Protomartyr

Protomartyr is a Detroit post-punk group active since 2008. Its core line-up consists of Joe Casey, Greg Ahee, Scott Davidson and Alex Leonard. The band works within art punk, art rock, post-punk and punk blues.

Formation and early years

Before Protomartyr, Greg Ahee, Scott Davidson and Alex Leonard play in a caustic punk band called Butt Babies, which begins in 2008. The group performs mainly in dive bars and basements and later uses a practice space in a large industrial warehouse. Joe Casey, who has not previously been in a band, meets Ahee while working as a doorman at Detroit’s Gem Theater. The two talk about music and local band Tyvek, and decide to start playing together.

The first version of Protomartyr includes Casey on vocals, Ahee and Leonard on their instruments, and Tyvek songwriter Kevin Boyer on bass. Boyer later hands over the bass role to Davidson and plays second guitar when he can. The band develops from this shifting line-up into a four-piece.

Recordings and release history

Protomartyr builds attention through early 7-inch singles and live shows in Detroit and on regional tours. Its early singles include Dreads 85 84 and Colpi Proibiti, both released in 2012. Later that year the band issues its debut album, No Passion All Technique. The album sells out its first pressing quickly and continues to find new listeners through later pressings as the band tours and gains more press.

The band signs to Hardly Art for Under Color of Official Right, issued in 2014. The album is described as a more exploratory follow-up to the debut.