Pedro the Lion
Encyclopedia
Pedro the Lion was an indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...

 band from Seattle, Washington. Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

 David Bazan
David Bazan
David Bazan is an indie rock singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Bazan was the lead singer and creative force behind the now-defunct band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer of Headphones, a band he formed out of his interest in synthesizers...

 formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. T. W. Walsh
Tim Walsh (musician)
Timothy William "T.W." Walsh is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, mixing engineer and mastering engineer....

 is considered to be the sole official band member besides Bazan. In 2006, Bazan and Walsh split amicably and Pedro the Lion was dissolved as Bazan went solo. Releasing four full-length albums and five EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

s over 11 years, the band was known for its first person narrative lyrics with political and religious themes. Pedro The Lion was managed by Bob Andrews
Bob Andrews (artist manager)
Bob Andrews is a founding member of the Undertow Music Collective and an artist manager.Andrews got his start in the music business in 1991 managing the drum department at the historic in downtown Nashville. In 1993 he took a job as tour manager for Uncle Tupelo and worked with them until their...

 at Undertow Music Collective
Undertow Music
Undertow began in 1996 as a collective of independent artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers and creative managers sharing resources, ideas, and a love of music. Undertow Music operates offices in St...

.

Biography

Pedro the Lion was formed by David Bazan
David Bazan
David Bazan is an indie rock singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Bazan was the lead singer and creative force behind the now-defunct band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer of Headphones, a band he formed out of his interest in synthesizers...

 in 1995 and released its debut EP Whole in April 1997. Bazan played nearly every instrument on the band's first two full-length albums, It's Hard to Find a Friend
It's Hard to Find a Friend
It's Hard to Find a Friend is the debut full-length album by Pedro the Lion. It was originally released on November 3, 1998 on Made in Mexico records...

 (1998) and Winners Never Quit
Winners Never Quit
Winners Never Quit is the second album by Pedro the Lion. It was released on March 28, 2000 on Jade Tree Records. Although David Bazan played all of the instruments on the album, Trey Many and Josh Golden joined Bazan on tour later that year.-Track listing:# "Slow and Steady Wins the Race" –...

 (2000).

Winners marked Pedro the Lion's first concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...

. After its completion, Bazan has claimed he initially decided not to continue writing concept albums. However, in the process of writing his next full-length Control
Control (Pedro the Lion album)
Control is the third full-length album by Pedro the Lion. It was released on April 16, 2002 on Jade Tree Records. It is a concept album about a business man who is having an affair on his wife, who kills him...

, he realized he had inadvertently created a narrative link "about 70% of the way through [the album]" and decided to finish it in the same vein. The album's thematic content criticizes American capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...

, which Bazan notes was largely inspired by the sentiments surrounding the World Trade Organization protests in 1999.

Control also saw Casey Foubert of Seattle-based Seldom
Seldom
Seldom was a Seattle-based pop-rock trio. Their line-up consisted of piano, bass, and drums, but some songs included electric guitar, mellotron, strings, or other keyboard instruments. They toured in support of both Pedro the Lion and Sarah Shannon...

 join Pedro the Lion to play the drums and keyboard. He additionally co-wrote "Penetration" and "Second Best", the third and eighth tracks, respectively, on the album, which was released in 2002.

Achilles Heel
Achilles Heel (album)
Achilles Heel is the fourth and final album by indie rock band Pedro the Lion. It was released on May 25, 2004, on Jade Tree Records. The cover artwork was by Jesse LeDoux...

 followed, released on May 24, 2004, and marked the beginning of Bazan's partnership with T.W. Walsh
Tim Walsh (musician)
Timothy William "T.W." Walsh is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, mixing engineer and mastering engineer....

 as the band's primary writers and musicians. Bazan described the tracks in the third full-length from Pedro the Lion as a return to the songwriting characterized by Friend and the Secure EP in the sense that there was no "pretense of anything bigger", an allusion to his previous concept albums.

In early January 2006, Pedro the Lion formally announced that they had split. The split was amicable; Bazan and Walsh continue to be good friends. Bazan said that their friendship has even been strengthened by the breakup. Bazan toured in support of Fewer Moving Parts
Fewer Moving Parts
Fewer Moving Parts is David Bazan's debut EP, released in limited quantities on June 13, 2006. It was re-released on 22 May 2007 on Barsuk Records.The EP was considered a stopgap release to tide fans over until his full-length solo debut...

, his solo debut EP. Walsh returned to his career as a Web application developer and is busy with his band, The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs is an American indie rock band fronted by ex-Pedro the Lion member T.W. Walsh, featuring percussionist Jason Cammarata, bass player Ken Maiuri, guitar player Mike Murray and guitar and keyboard player John Beck of Emergency Music....

