Pedro the Lion
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | David Bazan |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | David Bazan (main creative contributor) |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, singles |
| Website | www |
Pedro the Lion is an indie rock group originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 1995 by David Bazan, who continues to serve as the band's main creative contributor, collaborating with various musicians over time. The band ceased activity in 2006 when Bazan embarked on a solo path but reunited toward the end of 2017. Since 1997, Pedro the Lion has produced seven studio albums and five EPs, gaining acclaim for lyrics delivered through a first-person storytelling style.
History
The inception of Pedro the Lion traces back to 1995 when David Bazan founded the band. The name was inspired by a fictional character planned for their first album. Their initial release, the EP Whole (1997), showcased Bazan handling most instrumental parts himself, a practice he continued on the subsequent albums It's Hard to Find a Friend (1998) and Winners Never Quit (2000).
Winners Never Quit represented Pedro the Lion's debut concept album. Although Bazan initially distanced himself from further concept projects, his following full-length record, Control (2002), developed into a narrative concept critiquing American capitalism, drawing inspiration from the 1999 World Trade Organization demonstrations. This album featured bassist Casey Foubert from Seattle’s Seldom, who co-authored two songs and later toured with acts such as Sufjan Stevens and The Shins.
Released on May 24, 2004, Achilles Heel marked a collaborative effort between Bazan and TW Walsh, who both contributed significantly as songwriters and musicians. Bazan described this fourth album as a return to simple songwriting akin to his earlier work.
Pedro the Lion officially disbanded in January 2006 on friendly terms; Bazan and Walsh maintained their close relationship. Following this, Bazan toured promoting his solo EP Fewer Moving Parts and issued his solo LP Curse Your Branches in 2009 via Seattle’s Barsuk Records. Meanwhile, Walsh shifted focus back to web development and concentrated on his band The Soft Drugs.
In 2012, TW Walsh remastered Pedro the Lion’s discography for vinyl reissues.
Additionally, Bazan formed Overseas alongside Will Johnson of Centro-matic and brothers from Bedhead and The New Year, releasing their first album in June 2013.
By spring 2017, Bazan started assembling a new ensemble initially named the "David Bazan Band," but by mid-year recognized that he was revisiting the creative approach behind early Pedro the Lion works. In October 2017, he announced Pedro the Lion's reunion with performances beginning in December. The band initially focused on performing existing material alongside select songs from Bazan’s solo projects and Headphones, with plans for new compositions underway.
In 2019, Pedro the Lion unveiled Phoenix, initiating an autobiographical trilogy completed by Havasu in 2022 and Santa Cruz in 2024.
Personnel
| Member | Role | Years Active | Related Projects |
| David Bazan | vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion | 1997–2006, 2017–present | Headphones, The Undertow Orchestra, Unwed Sailor, Lo Tom |
| Erik Walters | guitar | 2017–present | Silver Torches, The Globes, Perfume Genius |
| Terence Ankeny | drums | 2020–present | Spirit Award |
| Benjamin Brubaker | drums | 1998–1999, 2003 | Damien Jurado, Denison Witmer |
| Jeremy Dybash | drums | 1998 | Velour 100 |
| Johnathon Ford | bass | 1998, 2002 | Unwed Sailor, Roadside Monument |
| Casey Foubert | drums, keyboards | 2001–2004 | Seldom, Crystal Skulls, Sufjan Stevens, The Shins |
| Josh Golden | bass | 1998–2000 | Damien Jurado |
| Sean Lane | drums | 2017–2019 | Perfume Genius, Yppah, Pickwick, Noah Gundersen, Hey Marseilles |
| Frank Lenz | drums | 2004–2005 | Starflyer 59, Headphones, Fold Zandura, The Lassie Foundation |
