Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man was formed in 2004 in Wasilla, Alaska. Its founders John Gourley and Zachary Carothers began working together back in high school. At the beginning of 2002, they formed a group Anatomy of the Ghost, which performed all over the United States and released an album, Evanesce. Even though the group had big potential, it fell apart in 2004. After Anatomy of the Ghost disbanded, Gourley and Carothers decided to continue working together. They were joined by a keyboardist Wesley Hubbard, who already had experience performing with other groups in Alaska. The newly formed trio moved to Portland, Oregon. Shortly, they came up with the band name Portugal. The Man. It’s worth noting that none of the members had any past history related to Portugal.

Initially, the group didn’t even have a drum set. In 2005, the artists released their first EP, Under Waves of the Brown Coat. The same year Jason Sechrist, a drummer, joined the group, improving the lineup. In January 2006, the quartet released its first LP, Waiter: "You Vultures!, which prompted a mixed reaction from the critics. Soon, the musicians presented two small EPs, The Pines & the Devil and Devil Say I, I Say AIR. None of them made it into the charts. In February 2007, Portugal. The Man presented an album, It's Complicated Being a Wizard, dedicated to the NBA superstar, Michael Jordan. In July, they released the second LP, Church Mouth and embarked on the USA tour. Then the group toured Europe. Upon returning, the artists released a two-track album, My Mind. In November, the band went to tour the East Coast.

In September 2008, the group released its third LP, Censored Colors. The tracks from the album leaked to the Internet before the official release. The artists didn’t make a scandal but encouraged the fans to download the music and give feedback.

In July 2009, Portugal. The Man presented the next LP, The Satanic Satanist, which came in 38th on US Top Rock Albums and settled on the 81st spot of US Billboard 200. The album was dedicated to Gourley’s memories of his Alaskan youth. The group released a music video to one of the tracks, “People Say”. Today, it has over 5 million views. Shortly, the artists presented another LP, The Majestic Majesty, which featured the tracks from The Satanic Satanist, recorded acoustically. At that time, many organizers tried to book Portugal. The Man for private events. In February 2010, the group started working on the next LP, American Ghetto. It took the artists less than a month to record it. After the album’s release in March, Portugal. The Man went on the USA tour. In April 2010, the group signed a contract with Atlantic Records and began working on the sixth LP, In the Mountain in the Cloud. Due to a busy schedule, the release of the album had to be delayed until July 2011. Before the album appeared, the group recorded music videos for the singles “Sleep Forever” and “Got It All”. The LP earned positive reviews from the critics. It reached the 11th spot of Top Alternative Albums Chart and came in 12th on US Top Rock Albums Chart.

During one of the concerts in August 2011, someone stole the group’s trailer. The next day it was found empty. Only three days later, the police recovered some of the band’s property. In June 2013, the artists presented their 7th album, Evil Friends, which managed to reach the 28th position on Billboard 200. After its release, the group started working on the next LP, which initially was named Gloomin + Doomin. However, after some time Gourley suddenly found his father’s ticket to Woodstock Festival in 1969 and changed the name to Woodstock. In 2017, the group’s most successful album to date appeared. It climbed to the third spots of US Top Alternative Albums and US Top Rock Album Chart. The single “Feel It Still” topped numerous American charts and conquered Europe. It earned platinum statuses all over the world. Portugal. The Man continues recording hits and performing live.