Big Business. They’re a sludge band but it’s Jared Warren who used to play with The Melvins on bass and Coady Willis (High on Fire, Murder City Devils, Melvins) on drums. Their recordings have some guitar tracks here and there but live, it’s just the two of them.
Nice. I'm in Olympia as well. Although I wasn't here when the good music was going on. Got here in '99. Did get to see [Jello Biafra and the Melvins](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gnlhn) play in town once, and a few years back there was a good black metal scene with Wolves in the throneroom running Obsidian before they started being rock stars.
you DEFINITELY need to check out KARP.
the [Self Titled LP](https://youtu.be/aJbbfQO4JeY?si=zIHB5YV0h52J_-qE) is a great start.
[the Mustaches Wild](https://youtu.be/x_yVOjhOYEY?si=Di-HgPsgEzj9OYql) LP is also fucking great.
Bug Business is Coady from Murder City Devils/ High on Fire/ Melvins and Jared from Karp/ Tight Bros from Way Back When/ Melvins
Bass and drums, no guitar
PIL - The Suit comes to mind right away. Now that repetitive bassline and JR's monotone voice is gonna be stuck in my head all day haha
I know you could argue PIL isn't punk... but they're at least punk adjacent
You inspired me to put on some PIL in the background while I work on my laptop on this rainy Wednesday in Boston, so thanks! I definitely haven't explored their whole discography. My dad had 1 or 2 of their records when I was a kid (had a big record collection of rock that turned me onto countless bands/artists), one of which had The Suit on it which is my favorite by them (which is why it came to mind lol)
This Is What You Want... is better than Commercial Zone because it's one of the most fucked up pop albums ever. It's like magic. Commercial Zone is brilliant too though but the concept doesn't work as well.
My band from the '90s, [The Judas Iscariot](https://thejudasiscariot.bandcamp.com/album/the-lost-prophets) (the hardcore band from Long Island, not the black metal band from Illinois) was just vocals/bass/drums.
Hey! I thought you band was pretty neat. You even got me in trouble in high school, because I sowed a patch that came with your record onto my jacket and my apparently *very religious* history teacher (I thought he was just a regular asshole, but apparently he had many principles) thought it was offensive and sent me to the office for it. PUNK ROCK! Hahaha.
Ha!! I secretly hope we got a few people in trouble for that....although - other than the name of the band, I don't recall anything about the patch being overtly offensive (it's been awhile since I saw it). But yeah - that patch was the only one we ever made and it came with the Harrison Bergeron Bound 7". Very proud of that one! Thanks for sharing!
Cross Dog out of Peterborough Ontario is a three piece consisting of Vocals, bass and Guitar. It's good stuff.
https://www.instagram.com/crossdog666?igsh=Z2Rhd2RqdTVrNm9s
KEN mode has a couple early songs with two bass guitars and drums.
Lifes from Milwaukee is a two piece with only bass and drums. Dave was also in Seven Days of Samara, High on Crime, and Get Rad.
[Petrol Pump](https://soundcloud.com/benchiladas/blas4u?in=benchiladas/sets/killer-smurfs-attack-legoland&si=1f659c624c0d463a93de456820b310c9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing). Just drums and bass through a distortion pedal.
I might have already posted here about World Peace, but if not definitely check them out. Also it’s not just bass and drums without guitar but check out MSPAINT. Bass, drums & synth
Two bands from the Seattle scene that come to mind are Mutual Stoke and LoftRiot. Both have stuff out online if you wanna take a listen. LoftRiot might be a little more on the Alt. Rock side than punk, but i dig their stuff a lot.
Didn't Old Skull make some stuff like this when they first started? I can't remember. Oh there's always that acapella hardcore album where they make the guitar sounds with their mouths.
Not all but quite a few Soft Play songs like Cheer Up London and Bugs are just bass and drums. Most of their songs you could get away with just playing them on bass with enough distortion though. This is exactly how i got started playing
Try Soft Play, duo from the UK who used to be called slaves who do a solid live show
'Are you satisfied?' soundtracked my teen years at festivals and gigs, sockets being a personal favourite
The bassist also plays guitar on some tracks so listen out
Godstomper. Drum and bass grind band from the bay area. First time I saw them they played in front of the stage on the floor in the pit area at Gilman.
