IDLES

A self-described "angry band" hailing from Bristol in Southwest England, Idles fuse punk rock's raw outrage with a potent yet introspective instrumental force that mirrors the sharp, intentional edge of their words. Joe Talbot, the frontman and primary songwriter, delivers impassioned, full-throated declarations that confront both the state of British society and his private struggles, supported by the band's dense, jagged sonic force that shifts abruptly between tuneful passages and ferocious intensity. Their 2017 debut album Brutalism showcased a relentless, concentrated approach, while the follow-up Joy as an Act of Resistance expanded into broader yet equally ferocious territory. By Crawler in 2021, the group had evolved into a more fluid and layered unit without softening the raw lyrical venom or shadowy atmosphere that defined their earlier work.

The five musicians first assembled in 2009, with Talbot on vocals, Mark Bowen handling lead guitar, Andy S on rhythm guitar, Adam Devonshire on bass, and Jon Harper behind the drums. To build a following, they launched the Batcave club night in their hometown and cultivated a devoted regional audience through repeated performances. Harper departed in 2011, replaced on drums by Jon Beavis. After circulating a self-made demo to supporters, the band issued their initial four-song EP Welcome in August 2012, which drew favorable early coverage. Continued self-funding delayed their next release until October 2015, when the four-track Meat appeared, followed a month later by Meta, a remix collection featuring reworkings by David Pajo, Peter Robertson, Sly One, and Thom Alt J. Andy S exited before Meat's release, with Lee Kiernan stepping in on guitar.

Growing interest from the British press prompted the August 2016 single "Divide & Conquer," a pointed indictment of austerity measures that had undermined the National Health Service. This track opened their first full-length Brutalism, issued in early 2017 via Balley Records and praised for both its thoughtful content and its abrasive delivery. The group maintained a heavy touring schedule and kept composing throughout the year before entering the studio in January 2018. Recording unfolded amid personal hardship: Talbot had long served as primary caregiver to his mother following her stroke when he was 16, and the couple later endured the stillbirth of a daughter. After relying on alcohol to manage the grief, Talbot achieved sobriety, channeling these experiences alongside broader societal concerns into the 2018 album Joy as an Act of Resistance.

The single "Mercedes Marxist" surfaced in May 2019, and later that year the band issued its first live recording, Beautiful Thing: Live at Le Bataclan. Their pattern of annual releases continued with Ultra Mono in 2020, which introduced outside contributors for the first time, among them Jehnny Beth of Savages (on whose 2020 album To Love Is to Live Talbot had appeared), Warren Ellis of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, and Jamie Cullum. Crawler, their fourth studio effort released in 2021, incorporated wider-ranging arrangements and drew from soul and electronic traditions while preserving the group's drive and stance. Expanding visibility led to further joint projects, including a cover of "Peace Signs" with Sharon Van Etten for the 2021 release Epic Ten, a contribution to Tom Morello's 2021 album The Atlas Underground Flood on the track "The Bachelor," and a rendition of "The God That Failed" for Metallica's Black Album tribute box set The Metallica Blacklist. In 2022 the band marked the fifth anniversary of Brutalism with a deluxe edition containing several live cuts recorded for Live from BBC Introducing at Glastonbury. Following a brief hiatus, they delivered their fifth studio album Tangk in 2024, revealing a gentler dimension to their writing shaped by producer Nigel Godrich.