, and their debut release, In Moderation. David Bazan released his debut solo LP, Curse Your Branches
Curse Your Branches
Curse Your Branches is the first full-length album by David Bazan, the former lead singer of the indie rock band Pedro the Lion. It was released on September 1, 2009, on Barsuk Records...

, on Seattle-based Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...

 in 2009.

Discography

Albums

  • It's Hard to Find a Friend
    It's Hard to Find a Friend
    It's Hard to Find a Friend is the debut full-length album by Pedro the Lion. It was originally released on November 3, 1998 on Made in Mexico records...

     - Made In Mexico/Jade Tree - 1998
  • Winners Never Quit
    Winners Never Quit
    Winners Never Quit is the second album by Pedro the Lion. It was released on March 28, 2000 on Jade Tree Records. Although David Bazan played all of the instruments on the album, Trey Many and Josh Golden joined Bazan on tour later that year.-Track listing:# "Slow and Steady Wins the Race" –...

     - Jade Tree - 2000
  • Control
    Control (Pedro the Lion album)
    Control is the third full-length album by Pedro the Lion. It was released on April 16, 2002 on Jade Tree Records. It is a concept album about a business man who is having an affair on his wife, who kills him...

     - Jade Tree - 2002
  • Achilles Heel
    Achilles Heel (album)
    Achilles Heel is the fourth and final album by indie rock band Pedro the Lion. It was released on May 25, 2004, on Jade Tree Records. The cover artwork was by Jesse LeDoux...

     - Jade Tree - 2004

EPs

  • Whole EP - Tooth & Nail
    Tooth & Nail Records
    Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...

     - 1997
  • The Only Reason I Feel Secure
    The Only Reason I Feel Secure
    The Only Reason I Feel Secure is the second EP by Pedro the Lion. It was released on 17 May 1999 on Made in Mexico Records, and later reissued with three extra tracks on 16 October 2001 on Jade Tree Records...

     - Made In Mexico / Jade Tree - 1999
  • Progress
    Progress (EP)
    Progress is the third EP by Pedro the Lion. It was released on 27 June 2000 on Suicide Squeeze, a mere three months after their second album Winners Never Quit.-Track listing:#"June 18, 1976" – 4:22#"April 6, 2039" – 3:55...

     - Suicide Squeeze
    Suicide squeeze
    Suicide squeeze may refer to:* Squeeze play , a play in baseball in which the runner on third starts for home immediately while the batter attempts a bunt.* Suicide Squeeze Records, a record label....

     - 2000
  • Tour EP '04
    Tour EP '04
    Tour EP '04 is the fourth EP by Pedro the Lion. It was recorded "live" in the studio and was released in July 2004 to coincide with the band's US tour...

     - Self-released / Jade Tree - 2004
  • Stations - 2004

Compilations

  • "The Longer I Lay Here" (live) - Exploitation of Sound Vol. 1 - Hero Music - 1999
  • "Breadwinner You" - The Unaccompanied Voice : An A Capella Compilation - Secretly Canadian
    Secretly Canadian
    Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana. It was started in 1996 by Chris and Ben Swanson, Eric Weddle, and Jonathan Cargill. Their first release was a re-issue of an album by June Panic...

     - 1998
  • "Rapture", "Backwoods Nation" - Location Is Everything Vol. 1 - Jade Tree - 2002
  • "I Do" (live) - Location Is Everything Vol. 2 - Jade Tree - 2004
  • "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day" (new rendition) - Maybe This Christmas Tree - Nettwerk
    Nettwerk
    The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...

     - 2004

Singles

The band released various 45 rpm singles in limited quantities:
Title Year      Label Pressings
"Big Trucks" 1998 Made In Mexico  1,000
"Song A" / "Song B" (Sub Pop Singles Club) 1999 Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...

 
1,300
"Helicopter" 1999 Homemade Recordings *Not an official PTL release 1,000: 250 on red vinyl, 750 on black vinyl
"Progress" / A Guitar for Janie 2000 Suicide Squeeze
Suicide Squeeze Records
Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, WA - based independent record label that presses a significant number of 7" vinyl singles in addition to the more prevalent compact discs. The label was started in August 1996 with the release of a 7" single from 764-Hero. The label quickly grew from owner...

 
2,000: black vinyl + story book
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" 2002 Suicide Squeeze
Suicide Squeeze Records
Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, WA - based independent record label that presses a significant number of 7" vinyl singles in addition to the more prevalent compact discs. The label was started in August 1996 with the release of a 7" single from 764-Hero. The label quickly grew from owner...

 
1,500: 500 on green vinyl, 1,000 on red vinyl
"The Poison Makes" / "Walk Slow" (Pedro the Lion / Seldom split) 2003 Bedside Recordings  500: hand-numbered
"The First Noel" 2003 Suicide Squeeze
Suicide Squeeze Records
Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, WA - based independent record label that presses a significant number of 7" vinyl singles in addition to the more prevalent compact discs. The label was started in August 1996 with the release of a 7" single from 764-Hero. The label quickly grew from owner...

