The Coathangers

Sometimes the most powerful movements begin in the most unassuming places. For The Coathangers, that place was an Atlanta house show, where their electrifying performance caught the attention of The Hiss and earned them an opening slot that would set the wheels of something remarkable into motion. Since that pivotal moment, the band has grown from local curiosity to internationally recognized punk force, carrying their defiant spirit to stages across the United States and beyond.

Formed in 2006, The Coathangers comprise singer and guitarist Julia Kugel-Montoya, bassist Meredith Franco, and singer and drummer Stephanie Luke, each adopting playful stage surnames that reflect the band's irreverent personality. Their name itself carries deliberate weight, referencing the dangerous reality of self-induced abortion and signaling the band's unambiguous pro-choice stance. From the very beginning, The Coathangers made clear they were not a band content to simply make noise for its own sake. Their music has always carried meaning beneath its jagged, exhilarating surface.

Musically rooted in punk rock and garage punk with strong indie rock undercurrents, the band launched their recording career with a 7-inch on Atlanta's Die Slaughterhaus label before releasing their self-titled debut full-length through Rob's House Records in 2007. The record announced their arrival with the kind of unapologetic energy that would become their trademark. By 2009, they had signed with Seattle's Suicide Squeeze Records, a partnership that would prove enduring and fruitful, releasing their sophomore effort Scramble to a growing and hungry audience.

The band's creative momentum only accelerated with time. Their 2011 album Larceny & Old Lace earned generally positive reviews, including attention from prestigious outlets, cementing their reputation as one of America's most vital underground acts. Then came Suck My Shirt in 2014, their most critically and commercially successful record to that point, which saw them hitting the road alongside fellow Atlantans Black Lips. That same year brought another remarkable milestone when Mastodon invited them to contribute backing vocals to the track Aunt Lisa on the album Once More 'Round the Sun, a testament to the respect they had earned across genre lines.

The release of Nosebleed Weekend in April 2016 marked a watershed moment in the band's trajectory. Debuting at number 149 on the Nielsen Soundscan Top 200, it also reached number six on the Top New Artist Albums chart and number four on the Alternative New Artist Albums chart. The album earned them two appearances on Last Call with Carson Daly and a high-profile tour supporting legendary punk band Refused, placing The Coathangers firmly in the conversation alongside the most important names in contemporary punk.

The band followed with the Parasite EP in 2017 and their first official live album, Live, in 2018, before delivering The Devil You Know in March 2019, produced by Nic Jodoin. The album demonstrated that The Coathangers had lost none of their edge or ambition across nearly fifteen years of relentless work. Though the band members now live in different states, making new collaborative work more challenging, their catalogue remains a testament to what fierce conviction and raw talent can build over time.

Nearly two decades after that first house show, the legacy of The Coathangers endures as a reminder that punk rock at its best is about more than volume. It is about honesty, courage, and the refusal to be anything other than exactly who you are.