| Ken Maiuri | bass | 2004–2005 | The Mammals, The Soft Drugs, Mark Mulcahy |
| Trey Many | drums, bass, guitar | 1998, 2000–2001, 2005 | Velour 100, Starflyer 59, His Name Is Alive, Lo Tom |
| Yuuki Matthews | keyboards | 2000–2001 | Seldom, Crystal Skulls, Sufjan Stevens, The Shins |
| James McAlister | keyboards, percussion, drums | 2004 | Ester Drang, Sufjan Stevens, Denison Witmer |
| Paul Mumaw | drums | 1998 | |
| Brian Olson | drums | 1997 | |
| Nick Peterson | guitar | 1997–1999 | Fleet Foxes, Headphones |
| Tim Schiefer | guitar | 1997 | |
| Travis Smith | bass | 1997 | |
| Tim Walsh | bass, guitar, keyboards, drums | 2000, 2002, 2003–2006 | The Soft Drugs, Headphones, Lo Tom |
| Christian Wargo | guitar | 2003 | Fleet Foxes, Crystal Skulls, Scientific |
| Blake Wescott | drums | 1998 | Seldom, Crystal Skulls, Damien Jurado, Denison Witmer |
| Casey Wescott | keyboards | 2001 | Fleet Foxes,The Vogue,Seldom, Crystal Skulls |
Albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| It's Hard to Find a Friend |
Release Year: 1998 |
| Winners Never Quit |
Release Year: 2000 |
| Control |
Release Year: 2002 |
| Achilles Heel |
Release Year: 2004 |
| Phoenix |
Release Year: 2019 |
| Havasu |
Release Year: 2022 |
| Santa Cruz |
Release Year: 2024 |
EPs
| Title | EP information |
|---|---|
| Whole EP |
Release Year: 1997 |
| The Only Reason I Feel Secure |
Release Year: 1999 |
| Progress |
Release Year: 2000 |
| Tour EP '04 |
Release Year: 2004 |
| Stations |
Release Year: 2004 |
| Live At The Crumb |
Release Year: 2024 |
7 Inch Singles
| Title | Year | Label | Pressing Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Big Trucks" | 1998 | Made in Mexico | Limited to 1,000 copies |
| "Song A" / "Song B" (Sub Pop Singles Club) | 1999 | Sub Pop | Pressed in 1,300 copies |
| "Helicopter" | 1999 | Homemade Recordings (*Unofficial*) | Total of 1,000 copies (250 red vinyl, 750 black vinyl) |
| "Progress" / "A Guitar for Janie" | 2000 | Suicide Squeeze | Released as 2,000 copies including a storybook |
| "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" | 2002 | Suicide Squeeze | Pressed in 1,500 copies (500 green vinyl, 1,000 red vinyl) |
| "The Poison Makes" / "Walk Slow" (Pedro the Lion / Seldom split) | 2003 | Bedside Recordings | Limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies |
| "The First Noel" | 2003 | Suicide Squeeze | Issued as 3,000 white vinyl copies |
| "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" | 2005 | Suicide Squeeze | Released in a run of 2,000 marbled vinyl copies |
| "B" Split Single w/ Lync | 2024 | Suicide Squeeze | Limited to 300 transparent blue and 450 opaque purple pressings |
Compilations
| Title | Compilation information |
|---|---|
| "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 – 2000 |
| "Rapture", "Backwoods Nation" |
Location Is Everything Vol. 1 – Jade Tree – 2002 |
| "I Do" (live) |
Location Is Everything Vol. 2 – Jade Tree – 2004 |
| "Discretion" |
Take Action! Volume 04 – Sub City Records – 2004 |
| "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" (new version) |
Maybe This Christmas Tree – Nettwerk – 2004 |
Other appearances
- Participated in the 2004 Christian music documentary Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?
- Recorded "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" for the compilation Maybe This Christmas Tree (2004)
- Composed the entire soundtrack for the 2019 documentary Strange Negotiations, which takes its title from David Bazan's 2011 album Strange Negotiations
External links
- Suicide Squeeze Records artists
- Indie rock musical groups from Washington (state)
- Tooth & Nail Records artists
- Musical groups from Seattle
- Musical groups established in 1995
- Musical groups disestablished in 2006
- Musical groups reestablished in 2017
- Jade Tree (record label) artists
- Slowcore groups
- Emo musical groups from Washington (state)
- 1995 establishments in Washington (state)