Propagandhi

Websites:  https://propagandhi.com/, https://www.facebook.com/Propagandhi/about
Origin: Winnipeg, Manitoba, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Formed in 1986 in the small town of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Propagandhi emerged from the Canadian prairies with a fiery mix of razor-sharp political critique, skate-punk velocity, and uncompromising ethics. Founded by guitarist/vocalist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky, the band quickly gained notoriety for their relentless energy, biting satire, and refusal to play nice within punk's status quo.

Propagandhi’s breakthrough came in 1992 after opening for California punk band NOFX. Impressed by their performance and pointed politics, Fat Mike signed the band to his label Fat Wreck Chords, releasing their now-classic debut How to Clean Everything (1993). Combining witty, anarchist politics with tight, melodic punk hooks, the album introduced Propagandhi as a new force in punk — angry, articulate, and not afraid to call bullshit on the scene itself.

Their follow-up, Less Talk, More Rock (1996), turned the volume up on both their music and their politics. With tracks explicitly confronting homophobia, misogyny, and jingoism — and with slogans like “Gay Positive” printed on the cover — the band made it clear they weren’t in this to win popularity contests. If How to Clean Everything was their punk coming-of-age, Less Talk, More Rock was their battle cry.

In 1997, bassist John K. Samson (who later formed The Weakerthans) left the band and was replaced by Todd Kowalski, formerly of I Spy. This marked a shift in Propagandhi’s sound — from fast, melodic skate punk to something heavier, more technical, and unapologetically hardcore. Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes (2001) and Potemkin City Limits (2005) expanded their sonic palette while digging deeper into global politics, corporate imperialism, and environmental collapse.

But Propagandhi’s evolution wasn’t just musical. They co-founded G7 Welcoming Committee Records, a radical label aimed at supporting artists and thinkers with anti-capitalist, anti-authoritarian politics. Their records weren’t just albums — they were manifestos.

The lineup expanded in the 2000s with guitarist David Guillas and later Sulynn Hago, bringing greater musical sophistication to albums like Supporting Caste (2009) and Failed States (2012). By the time Victory Lap dropped in 2017, the band had fully transformed from punk pranksters to respected elder statespeople of political hardcore — still furious, still funny, and still schooling the left on how to rock without selling out.

Throughout it all, Propagandhi have remained committed to using their platform to amplify marginalized voices and challenge systemic injustice. They’ve stood in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty movements (as heard on the searing “Oka Everywhere”), championed animal rights, and called out complacency both inside and outside the punk scene.

More than 35 years since their formation, Propagandhi is still fiercely relevant — not just as musicians, but as thinkers, organizers, and agitators. Their records don’t just entertain; they provoke, educate, and demand participation.
-Robert Williston

Current members:
Chris Hannah: guitar, lead and backing vocals (1986–present)
Jord Samolesky: drums, backing vocals (1986–present)
Todd Kowalski: bass, lead and backing vocals (1997–present)
Sulynn Hago: guitar, backing vocals (2015–present)

Former members:
Scott Hopper: bass, backing vocals (1986–1989)
Stinky Mike Braumeister: bass (1989–1991)
John K. Samson: bass, lead and backing vocals (1991–1997)
David Guillas: guitar (2006–2015)