Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man is an American rock band from Wasilla, Alaska, currently based in Portland, Oregon. The group consists of John Baldwin Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O'Quin, Jason Sechrist, Eric Howk and Zoe Manville. Gourley and Carothers met and began playing music together in 2001 at Wasilla High School.
"Kyle O'Quin" redirects here. For the basketball player, see Kyle O'Quinn.
Portugal. The Man
Wasilla, Alaska, U.S.
2004–present
- Fearless
- Equal Vision
- Atlantic
- Approaching AIRballoons
- John Gourley
- Zachary Carothers
- Kyle O'Quin
- Eric Howk
- Zoe Manville
- Nick Klein
- Wesley Hubbard
- Harvey Tumbleson
- Jason Sechrist
- Garrett Lunceford
- Ryan Neighbors
- Noah Gersh
- Kane Ritchotte
The group released two albums on Fearless Records, released three albums on their own label Approaching AIRballoons in a partnership with Equal Vision Records, then moved to Atlantic Records in 2010, with whom they have released their latest four full-lengths. Their 2017 single "Feel It Still" won "Best Pop Duo/Group Performance" at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
History[edit]
Origin (2002–2006)[edit]
Around August 2002, the band Anatomy of a Ghost was formed by John Gourley, Joe Simon, Dewey Halpaus, Nick Simon, and Zach Carothers.[1] Gourley fronted the band having had no previous singing experience.[2] 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 Carothers playing bass. Before they had a drummer, they used drum machines and synth-loops as the backing beat. Gourley and Carothers teamed up with Wesley Hubbard, Nick Klein (former guitar tech for Anatomy of a 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, followed by a U.S. tour that fall. In spring 2005, Klein and Tumbleson left and soon after Jason Sechrist joined the band. Portugal. The Man's debut record Waiter: "You Vultures!" was released by Fearless Records on January 24, 2006. The album was produced by Casey Bates.[3][4]
Music videos and short films[edit]
On June 6, 2011, Portugal. The Man released a short film featuring the songs "Sleep Forever" and "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" from their album, In The Mountain In the Cloud.[75] Produced by Richard Hutchins and directed by Michael Ragen, the film features 13 minutes and 16 seconds of Alaskan wilderness intertwined with scenes of John Gourley dog sledding before he is forced to travel by foot after his dogs abandon him.[76]
Portugal. The Man has also released music videos for their songs "So American", "People Say", "All Your Light", "Do You", "The Dead Dog", "AKA M80 the Wolf", "Lay Me Back Down", "The Sun", "Evil Friends", "Purple Yellow Red and Blue", "Atomic Man" and "Modern Jesus". The video for "Noise Pollution" was released on December 1, 2016.[77]
The video for "Feel It Still" was released on March 6, 2017, and received attention for its imagery of a burning newspaper titled Info Wars.[78] The video features Gourley walking through a post-apocalyptic wasteland and was directed by Ian Schwartz. It also features around 30 "hidden Easter eggs." Clicking on specific items at specific times in the video provides viewers with links to web pages described as "tools for resistance." For example, one shot shows a couple engaging in sex. By clicking that Easter egg, viewers are taken to the Planned Parenthood site. Other Easter egg links include a video describing a protestor's legal rights, a direct phone call to the White House, and links for buying custom-designed protest posters and graffiti stencil kits.[79] The YouTube video has over 355,000,000 views.[80]
Activism[edit]
Throughout the band's history, it has engaged in political activism and philanthropy in a variety of forms. On April 22, 2014, the band announced a partnership with the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to release a limited-edition run of 400 vinyl records aimed at raising awareness for the critically endangered Sumatran tiger species, of which there were only 400 remaining in the wild at the time. The track, "Sumatran Tiger", was released only in its vinyl form rather than on digital platforms. Individual copies were sent by mail to "400 carefully chosen influencers, among them actors, activists, musicians, conservationists, bloggers and journalists," and the band claimed that the song was the first "meant to go extinct unless it's reproduced." Recordings of the song could later be found on the internet using the hashtags #EndangeredSong and #SumatranTiger.[81] The "Endangered Song", as it was also known, won a Bronze Award at the 2014 Clio Music Awards.[82]
In 2015, the band partnered with StubHub and Dr. Martens to help raise $1 million to put instruments in schools throughout the United States. The initiative was carried out in partnership with The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and focused on schools and institutions with limited funding.[83] In June 2016, the band headlined the Gleason Fest, an indie music festival that raises money for the ALS non-profit, Gleason Initiative Foundation.[84]
In August 2017, Portugal. The Man donated all proceeds from its Charlottesville, Virginia show to the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation in response to the Unite the Right rally that ultimately led to the vehicular homicide of activist Heather Heyer.[85] In May 2018, the band cancelled a planned appearance on the Australian TV program, Sunrise, after racist statements made by guest panelist Prue MacSween caused controversy.[86]
In March 2018, the band gave a free live concert at the March for Our Lives in Portland, Oregon, after having collaborated with local students planning the event, openly stating their support for tightened gun legislation.[87]
In July 2018, during shows in Oregon, Portugal. The Man helped raise mental health awareness in partnership with Logan Lynn's public advocacy campaign, Keep Oregon Well.[88] The band is also a partner with the non-profit organization, HeadCount, which seeks to promote "participation in democracy" often by helping concertgoers register to vote.[89][90] In September 2018, the band helped raise $20,000 for a benefit supporting Noise For Now in Birmingham, Alabama.[91]
In 2019, the band received the Legend Award at that year's Native American Music Awards in Niagara Falls, New York.[92] In January 2020, the group was honored with the Public Sector Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians at a banquet in Washington, D.C. Both awards were given in recognition of the band's activism and advocacy for Indigenous rights, including for the land acknowledgement ceremonies[93] that took place before every show on the group's international tour.[94]
Also in early 2020, Portugal. The Man founded the PTM Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that primarily focuses on funding causes related to Indigenous peoples' communities. The organization also aims to work toward the improvement of mental health issues, environmental issues, disability rights, and human rights through advocacy, philanthropy, community involvement, and increased awareness.[94] In response to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District board voting to remove five "controversial" books from the school curriculum in May 2020, the organization offered to buy those books for any student in the district who requested copies.[95] The foundation raised $93,000 in grants in 2022, which were distributed to 40 different tribes, impact organizations, and community groups.[74]
In the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, the band endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, playing at rallies in Iowa[96][97] and Washington.[98]
Current members
Former members
Touring musicians
Timeline