Wikipedia

Those Poor Bastards

Those Poor Bastards are an American gothic country band based in Madison, Wisconsin.[1] Since 2004 they have released twelve full-length studio albums and seven EPs,[2] and have toured in both North America and Europe.

Those Poor Bastards
Background information
OriginMadison, Wisconsin, United States
Genres
Years active2004 (2004)–present
LabelsTribulation Recording Co.
Members
  • Lonesome Wyatt
  • The Minister

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.[3]

Background

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Lonesome Wyatt vaguely described his childhood as very isolated,[4] having few friends at school and "going the whole summer" without seeing them, and that his parents "were insane".[5] He attended Stoughton High School (Wisconsin),[6] 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 folk project called Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks before disbanding it in 2002,[7][5] although the group was revived in 2010.

History

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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.[8] 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 had gotten mud on his shoes. Wyatt has been questioned about the incident in various interviews.[9][5] The Minister veils his face in all official band photography, does not perform live and has not revealed his identity.[4] He has, however, played live before as seen in this footage as well as older official photos.[10] He also does not wear a veil here. 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.

Musical style and influences

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Those Poor Bastards has been described as gothic country.[1] The band performs a style that derives from gothic rock and traditional Americana, often with themes in the genre of murder ballads.[11] Their lyrics focus on themes of sin, damnation, misery, religion and death.[1][12][13]

Discography

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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)
  • God Awful (2022)
  • Back to the Primitive (2024)

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

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  1. ^ a b c d Thanki, Juli (7 February 2008). "THOSE POOR BASTARDS: HELLFIRE HYMNS". PopMatters. Retrieved 2022-11-20. This band makes Gothic Country at its apocalyptic best. [...] Those Poor Bastards can stand on their own as pioneers in the fast-growing Gothic Country subgenre.
  2. ^ "Official Website Discography". 25 January 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  3. ^ "Those Poor Bastards". The Swedish Institute of Gothic Country. March 21, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Kody Dayish (October 31, 2014). "Halloween Is Here... So Are Those Poor Bastards" (PDF). Navajo Nation News. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "The Mick 25" (PDF). 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "Wyatt Hellickson from Stoughton High School - Classmates". Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "LONESOME WYATT AND THE HOLY SPOOKS - Reggies Chicago". Reggies Chicago. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Interview time with Lonesome Wyatt". April 11, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "An Interview With Lonesome Wyatt of Those Poor Bastards". August 8, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  10. ^ "<--= Those Poor Bastards =-->". 2007-01-24. Archived from the original on 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  11. ^ "Halloween Review: Those Poor Bastards' "Vicious Losers"". Saving Country Music. October 31, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Chris Krovatin (March 31, 2019). "9 Artists Bringing Darkness and Evil to Old Genres". Kerrang. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
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