 
3,000: white vinyl
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" 2005 Suicide Squeeze
Suicide Squeeze Records
Suicide Squeeze Records is a Seattle, WA - based independent record label that presses a significant number of 7" vinyl singles in addition to the more prevalent compact discs. The label was started in August 1996 with the release of a 7" single from 764-Hero. The label quickly grew from owner...

 
2,000: marbled vinyl


See also: David Bazan discography, Headphones discography

Personnel

Member Contribution      Tenure Associated acts
David Bazan
David Bazan
David Bazan is an indie rock singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Bazan was the lead singer and creative force behind the now-defunct band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer of Headphones, a band he formed out of his interest in synthesizers...

 
vocals, guitar, bass, drums, synthesizer, percussion 1997–2005 Headphones
Headphones (band)
Headphones was an American indie rock-synth band with members David Bazan , Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59, and T. W. Walsh...

, The Undertow Orchestra
The Undertow Orchestra
The Undertow Orchestra was an indie rock "supergroup" organized by Bob Andrews of Undertow Music Collective. The band existed only as a touring ensemble and consisted of "four of today’s most under the radar, yet prolific singer-songwriters," David Bazan , Mark Eitzel , Will Johnson , and Vic...

, Unwed Sailor
Unwed Sailor
Unwed Sailor is a mostly instrumental band formed in 1998 by Johnathon Ford. Unwed Sailor's recordings range from instrumental rock to ambient drones. The band's touring and recording line-ups have largely been in rotation over the years, with the core member being the band's founder, Johnathon Ford...

, others
Benjamin Brubaker drums 1998, 2003  
Jeremy Dybash drums 1998 Velour 100
Velour 100
Velour 100 was a dream pop / ethereal rock band from Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. The band existed from 1995 to 2000, with most of its music seeing release via Tooth & Nail Records in 1996 & 1997. The band was essentially masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Trey Many of His Name Is Alive and...

Johnathon Ford bass 1998 Unwed Sailor
Unwed Sailor
Unwed Sailor is a mostly instrumental band formed in 1998 by Johnathon Ford. Unwed Sailor's recordings range from instrumental rock to ambient drones. The band's touring and recording line-ups have largely been in rotation over the years, with the core member being the band's founder, Johnathon Ford...

Casey Foubert  drums, keyboards 2001–2004 Seldom
Seldom
Seldom was a Seattle-based pop-rock trio. Their line-up consisted of piano, bass, and drums, but some songs included electric guitar, mellotron, strings, or other keyboard instruments. They toured in support of both Pedro the Lion and Sarah Shannon...

, Crystal Skulls, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...

Ben Gibbard
Ben Gibbard
Benjamin "Ben" Gibbard is an American musician known as a member of several successful indie rock bands. He is the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, and is also known for his project ¡All-Time Quarterback! and his first band, Pinwheel.-Personal life and career:Gibbard was...

 
bass 2000 Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....

, The Postal Service
The Postal Service
The Postal Service is an American electronic indie pop band composed of vocalist Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel and Headset.-Background:...

, ¡All-Time Quarterback!
Josh Golden bass 1998–2000 Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Over the years he has released albums on many labels; today, his primary label is Secretly Canadian.-Music career:...

Frank Lenz
Frank Lenz
Frank Lenz is a drummer from Southern California who has done work for many bands and artists, including but not limited to Starflyer 59, Daniel Amos, Crystal Lewis, Duraluxe, Map, Charity Empressa, Kevin Max, Cush and The Dingees.-Biography:Frank Lenz started taking drum lessons when he was eight...

 
drums 2004–2005 Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59 is an alternative rock band from Riverside, California that was founded in 1993 by Jason Martin, brother of Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric. While Jason Martin has written nearly all of Starflyer 59's songs, the band has included a number of different musicians over the years, including...

, Headphones
Headphones (band)
Headphones was an American indie rock-synth band with members David Bazan , Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59, and T. W. Walsh...

, Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura
Fold Zandura is an alternative rock band from California. They released four albums between 1995 and 1999 plus one white 7" vinyl. Each album was released under a different label. The two premier members also founded the industrial band Mortal. Their songs are "love songs and praise songs"...

, The Lassie Foundation
The Lassie Foundation
The Lassie Foundation is an indie band from Southern California. Their style has been described as "pink noise pop." They disbanded in 2006 after having released three albums as well as several EPs, but have reunited and are working on a new full-length album....