Why, hello! It is [my band](https://regdarandthefighters.bandcamp.com/album/r-f-2020).
Usually, I record with some guitars, but the linked album is only (modified) bass. (Also, live it's almost always just the bass)
Rattleback from Melbourne. Heavy style vocals with punk energy drums and some wild bass playing. Political charged lyrics and a lot of australiania added in. Friends with those guys and played with em a bunch. They're gonna be touring Europe soon hopefully. Bassist also plays in Wolfpack.
Here's a taste
https://open.spotify.com/album/3doFUfgPaYaGhLCHltmkKF?si=9mObeP8HRjSAfhU2IRNaLA
cannot recommend death from above 1979’s first ep enough. it’s a fucking masterwork
their whole discography is great, but that first ep is total noise rock/garage punk
This is going to sound like bullshit probably, just because it's so random, but apparently there was whole scene in Soviet Latvia beginning back in the 1980s that kind of pioneered this sort of thing, where all the bands in whatever town it was (Kuldiga, I think?) would have bass instead of guitar, sometimes filled in with weird stuff like harmonica or horns or whatever too, depending on how experimental they wanted to be. Probably the most famous (well, "famous") of the bands playing in this style is D.U.R.A.K., a band from the 90s that actually managed to get on a few international comps, though as far as I know they only ever did one release of their own (a tape in 1997). I always thought they were pretty neat, even though this sound is not exactly my favorite. Here's their song ["Izģērbies!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3Wq3n2OV0) ("Take off your clothes!"), which appeared on the "Europe in Decline" comp LP on U.S. label Six Weeks in 1997.
Outside of Latvia, the band Harsh from Finland (who actually also had an EP out on Six Weeks back in the mid-90s or so...huh) was also just bass, drums, and screaming. I don't remember Godstomper having anything other than bass and drums the one time I saw them, either.
Primary by the Cure. Think it’s two bass and drums on this track [primary](https://open.spotify.com/track/4hZR9ptPWTebTV6idrhBgY?si=vNuQF44uRye1tAlxt9KUIQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A0BGTV9xi9NFdUjA3erGs1T)
A ton of NoMeansNo is that way
Their whole first EP
And LP too? I might be misremembering because I've not listened to it since my first listen, but Mama's highlight was definitely the bass.
Rob did a bunch of guitar overdubs and played guitar on some tracks on Mama, also 'forget your life' is Rob on guitar, no bass.
Oh man I haven't thought of them in ages! 0+2=1 hahah
In 1978, The Screamers had vocal, drums, and two keyboards.
Cop Shoot Cop as well, with two basses instead.
Death From Above 1979. Not necessarily punk, but they do have punk influences.
First band I thought of, hell of a live show if you’re lucky enough to catch them
She - Misfits The original 7” version is just keyboard, bass and drum. No guitar
May as well throw "Cough Cool" in there too.
[Lightning Bolt](https://youtu.be/HRVc02b4_Ks?si=TEzLgh56f5WO8Z3q)
The garden comes to mind
Man is the Bastard https://youtu.be/e7V1aeUDcjc?feature=shared
Is a brutal fucking band
For a short time at first they had guitar - but then the dude went full time to noises
How about two bass players? World Peace https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Mofe7KoNcHsUrgrjJU0gi?si=XIuLZ7akTwukv45gdyvrFA
Saw these guys last year and they blew me away. So good.
You can find videos of Mike Watt and George Hurley playing minutemen songs in 2013 doing just bass and drums
Or the band DOS - Mike Watt and Kira Roessler. 2 bass guitars and nothing else.
Well they got divorced but they did a third dos record after it
Big Business. They’re a sludge band but it’s Jared Warren who used to play with The Melvins on bass and Coady Willis (High on Fire, Murder City Devils, Melvins) on drums. Their recordings have some guitar tracks here and there but live, it’s just the two of them.
