Latterman
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Matt Canino, Phil Douglas, Dan Sposato, Pat Schramm |
| Defunct | 2007-10-18 |
| Headquarters | Huntington, New York , United States |
| Products | Punk rock music, albums |
Latterman is a semi-active punk rock quartet originating from Huntington, New York, in the United States.
Following Latterman's activities, Phil Douglas and Mattie Jo Canino went on to establish the well-regarded groups Iron Chic and RVIVR. In 2015, Canino, Douglas, and Schramm collaborated to create Tender Defender, widely viewed as a continuation of Latterman's legacy.
History
Latterman was founded in 1999 by Matt Canino, Phil Douglas, Dan Sposato, and Pat Schramm after their previous band, Five Days Late, disbanded. That same year, they released their initial demo and independently issued their debut album None Of These Songs Are About Girls in 2000. Following Sposato's exit, Mike "MR" Campbell joined on guitar, contributing to the release of the cult-favorite Turn Up The Punk, We'll Be Singing under Traffic Violation Records.
In 2005, the band signed with Deep Elm Records, through which they released the influential album No Matter Where We Go... alongside a re-release of Turn Up The Punk, We'll Be Singing.
After Campbell left following No Matter Where We Go..., Brian Crozier became part of the lineup for Latterman’s fourth and final studio album, We Are Still Alive, released in 2006.
The group officially ended its run on October 18, 2007. Mattie Jo Canino attributed the breakup largely to the fatigue from confronting sexism within the punk scene during tours.
Since then, members have been involved in various projects including Iron Chic, Bridge and Tunnel, RVIVR, Laura Stevenson and The Cans, Daytrader, Pox, Shorebirds, Mutoid Men (not to be confused with Mutoid Man), and The Brass.
In December 2011, Latterman reunited for a series of four performances featuring the lineup from No Matter Where We Go..., during which they released "Our Better Halves," their final track.
The band has sporadically performed in subsequent years: 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2018. In 2016, members introduced Tender Defender’s self-titled debut album.
Phil Douglas and Mattie Jo Canino remain active with their respective bands Iron Chic and RVIVR.
Musical style and legacy
Latterman are recognized as innovators blending elements of pop-punk and post-hardcore, characterized by fast-paced rhythms, intense instrumentation, and vocal delivery that combines shouting with singing. Corey Apar from AllMusic describes their sound as striking a balance between toughness and approachability, sincerity without veering into emo, and inspiration without becoming overly sentimental. Their style often draws comparisons to the northeast punk band Lifetime.
Both guitarist Phil Douglas and bassist Mattie Jo Canino shared lead vocal responsibilities, frequently incorporating politically charged and socially aware messages into their lyrics, which were presented with an optimistic tone. Andrew Sacher of BrooklynVegan emphasizes the band’s memorable choruses designed to be chanted collectively by audiences.
Latterman holds a significant place in the pop-punk scene, with their album No Matter Where We Go... regarded as essential listening. Their influence extends to groups such as Spraynard and Timeshares. Paul Blest of VICE noted that Latterman appeared during a challenging period for punk; had they emerged ten years earlier, they might have matched the prominence of politically driven bands like Propagandhi, Bikini Kill, and Fifteen. Conversely, if formed more recently, their success could have paralleled that of later acts like RVIVR or Iron Chic.
Members
- Phil Douglas – guitar, vocals
- Mattie Jo Canino – bass, vocals
- Mike "MR" Campbell – guitar
- Pat Schramm – drums
Former members
- Dan Sposato
- Bryce Hackford
- Brian Crozier
- Ian Campbell
- Jeff Cunningham
Discography
- None of These Songs Are About Girls (self-released, 2000)
- Split 7" with Nakatomi Plaza (Rok Lok Records / BD Records / Sot Records, 2000)
- Turn Up The Punk, We'll Be Singing (Traffic Violation Records, 2002; reissued by Deep Elm Records in 2005; LP vinyl editions on Yo-Yo Records 2006 and NO IDEA Records 2011)
- No Matter Where We Go...! (Deep Elm Records, 2005; LP vinyl released by Yo-Yo Records in 2006 and NO IDEA Records in 2011)
- We Are Still Alive (Deep Elm Records, 2006; LP vinyl through NO IDEA Records in 2007)
Other releases
- Various Artists The Hope Machine compilation CD (Rok Lok Records, 2001)
- Various Artists Young Til I Die compilation CD (Waggy Records, 2001)
- Various Artists Commercial: Traffic Violation Records Compilation (Traffic Violation, 2002)
- Live At The Milestone - June 2005 DVD (Deep Elm Records, 2005)
- Various Artists This Was Supposed to be a Celebration compilation CD (Mauled by Tigers, 2007)
- "Our Better Halves" (Single) (Self-Released, 2011)