, others
Ken Maiuri bass 2004–2005 The Mammals
The Mammals
The Mammals are a contemporary folk rock band based in the Hudson Valley, area of New York, in the United States.Current band members are Michael J. Merenda, Jr., Chris Merenda, Ruth Ungar, Jacob Silver and Tao Rodríguez-Seeger.- Band history :...

, The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs is an American indie rock band fronted by ex-Pedro the Lion member T.W. Walsh, featuring percussionist Jason Cammarata, bass player Ken Maiuri, guitar player Mike Murray and guitar and keyboard player John Beck of Emergency Music....

, Mark Mulcahy
Mark Mulcahy
Mark Mulcahy is an American musician and former front-man for the New Haven, Connecticut-based band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. The band earned modest renown, especially in their native New England region, but disbanded after a sad turn of events with their record label, Morgan Creek...

Trey Many drums, bass, guitar 1998, 2000–2001, 2005 Velour 100
Velour 100
Velour 100 was a dream pop / ethereal rock band from Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. The band existed from 1995 to 2000, with most of its music seeing release via Tooth & Nail Records in 1996 & 1997. The band was essentially masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Trey Many of His Name Is Alive and...

, Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59 is an alternative rock band from Riverside, California that was founded in 1993 by Jason Martin, brother of Ronnie Martin of Joy Electric. While Jason Martin has written nearly all of Starflyer 59's songs, the band has included a number of different musicians over the years, including...

, His Name Is Alive
His Name Is Alive
His Name Is Alive is an experimental rock band/project from Livonia, Michigan. After several self-released cassettes, they debuted on 4AD Records in 1990, starting a long run at the label...

Yuuki Matthews keyboards 2000–2001 Seldom
Seldom
Seldom was a Seattle-based pop-rock trio. Their line-up consisted of piano, bass, and drums, but some songs included electric guitar, mellotron, strings, or other keyboard instruments. They toured in support of both Pedro the Lion and Sarah Shannon...

, Crystal Skulls, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...

, The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...

James McAlister keys, percussion, drums 2004 Ester Drang
Ester Drang
Ester Drang is an experimental, post rock musical group from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The band was formed in 1995, with guitarist Bryce Chambers recruiting drummer James McAlister and bass player Kyle Winner....

, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...

, Denison Witmer
Denison Witmer
Denison Witmer is an indie singer-songwriter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His first release, in 1995, was a cassette titled My Luck, My Love. He has since released six studio LPs; two live albums, a cover album ; three EPs; and an LP with The River Bends—a side project consisting of members of the...

Paul Mumaw drums 1998 Rose Blossom Punch
Brian Olson drums 1997  
Nick Peterson  guitar 1997–1999 Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...

, Headphones
Headphones (band)
Headphones was an American indie rock-synth band with members David Bazan , Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59, and T. W. Walsh...

Tim Schiefer guitar 1997  
Travis Smith bass 1997  
Tim Walsh
Tim Walsh (musician)
Timothy William "T.W." Walsh is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, mixing engineer and mastering engineer....

 
bass, guitar, keys, drums 2000, 2002, 2003–2005 The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs
The Soft Drugs is an American indie rock band fronted by ex-Pedro the Lion member T.W. Walsh, featuring percussionist Jason Cammarata, bass player Ken Maiuri, guitar player Mike Murray and guitar and keyboard player John Beck of Emergency Music....

, Headphones
Headphones (band)
Headphones was an American indie rock-synth band with members David Bazan , Frank Lenz of Starflyer 59, and T. W. Walsh...

Christian Wargo  guitar 2003 Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...

, Crystal Skulls, Scientific
Blake Wescott
Blake Wescott
Blake Wescott is a musician from Seattle, Washington, who is currently touring as lead guitarist for David Bazan's band.Often noted as a drummer for Pedro the Lion, and for his co-writing, production, backing vocals, and multiple instrumentation on former Velocity Girl singer Sarah Shannon's first...

 
drums 1998 Seldom, Crystal Skulls, Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Over the years he has released albums on many labels; today, his primary label is Secretly Canadian.-Music career:...

, Denison Witmer
Denison Witmer
Denison Witmer is an indie singer-songwriter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His first release, in 1995, was a cassette titled My Luck, My Love. He has since released six studio LPs; two live albums, a cover album ; three EPs; and an LP with The River Bends—a side project consisting of members of the...

, others
Casey Wescott    2001 Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes are a folk rock band which formed in Seattle, Washington. They are signed to the Sub Pop and Bella Union record labels. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes...

, The Vogue
The Vogue
The Vogue were an American rock band that evolved into Soiled Doves after the departure of their keyboardist. As lead vocalist and founding member Johnny Whitney began to focus more on his other group, The Blood Brothers, the rest of the group supported bassist Adam Miller's side project The...

, Seldom, Crystal Skulls

Soundtracks

  • The band is featured in the 2004 Christian music
    Christian music
    Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....

     documentary Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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