Wikipedia

The Taxpayers

The Taxpayers are an American punk rock band formed in 2007 in Portland, Oregon. The band is known for their DIY punk ethic and commitment to inclusivity.[1] They have been noted for experimenting with different styles like folk punk,[2] hardcore, and bluegrass[3] in addition to writing narrative-based concept albums.[4][5][6][7][8]

The Taxpayers
OriginPortland, Oregon
GenresFolk punk, punk rock
Years active2007-present
MembersRob Taxpayer
Noah Taxpayer
Elise Taxpayer
Beni Taxpayer
Alex Taxpayer
Kevin Taxpayer
Andrew Taxpayer
Past membersNasrene Taxpayer
Patch Taxpayer
Nate Taxpayer

Career

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God, Forgive These Bastards (2012)

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Their album God, Forgive These Bastards (2012) is a concept album that details the life of a fictional baseball player named Henry Turner.[2][5] It was released alongside a novel of the same name written by Rob Taxpayer, the band's principal songwriter.[9][10][11] The album has received critical acclaim.[6][7] Since its release, the song "I Love You Like An Alcoholic" off the album received a large boost in streams due to its popularity on TikTok.[12][13] The song currently has over 117 million streams on Spotify.[14]

Recent activity

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In 2018, a few of the members from The Taxpayers formed the band Trusty Snakes and released one country record called New American Frontier.[15][16]

The Taxpayers headlined the 2024 edition of the volunteer-run folk-punk festival Hobofopo in Hobart, Australia alongside local bands like The Stragglers, Gusto Gusto, and Operation Ibis.[17]

In 2025, they released their seventh studio album, Circle Breaker, on Ernest Jenning Record Co., after a long hiatus.[18] It was recorded within the span of a week and touches upon themes of the angst of living through a national pandemic, nihilism, and weathering personal tragedies while practicing resilience.[19][20]

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A live version of their 2007 song "Medicines"[21] serves as the opening and closing theme for the long-running comedic medical podcast, Sawbones.[22]

Members

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Current

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  • Rob Taxpayer - vocals, guitar, piano, clarinet
  • Noah Taxpayer - percussion, backing vocals
  • Elise Taxpayer - cello
  • Beni Taxpayer - vocals, bass, tambourine
  • Alex Taxpayer - saxophone, accordion
  • Kevin Taxpayer - trumpet, piano
  • Andrew Taxpayer - lead guitar, banjo

Former

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  • Nasrene Taxpayer - vocals, accordion, bass
  • Patch Taxpayer - bass
  • Nate Taxpayer - bass

When they perform live, the band fluctuates between three to eight members. Band members have chosen to adopt "Taxpayer" as a last name to keep themselves anonymous.[23]

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Exhilarating News (2007, Useless State Records)
  • A Rhythm in The Cages (2009, Useless State Records, Quote Unquote Records, Secret Pennies Records, Rib Fest Records)
  • To Risk So Much For One Damn Meal (2010, Plan-It-X Records, Quote Unquote Records, Useless State Records, Tiger Force Ultra Records, Rib Fest Records)
  • God Forgive These Bastards (2012, Asian Man Records, Really Records, Plan-It-X Records, Useless State Records, Microcosm Publishing)
  • Cold Hearted Town (2013, Plan-It-X Records, Useless State Records)
  • Big Delusion Factory (2016, Secret Pennies Records, Useless State Records)
  • Circle Breaker (2025, Ernest Jenning Record Co.)

Collections/EPs

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  • Modest Proposals (2011, Useless State Records)
  • Modest Proposals 2 (2020, Useless State Records)

Compilations

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  • Dangerous Intersections VI (2009, Traffic Street Records)
  • PDX Pop Now! (2009)
  • Asian Man Music For Asian Man People Vol. 1 (2013, Asian Man Records)

References

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  1. ↑ Rosson, Keith (April 1, 2013). "Taxpayers" (PDF). Razorcake. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Keith, Cup of (November 26, 2023). "The Taxpayers Have Stuck With Me, and I didn't Realize it Until Now". Medium. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  3. ↑ Caraeff, Ezra Ace. "Anarchy in Margaritaville". Portland Mercury. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  4. ↑ Pigeon, Rock the (March 23, 2025). "The Taxpayers' New Album Circle Breaker Delivers a Folk-Punk Explosion, Featuring the Anthemic "Outline of Your Blood"". ROCK THE PIGEON. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Hodgman, Alec (January 31, 2020). "ROB TAXPAYER - Interview | A Fistful of Vinyl". A Fistful of Vinyl. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Hopkins, Dem (July 24, 2015). "The Taxpayers". Busted At OZ. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Mamoun, Tracy (June 21, 2012). "The Taxpayers' New Album Out On Saturday!". The Deli Mag. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ Crawford, Sean (January 16, 2017). "The Taxpayers - Big Delusion Factory". PunkNews. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  9. ↑ dcobenour (March 3, 2025). "The Taxpayers' Rob Taxpayer • Off Shelf". Off Shelf. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  10. ↑ Keith, Cup of (November 26, 2023). "The Taxpayers Have Stuck With Me, and I didn't Realize it Until Now". Medium. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  11. ↑ Morton, Rob (November 1, 2025). "God, Forgive These Bastards". Microcosm Publishing. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  12. ↑ The Taxpayers – I Love You Like an Alcoholic, retrieved February 10, 2026
  13. ↑ "TikTok - Make Your Day". www.tiktok.com. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ "New American Frontier, by The Trusty Snakes". Useless State. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Into Music: Rob Taxpayer". KMUW. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  17. ↑ "'The Taxpayers' To Headline Hobofopo 2024 - Tasmanian Times". July 7, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  18. ↑ Cipolle, Alex V. (March 27, 2025). "On new album, DIY punk band The Taxpayers seek solace during violent times". MPR News. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Album Review: The Taxpayers - Circle Breaker". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ Buzz, Valentino Petrarca (July 23, 2025). "Punk Rock Integrity – Side Stage Conversations with The Taxpayers". The Aquarian. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  21. ↑ "The Taxpayers - Medicines - Free Music Archive". freemusicarchive.org. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine". Maximum Fun. June 19, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  23. ↑ "The Taxpayers, Thursday, Jan. 22". Willamette Week. January 21, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
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