Biography
A veteran of Louisiana's garage punk circuit whose career stretches back decades, King Louie Bankston launched his musical journey in the early 1990s as a member of the Royal Pendletons. He later collaborated with Jay Reatard in Bad Times and briefly joined the ranks of the Exploding Hearts, contributing the song "I'm a Pretender" while adding keyboards to their 2003 album Guitar Romantic. Following stints as a solo performer and in several short-lived groups, Bankston teamed up in 2009 with guitarist Julian Fried to form Missing Monuments. They enlisted drummer Aaron Hill along with bassist Bennette Bartley, after which the quartet began performing live. Their initial release, the 2010 Douchemaster single "Black Rainbows"/"Tailspin," appeared under the name King Louie's Missing Monuments. The same label issued the band's debut full-length, Painted White, the following year. After Bartley's departure, Benny Divine from Wizzard Sleeve took over on bass. In 2012 the group delivered the Hozac single "I'm Gonna Love You Back to Life" and turned its attention to recording a new album, which Dirtnap ultimately released as the self-titled Missing Monuments in the summer of 2013.
Albums