Pedro the Lion is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. David Bazan formed the band in 1995 and represented its main creative force, backed by a varying rotation of collaborating musicians. In 2006 Pedro the Lion was dissolved as Bazan went solo and performed under his own name. Bazan reformed the band and resumed performing under the Pedro the Lion moniker in late 2017. Releasing seven full-length albums and five EPs since 1997, the band is known for its first person narrative lyrics.
History Pedro the Lion was formed by David Bazan in 1995. The name of the band comes from a character that would have been interwoven into the band's first album. In 1997 they released their debut EP Whole with Bazan playing nearly every instrument, a format he continued on the band's first two full-length albums, It's Hard to Find a Friend (1998), and Winners Never Quit (2000).
Winners marked Pedro the Lion's first concept album. 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, 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, 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 join Pedro the Lion to play bass on the album. Additionally, Foubert co-wrote "Penetration" and "Second Best", the third and eighth tracks, respectively, on the album, which was released in 2002. Among other collaborations with music artists, Foubert has subsequently worked as a touring musician for singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens and the Portland-based indie rock band, The Shins.
Achilles Heel followed, released on May 24, 2004, and marked the beginning of Bazan's partnership with TW Walsh as the band's primary writers and musicians. Bazan described the tracks in the fourth 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, his solo debut EP. Walsh returned to his career as a Web application developer and is busy with his band, The Soft Drugs, and their debut release, In Moderation. David Bazan released his debut solo LP, Curse Your Branches, on Seattle-based Barsuk Records in 2009.
The Pedro The Lion catalog was remastered for vinyl by TW Walsh and reissued in 2012.
Bazan is a member of Overseas with Will Johnson of Centro-matic and Bubba & Matt Kadane of Bedhead and The New Year. Their self-titled debut album was released on June 11, 2013.
Beginning in spring 2017, Bazan began forming a new band which he initially envisioned billing as "David Bazan Band" or something similar. In October 2017, Bazan announced that Pedro the Lion would be reforming beginning with several shows in December 2017. Asked if there would be new material, Bazan explained that the band will initially be playing Pedro the Lion's existing catalog along with limited performances of songs from Headphones and Bazan's solo catalog, with new material to follow.
In 2019 the band put out their first album in their autobiographical series called Phoenix which was followed by Havasu in 2022 and Santa Cruz in 2024 in the same set.
Personnel Member Contribution Tenure Associated acts David Bazan vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys, percussion 1997–2006, 2017–present Headphones, The Undertow Orchestra, Unwed Sailor, Lo Tom, others Erik Walters guitar 2017–present Silver Torches, The Globes, Perfume GeniusAndrew Rudddrums2025–present Terence Ankeny drums 2020–2024 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, others 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 keys 2000–2001 Seldom, Crystal Skulls, Sufjan Stevens, The Shins James McAlister keys, percussion, drums 2004 Ester Drang, Sufjan Stevens, Denison Witmer Paul Mumaw drums 1998 Rose Blossom Punch Brian Olson drums 1997 Nick Peterson guitar 1997–1999 Fleet Foxes, Headphones Tim Schiefer guitar 1997 Travis Smith bass 1997 Tim Walsh bass, guitar, keys, 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, Bloomsday Casey Wescott keys 2001 Fleet Foxes, The Vogue, Seldom, Crystal Skulls
Discography
Albums Title Album details It's Hard to Find a Friend Released: 1998 Label: Made in Mexico / Jade Tree Formats: CD, LP Winners Never Quit Released: 2000 Label: Jade Tree Formats: CD, LP Control Released: 2002 Label: Jade Tree Formats: CD, LP Achilles Heel Released: 2004 Label: Jade Tree Formats: CD, LP Phoenix Released: 2019 Label: Polyvinyl Formats: CD, LP, Digital Havasu Released: 2022 Label: Polyvinyl Formats: CD, LP, Digital Santa Cruz Released: 2024 Label: Polyvinyl Formats: CD, LP, Digital
EPs Title EP details Whole EP Released: 1997 Label: Tooth & Nail Formats: CD, 7-inch The Only Reason I Feel Secure Released: 1999 Label: Made in Mexico / Jade Tree Formats: CD, LP Progress Released: 2000 Label: Suicide Squeeze Formats: CD, 7-inch Tour EP '04 Released: 2004 Label: Self-released / Jade Tree Formats: CD Stations Released: 2004 Label: Self-released Formats: CD, Digital Live At The Crumb Released: 2024 Label: Polyvinyl Record Co Formats: Digital
7 Inch Singles Title Year Label Pressings "Big Trucks" 1998 Made in Mexico 1,000 copies "Song A" / "Song B" (Sub Pop Singles Club) 1999 Sub Pop 1,300 copies "Helicopter" 1999 Homemade Recordings (*Not an official release*) 1,000 copies (250 red, 750 black) "Progress" / "A Guitar for Janie" 2000 Suicide Squeeze 2,000 copies (with storybook) "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" 2002 Suicide Squeeze 1,500 copies (500 green, 1,000 red) "The Poison Makes" / "Walk Slow" (Pedro the Lion / Seldom split) 2003 Bedside Recordings 500 copies (hand-numbered) "The First Noel" 2003 Suicide Squeeze 3,000 copies (white vinyl) "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" 2005 Suicide Squeeze 2,000 copies (marbled vinyl) "B" Split Single w/ Lync 2024 Suicide Squeeze 300 copies (transparent blue) 450 copies (opaque purple)
Compilations Title Compilation details "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 rendition) Maybe This Christmas Tree – Nettwerk – 2004
Other appearances The band is featured in the 2004 Christian music documentary Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? Maybe This Christmas Tree, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" (2004) Pedro the Lion provides all music for the 2019 documentary Strange Negotiations (named after the title of David Bazan's 2011 album Strange Negotiations).
References
External links
Pedro the Lion official site Jade Tree (record label) Extensive feature article and interview with Fine Print Magazine SuicideSqueeze.net