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Josh Portman | |
|---|---|
 Portman in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 26, 1979 |
| Origin | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Member of | Yellowcard |
Joshua "Josh" David Portman (born October 26, 1979) is an American musician who is best known for playing bass guitar for the rock band Yellowcard since February 2012. Since 1994, he has played bass and guitar in a number of well-known punk/post-hardcore bands including Near Miss and Staring Back. [1]
Portman was born on October 26, 1979. His younger years were spent living in Madison, WI before moving with his family to Perry, GA upon entering fourth grade. At the age of twelve, Josh received his first guitar and has been writing, recording, and performing ever since. Initially influenced by the glam and thrash metal bands of the '80s, Portman later immersed himself in the post-hardcore and Seattle bands of the early '90s and then the "new school" punk bands of the mid-'90s. He has been a part of many bands that have explored all of these genres.
Portman's first band, Zero Racecar, was formed in 1994 in Perry, GA. He joined the band two years later at the age of fifteen and immediately began playing shows throughout Georgia, as well as Florida and the Carolinas. After graduating in 1998, he formed another band in Atlanta called Lancaster with ex-Tsunami Bomb guitarist/current Nothington vocalist Jay Northington. The post-hardcore outfit disbanded after just a year together.
In 2005, Portman joined Santa Barbara-based punk band Staring Back. However, the Lobster Records group split up several months later when their lead guitarist/key songwriter Ryan Mendez joined Yellowcard.
In 2006, the post-hardcore band Near Miss asked Josh to join. [1] He relocated to their home of Austin, TX and toured extensively with the band all over the U.S., including a spot on the Vans Warped Tour that same year. Near Miss officially broke up in 2007.
After Yellowcard went on "indefinite hiatus" in 2008, Josh Portman left his residence in Atlanta to finish his degree in business at Macon State College. Wanting to still continue pursuing music and performing, he put together an '80s hair metal tribute band called Great White Lion Snake at the end of 2008. Portman's stage name for GWLS is Jef Leppard. They can be seen performing all over Georgia.
On September 14, 2009, Ryan Key and Sean O'Donnell made a MySpace blog post that Portman will be playing lead guitar in their side-project, Big If. The side project was discontinued when Key reformed Yellowcard in 2010 with O'Donnell joining.
In 2007, Portman was asked to fill the position of bassist for Yellowcard when Pete Mosely and the band parted ways mid-way through the first U.S. tour for "Paper Walls." He finished out the tour with Blue October and Shiny Toy Guns, performed on the iTunes only Yellowcard release, "Live from Las Vegas at The Palms", and continued with the band for a 15-day tour in Japan with Linkin Park. The band's next tour was an acoustic venture. After the acoustic tour, they went on "indefinite hiatus". Sean O' Donnell of Reeve Oliver became the bassist when Yellowcard reunited in 2010. After Sean O'Donnell left Yellowcard, Portman returned and was announced as the new permanent bassist on February 17, 2012 and he has been with the band since, including through their hiatus from 2017 until 2022.
Yellowcard is currently on tour to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Ocean Avenue in 2023. The band released the EP, Childhood Eyes, on July 21, 2023.
Yellowcard is an American rock band that formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1997. The lineup currently consists of lead singer Ryan Key, lead guitarist Ryan Mendez, bassist Josh Portman and violinist Sean Mackin. Primarily a pop-punk group, their music is recognized for having a distinct sound in its genre, primarily due to the prominent use of a violin in their songs, and are best known for their singles "Ocean Avenue", "Only One", and "Lights and Sounds". Released in 2003, "Ocean Avenue" and its parent album of the same name are both certified double platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); "Only One" and the band's 2006 album Lights and Sounds have been certified gold. The band has released ten studio albums, with its most recent, Yellowcard, released on September 30, 2016. Following this release and supporting tour, the band broke up. The band reunited in September 2022 for a performance at Riot Fest and embarked on a 20th-anniversary tour for Ocean Avenue in 2023. A new EP, Childhood Eyes, released on July 21, 2023.
Ocean Avenue is the fourth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on July 22, 2003, through Capitol Records. After touring to promote their third album One for the Kids in 2001, the band signed to the label in early 2002. Following this, bassist Warren Cooke left the band in mid-2002, and was replaced by Inspection 12 guitarist Peter Mosely. In February and March 2003, the band recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, with Neal Avron. Ocean Avenue is a pop-punk and punk rock album, which was compared to Blink-182 and Simple Plan.
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness, Jonny Wickersham, Brent Harding, David Hidalgo Jr. (drums), and David Kalish (keyboards).
Reeve Oliver is an American pop rock band formed in 2000 in San Diego, California. They have released two albums and several EPs and have toured with larger acts such as The Vandals, Yellowcard, and Switchfoot. They have been locally recognized at the San Diego Music Awards, earning "best rock album" in 2003 for The Reeveolution EP and again in 2005 for Reeve Oliver, and being named "best rock act" at the 2006 awards.
The Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California, United States. They have released eleven full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally. Their music is best classified as pop punk and is intentionally playful, comical, and satirical, often dealing with issues of love and relationships. The band's name is taken from actor and television personality Mr. T.
From Autumn to Ashes is a metalcore band based in Long Island, New York. The group formed in 2000 under the name Who's to Blame. While the band had gone through many lineup changes, the members include Francis Mark, Scott Gross (guitars), Benjamin Perri, Brian Deneeve, Stephen Salvio (guitars), Josh Newton, Mike Pilato, Rob Lauritsen (guitars), Jonathan Cox (guitars) and Jeff Gretz.
Amber Pacific is an American pop-punk band that formed in 2002 in Federal Way, Washington. The band has released four full-length albums, The Possibility and the Promise in 2005, Truth in Sincerity in 2007, Virtues in 2010 and The Turn in 2014.
The Spill Canvas is an American alternative rock band from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Known for their hits "All Over You" "Our Song" and "Staplegunned", as well as several emo classics like "All Hail the Heartbreaker" "The Tide" and "Polygraph, Right Now!"
William Ryan Key is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Yellowcard. He is the owner/operator of a recording studio in Jacksonville, Florida, called The Lone Tree Recordings. He is currently writing music under his full name, William Ryan Key, as a solo acoustic act and electronic act. He is also one half of JEDHA, an electronic duo consisting of himself and lead guitarist of Yellowcard, Ryan Mendez. He has recently toured as guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist for New Found Glory. In late 2018, he played as a supporting act on Mayday Parade's Sunnyland tour along with This Wild Life. During 2021, he live-streamed his songwriting process on Twitch full-time.
A Thorn for Every Heart is a post-hardcore band from Chino Hills, California.
"Ocean Avenue" is a song written and recorded by American rock band Yellowcard for their fourth studio album of the same name. It was released as the second single from Ocean Avenue on December 15, 2003, through Capitol Records. "Ocean Avenue" shares writing credits between the band's singer Ryan Key, guitarist Ben Harper, bassist Pete Mosely, drummer Longineu W. Parsons III, and violinist Sean Mackin. It was written about the band's teenage years along the Atlantic Coast. Neal Avron, a veteran punk rock producer, engineered and produced the tune.
Paper Walls is the sixth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard, released on July 17, 2007. This is also the first Yellowcard album with Ryan Mendez, their last with Peter Mosely, and their last studio album to be released through Capitol Records. The album was recorded at Ocean Studios in Burbank, California and was mixed at South Beach Studios in Miami, Florida.
Peter Michael Mosely is an American rock musician. He is one of the two guitarists and vocalists and the pianist for the American punk rock band Inspection 12, as well as the former bassist for the American rock band Yellowcard.
Longineu Warren "LP" Parsons III is a French-born American rock musician. He is best known as the former drummer of the American rock band Yellowcard.
NearMiss was an American punk rock band from Austin, Texas, United States.
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes is the seventh studio album released by American rock band Yellowcard on March 22, 2011 under Hopeless Records. The album has received positive reviews. The album's title comes from a text message sent to a girl by lead singer Ryan Key.
HeyMike! is an American punk band out of Ventura County, California, United States. The band's name was originally used by singer/guitarist Steven Neufeld as the title of his early demo tapes from 1998-2001. HeyMike! resurfaced when Neufeld, bassist Josh McDonald, and drummer Justin "Juice" Cabrera signed to Takeover Records and published two records titled "Embrace Your Hooks," (EP) released in 2004, and HeyMike, released in 2006. Their third issue, Pop and Circumstance was released April 19, 2011.
Sean Mackin is an American rock musician. He is best known as the violinist and backing vocalist for the American rock band Yellowcard.
Benjamin Eric Harper is an American rock musician. He is best known for being the founder & former lead guitarist for the American rock band Yellowcard, as well as for the bands Amber Pacific and HeyMike! and This Legend. Benjamin Harper is founder and CEO of Takeover Records. Alongside these projects, Harper is the owner and founder of Takeover Live, a broadcasting and media production company that specializes in live-streaming bands along with giving artists a platform to share their sound on.
Southern Air is the eighth studio album by American rock band Yellowcard. It was released on August 14, 2012 through Hopeless Records. The songs "Always Summer" and "Here I Am Alive" were released as singles, the latter featuring Taylor Jardine of We Are the In Crowd. The album also features guest appearances by Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low and American recording artist Cassadee Pope. It debuted at #10 on the US Billboard 200, their highest-charting appearance since Lights and Sounds debuted at #5 in 2006. It is the last studio album to feature founding drummer Longineu W. Parsons III.