organ, machines
- Jason Sechrist - drums, percussion
- Ryan Neighbors - piano, organ, synth, vocals
- Zachary Scott Carothers - bass, percussion, vocals
Former members
- Wes Hubbard - keyboards, vocals
- Nick Klein - guitar
- Harvey Tumblson - beats
Former touring members
- Garrett Lunceford - drums, percussion
- Jesse Cunningham - guitar
- Dewey Halpaus - guitar, backing vocals
- Kirk Ohnstad - guitar, percussion, backing vocals
- Matt Moore - guitar
- Jeremy Garcia - guitar, backing vocals
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
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| 2006 | Waiter: "You Vultures!" |
| 2007 | Church Mouth
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| 2008 | Censored Colors
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| 2009 | The Satanic Satanist
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Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
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| 2006 | The Pines & The Devil
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| 2006 | Devil Say I, I Say AIR
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| 2007 | It's Complicated Being a Wizard
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| 2007 | My Mind
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References
External links
- Portugal. The Man's Official Website
- Portugal. The Man Exclusive Interview with The Grixer Music Mag
- Template:Amg
- YeboTV.com (Portugal. The Man Concert)
- YeboTV.com (Portugal. The Man Interview)
- Interview with Everythingrock
- Interview with AustinSoundCheck.com
- Interview on Sarah Palin with AustinSoundCheck.com
- Acoustic session with 'They Shoot Music Don't They'
- Interview with Submerge Magazine
- Interview with John Gourley of Portugal. The Man