Those Poor Bastards
Those Poor Bastards are an American gothic country doom band based in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Since 2004 they have released ten full-length studio albums, six EPs[1] and have toured in both North America and Europe. They are frequently critical of commercial mainstream country music, and play a style that derives from gothic rock, traditional Americana and doom metal, often with themes in the genre of murder ballads.[2] Their lyrics focus on themes of sin, damnation, misery, religion and death.[3][4][5]
Those Poor Bastards | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Madison, Wisconsin, United States |
Genres | |
Years active | 2004–present |
Labels | Tribulation Recording Co. |
Associated acts |
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Members |
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The band is composed of Lonesome Wyatt (vocals, guitar) and The Minister (banjo, bass, percussion, backing vocals). They are secretive and reveal very little information about themselves.[6] Growing up, Lonesome Wyatt vaguely described his childhood as very isolated, having few friends at school and "going the whole summer" without seeing them, and that his parents "were insane".[8] He attended Stoughton High School (Wisconsin),[9] graduating in 1997. Inspired by Nick Cave and Johnny Cash, he began to record music in his parents' basement, where he began a solo gothic Americana folk project called Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks before disbanding it in 2002.[10][8] It has since been revived since 2010.
While looking for a band name in the early 2000s, Wyatt discovered the phrase "those poor bastards" in a book, and decided to use it as the name for his band formed with another unidentified member known as The Minister.[11] In late 2005, his father was alleged to have contacted him for fear that he was a werewolf because he could not remember where he gotten mud on his shoes. Wyatt has been questioned about the incident in various interviews.[12][8] The Minister veils his face in all official band photography, does not perform live and has not revealed his identity. For live performances, Wyatt performs with a third musician, Vincent Presley, on drums, moog, and keyboard. At live shows, Presley is known to play the moog or keyboard with drums simultaneously.
Their song Pills I Took was covered by Hank Williams III on his landmark 2006 release, Straight to Hell.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Songs of Desperation (2005)
- Hellfire Hymns (2007)
- The Plague (2008)
- Satan Is Watching (2008)
- Gospel Haunted (2010)
- Behold the Abyss (2012)
- Vicious Losers (2014)
- Sing It Ugly (2016)
- Inhuman Nature (2018)
- Evil Seeds (2019)
- Old Time Suffering (2021)
EPs
- Country Bullshit (2004)
- Pills I Took (2006) (split with Hank Williams III)
- Black Dog Yodel (2009)
- Abominations (2009)
- Gospel Outtakes (2010)
- Is This Hell? (2011)
- Necrosphere (2016)
References
- "Official Website Discography". Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- "Halloween Review: Those Poor Bastards' "Vicious Losers"". Saving Country Music. October 31, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- Juli Thanki (February 7, 2008). "Those Poor Bastards: Hellfire Hymns". PopMatters. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- April Snellings (November 2012). "West of Hell: A new album and novel from country doom due Those Poor Bastards revels in ole timey grime and gore". Rue Morgue Magazine. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- Chris Krovatin (March 31, 2019). "9 Artists Bringing Darkness and Evil to Old Genres". Kerrang. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
- "Those Poor Bastards". The Swedish Institute of Gothic Country. March 21, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- "The Mick 25" (PDF). 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- "Wyatt Hellickson from Stoughton High School - Classmates". Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- "LONESOME WYATT AND THE HOLY SPOOKS - Reggies Chicago". Reggies Chicago. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- "Interview time with Lonesome Wyatt". April 11, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- "An Interview With Lonesome Wyatt of Those Poor Bastards". August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2021.