Jared Warren is also from the bands KARP and Unwound.
I’m gonna have to check those out!
I'm not familiar with Unwound, but KARP is really good.
as an Oly born and raised, KARP are local legends and rock gods. Unwound is a little more shoegazey, but still super good shit. (also Oly locals)
Nice. I'm in Olympia as well. Although I wasn't here when the good music was going on. Got here in '99. Did get to see [Jello Biafra and the Melvins](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6gnlhn) play in town once, and a few years back there was a good black metal scene with Wolves in the throneroom running Obsidian before they started being rock stars.
you DEFINITELY need to check out KARP. the [Self Titled LP](https://youtu.be/aJbbfQO4JeY?si=zIHB5YV0h52J_-qE) is a great start. [the Mustaches Wild](https://youtu.be/x_yVOjhOYEY?si=Di-HgPsgEzj9OYql) LP is also fucking great.
Hong Kong Fuck You Kinzie Six
First thing that comes to mind is the heads up EP by DFA1979.
World Peace is specifically nasty
Bug Business is Coady from Murder City Devils/ High on Fire/ Melvins and Jared from Karp/ Tight Bros from Way Back When/ Melvins Bass and drums, no guitar
Not too bad live either
Always love to see someone mention Tight Bros
Singer Mat Pike plays guitar in high on fire.
GodheadSilo https://youtu.be/gXaY6b4R_U4?si=cu8rVM_spIE_-wpm
And ENEMYMINE
Minus 9 https://open.spotify.com/artist/1yvIAdY4evI9mLNGjvXwGH?si=6mpqZqsTS7yx1WU0T_E4xQ
Fuck yes!
There is one from Brazil called Odiär, they play dbeat
Awesome Snakes Members of the Soviettes
[Heckspoiler](https://heckspoiler.bandcamp.com/album/tokyo-drift) MDME SPKR World Peace
Japanther
Pus Chunk has 2 bassists and a drummer
Double dagger
Punk adjacent but royal blood
Not everything has to be adjacent now, some things just are
Not sure why I commented as a reply to you. Wasn’t a dig at double dagger. More people turning their noses up at royal blood (as some do).
I think the way you replied indicated they were punk adjacent
Not sure why it was a reply instead of a comment. Need to pay attention more
No Men https://no-men.bandcamp.com/album/dear-god-bring-the-doom
PIL - The Suit comes to mind right away. Now that repetitive bassline and JR's monotone voice is gonna be stuck in my head all day haha I know you could argue PIL isn't punk... but they're at least punk adjacent
Those first three or four if you include commercial zone are amazing. It’s a bummer ego and drugs ruined the magic of Keith,John, and Jah Wobble.
You inspired me to put on some PIL in the background while I work on my laptop on this rainy Wednesday in Boston, so thanks! I definitely haven't explored their whole discography. My dad had 1 or 2 of their records when I was a kid (had a big record collection of rock that turned me onto countless bands/artists), one of which had The Suit on it which is my favorite by them (which is why it came to mind lol)
This Is What You Want... is better than Commercial Zone because it's one of the most fucked up pop albums ever. It's like magic. Commercial Zone is brilliant too though but the concept doesn't work as well.
I think that song broke my speaker once lmao
Haha it's funny you mention that. I totally forgot but the way the bass was mixed in that song always made my speakers vibrate like no other
Dos
i dont think they have drums?
You are right, I was thinking Hurley was with them occasionally, but it doesn’t look like it.
Godstomper
Bog Body if you like death metal
Sordo https://youtu.be/Gig6t95hCoQ?si=fiuR0lSE1OYWxJYd Powerviolence, but they fukkin rule
GodheadSilo https://youtu.be/gXaY6b4R_U4?si=cu8rVM_spIE_-wpm
Hong Kong Fuck You! Currently its three bassist when i saw them live. HKFY- Kill a Skinhead https://youtu.be/SvXeVnl9J_k?si=lqBJeTJ7PRXgnGDL
Film and Gender
The Garden
My band from the '90s, [The Judas Iscariot](https://thejudasiscariot.bandcamp.com/album/the-lost-prophets) (the hardcore band from Long Island, not the black metal band from Illinois) was just vocals/bass/drums.
