Ex-Cult

Sounding lean, wiry, and frantic as they spit out fuzzy bad-vibe anthems of bitterness and accusation, Ex-Cult are a fierce punk rock band from Memphis. The group was formed in 2011 by vocalist Chris Shaw, formerly of Vile Nation, and drummer Michael Peery, who worked with the band <a href="spotify:artist:77yextwTD1ZcQq0Q1koLGc">Magic Kids</a>. Recruiting bassist Natalie Hoffmann and guitarists J.B. Horrell and Alec McIntyre, the new band took the name <a href="spotify:artist:7fuxhAAXRjp84O9XJrrGnI">Sex Cult</a> and released its first single through respected Memphis punk label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Goner+Records%22">Goner Records</a> in September 2011. Shaw had struck up a friendship with San Francisco garage punk guru <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Ty Segall</a>, and after <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a> saw <a href="spotify:artist:7fuxhAAXRjp84O9XJrrGnI">Sex Cult</a> perform at the 2012 South by Southwest Music Conference, he volunteered to produce the band's first album. The group took <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a> up on his offer, and headed to San Francisco for sessions with <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a> and engineer Eric Bauer, but not before changing its name to Ex-Cult. Ex-Cult's self-titled debut album was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Goner%22">Goner</a> in late 2012, and earned enthusiastic reviews from the music press. Following extensive touring, including a string of dates opening for <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a>, Ex-Cult began work on their second album, and Midnight Passenger arrived in April 2014. The group hit the road with a vengeance after the LP dropped, and in July 2014, Ex-Cult announced they'd changed their lineup, with Hoffmann out and Frank McLallen in on bass. After another visit to the recording studio, Ex-Cult had a new EP to add to their catalog, and Cigarette Machine was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Castle+Face+Records%22">Castle Face Records</a> in February 2015. After Shaw took time out to record an album with <a href="spotify:artist:78x9aF0bqxXHn3noFaHPKW">GØGGS</a>, a band he formed with <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1X88xrhEvsoUjJ6EUHwiWF">Fuzz</a>'s Charles Moothart, Ex-Cult went back to California for a week to record with <a href="spotify:artist:58XGUNsRNu3cVOIOYk5chx">Segall</a> again. The resulting album, Negative Growth, was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Goner%22">Goner</a> in September of 2016. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi