Josh Portman
| Josh Portman | |
|---|---|
 Portman in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 26, 1979 |
| Origin | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Associated acts | Near Miss, Yellowcard |
Joshua "Josh" David Portman is an American musician who has played guitar in a number of well-known punk/post-hardcore bands including Near Miss and Staring Back.[1] Currently, Portman is the bassist for the band Yellowcard.
Early life
Portman was born on October 26, 1979. His younger years were spent living in Madison, WI before moving with his family to Atlanta, 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.
Early Bands
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.
Later Bands: Staring Back, Near Miss, and Yellowcard
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. Later that same year, 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 and then they went on "indefinite hiatus". Sean O' Donnell of Reeve Oliver became the bassist when Yellowcard reunited in 2010.
Great White Lion Snake and other Current Endeavors
After Yellowcard went on "indefinite hiatus", 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. As of early 2012, Josh has rejoined Yellowcard as a permanent member.
Yellowcard
After bassist Sean O'Donnell left Yellowcard, the band needed a new bassist. Portman was announced as the new bassist on February 17, 2012.
References
External links
- ??? at confrontmagazine.com
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