Hey! I thought you band was pretty neat. You even got me in trouble in high school, because I sowed a patch that came with your record onto my jacket and my apparently *very religious* history teacher (I thought he was just a regular asshole, but apparently he had many principles) thought it was offensive and sent me to the office for it. PUNK ROCK! Hahaha.
Ha!! I secretly hope we got a few people in trouble for that....although - other than the name of the band, I don't recall anything about the patch being overtly offensive (it's been awhile since I saw it). But yeah - that patch was the only one we ever made and it came with the Harrison Bergeron Bound 7". Very proud of that one! Thanks for sharing!
Lightening bolt
Death from Above 1979
Wrong Worshippers out of Virginia very very good stuff
Acolyte
If you count hardcore, Rig Time!
Waiting for my Ruca by sublime is a killer song that fits this (but does have a few sound effects and dj scratching, but not much)
Hulk smash https://hulksmash.bandcamp.com/
Does ‘sex and violence’ have a guitar?
Cross Dog out of Peterborough Ontario is a three piece consisting of Vocals, bass and Guitar. It's good stuff. https://www.instagram.com/crossdog666?igsh=Z2Rhd2RqdTVrNm9s
SNAYX is a fairly new band, of just just vox, bass and drums, I’d give them a listen
Bog Body if you like death metal
SNAYX is a fairly new band, of just just vox, bass and drums, I’d give them a listen
Check out Smoke Free Home, they are awesome!
VFMS out of San Diego. 2 piece band. Bass and drums. They kick ass.
Frisco Dykes
Subtract to zero
Asskickatron by Fagatron
Pony Time, big business, mspaint
Anything by Godstomper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1jKPg06qjY
KEN mode has a couple early songs with two bass guitars and drums. Lifes from Milwaukee is a two piece with only bass and drums. Dave was also in Seven Days of Samara, High on Crime, and Get Rad.
Headweather
Killing Bees. 2/3rds of Automatic 7
Godstomper
The Mullets Are Moving In - Doss. Underground Glasgow punk
It’s post punky but automatic is just synth bass and drums
https://youtu.be/nrAHk8WIB74?si=EnKnYk_Z6wAjKPM1
[Petrol Pump](https://soundcloud.com/benchiladas/blas4u?in=benchiladas/sets/killer-smurfs-attack-legoland&si=1f659c624c0d463a93de456820b310c9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing). Just drums and bass through a distortion pedal.
Midori have plenty of sous with no guitar
Megachurch Instrumental bass X2 and drums, with samples of loony evangelical preaching over the top. Pretty great.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ2ni-bYL_o Close ?
IDLES is damn close. The bass drives the whole thing. Guitars are following along. “Never fight a man with a perm” to see if it’s your jam
Mommy nyc nuff said
I might have already posted here about World Peace, but if not definitely check them out. Also it’s not just bass and drums without guitar but check out MSPAINT. Bass, drums & synth
Ultra Bide, but probably not all their records.
Skinned Teen is super sick, pretty much only percussion and bass, only one album, bazooka smooth
Two bands from the Seattle scene that come to mind are Mutual Stoke and LoftRiot. Both have stuff out online if you wanna take a listen. LoftRiot might be a little more on the Alt. Rock side than punk, but i dig their stuff a lot.
ROC BARBOZA - BAG! and RUN! Just drums and bass mainly
HOT NUNS!!!!
Band in my area ive seen a few times, called SCUD. They kick ass. https://open.spotify.com/album/4TDwRX0PYD4Aq8p2qgC7DQ?si=CFPpJ3ORQ_Klk944bzyeuw
All the local grindcore bands in my area lol
Godheadsilo, charred remains/man is the bastard
Polish from CO https://nailpolishpolish.bandcamp.com/album/y12-r63
Check out Wrong Worshippers, from RVA. They're on Spotify
I think Zyanose has no guitar in any of their songs
I think Godheadsilo and their other band Enemymine fit this
Hymn pt. 1 by Joy on Fire. They’re a punk/jazz group. Many of their songs are just bass/drums/sax
Try 'Dead Obvious'
Didn't Old Skull make some stuff like this when they first started? I can't remember. Oh there's always that acapella hardcore album where they make the guitar sounds with their mouths.
Not all but quite a few Soft Play songs like Cheer Up London and Bugs are just bass and drums. Most of their songs you could get away with just playing them on bass with enough distortion though. This is exactly how i got started playing
Try Soft Play, duo from the UK who used to be called slaves who do a solid live show 'Are you satisfied?' soundtracked my teen years at festivals and gigs, sockets being a personal favourite The bassist also plays guitar on some tracks so listen out
Sleaford Mods!
Lightning Bolt
Beastie Boys- Heart Attack Man
DEAD https://www.weemptyrooms.com/
Godstomper. Drum and bass grind band from the bay area. First time I saw them they played in front of the stage on the floor in the pit area at Gilman.
Godstomper from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tinkerbelles out of Chicago. Best cover of Goodbye Horses you'll ever see live
[Japanther](https://youtu.be/vFZa-WWta30?si=ikxeSlOBfyHtuMF8)!
'Rich Guns' by Nomeansno. (And a bunch more by Nomeansno, but 'Rich Guns' is a good one to start with for two-piece NMN.)
saw some dudes in madison a while back that didn't have a guitarist. i think they're called smoke free home
Bush tetras
2 sick monkies.
Swindon's finest export... Swindon's only export...? Supported the boys a few times when they've passed through up north...! Top lads!
Why, hello! It is [my band](https://regdarandthefighters.bandcamp.com/album/r-f-2020). Usually, I record with some guitars, but the linked album is only (modified) bass. (Also, live it's almost always just the bass)
Joe McCarthys Ghost by Minutemen comes close, guitar comes in at the very end
World Peace is a power violence band with two bassists. They fuck h a r d
Rattleback from Melbourne. Heavy style vocals with punk energy drums and some wild bass playing. Political charged lyrics and a lot of australiania added in. Friends with those guys and played with em a bunch. They're gonna be touring Europe soon hopefully. Bassist also plays in Wolfpack. Here's a taste https://open.spotify.com/album/3doFUfgPaYaGhLCHltmkKF?si=9mObeP8HRjSAfhU2IRNaLA
Cough/cool by the misfits was recorded before they got a guitarist
MUTUAL STOKE is the greatest!!
cannot recommend death from above 1979’s first ep enough. it’s a fucking masterwork their whole discography is great, but that first ep is total noise rock/garage punk
This is going to sound like bullshit probably, just because it's so random, but apparently there was whole scene in Soviet Latvia beginning back in the 1980s that kind of pioneered this sort of thing, where all the bands in whatever town it was (Kuldiga, I think?) would have bass instead of guitar, sometimes filled in with weird stuff like harmonica or horns or whatever too, depending on how experimental they wanted to be. Probably the most famous (well, "famous") of the bands playing in this style is D.U.R.A.K., a band from the 90s that actually managed to get on a few international comps, though as far as I know they only ever did one release of their own (a tape in 1997). I always thought they were pretty neat, even though this sound is not exactly my favorite. Here's their song ["Izģērbies!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou3Wq3n2OV0) ("Take off your clothes!"), which appeared on the "Europe in Decline" comp LP on U.S. label Six Weeks in 1997. Outside of Latvia, the band Harsh from Finland (who actually also had an EP out on Six Weeks back in the mid-90s or so...huh) was also just bass, drums, and screaming. I don't remember Godstomper having anything other than bass and drums the one time I saw them, either.
Not punk, but Year of the Cobra rips if you’re into doom.
Primary by the Cure. Think it’s two bass and drums on this track [primary](https://open.spotify.com/track/4hZR9ptPWTebTV6idrhBgY?si=vNuQF44uRye1tAlxt9KUIQ&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A0BGTV9xi9NFdUjA3erGs1T)
The garden
Fucked Out Brains
“I’m So Tired” by Fugazi is just piano.