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| Photo by Leah Wilhelmina |
Interview conducted with singer/guitarist Daan Proto
Shock Treatment: Who is currently in The Protos and what does everyone do in the band?
Daan: The Protos is Guus, Sid & me (Daan). Guus plays guitar, Sid is on drums and adds backing vocals here and there, and I sing and play guitar. Two guitars and a drum kit is what it’s always been, and we’re pretty sure it’s what it’ll always be.
Apart from the music, we all put in some work getting shows, but to be honest we’re not that good at it. Usually people send us a message on Instagram or email, and if we’re available and we like it, we go for it.
Shock Treatment: How did you guys all meet and decide to play music together?
I only started listening to punk about 10 years ago. I was playing in another band with Randy (Burlers, Traumatizer), and we both shifted towards punk a few years before COVID. We went to a lot of shows together, then formed Burlers. In the years right after COVID, there were lots of new punk bands playing in the Netherlands.
At that time I listened a lot to ’70s punk, proto-punk, and post-punk, before finding my way to ’60s garage punk and all its revival.
Shock Treatment: You guys played some sold out shows last year with Jack White in the Netherlands. How did that gig come about and how did those shows go?
Daan: That was a surprise for us too. We just received an email saying: “Jack wants you as his support.” The promoter didn’t know us and also didn’t know how Jack White found out about us, but that was the message from his management. Of course we said yes.
We did send our debut album to his label, Third Man Records, but never got a reply. Maybe he listened to it and remembered us, or maybe someone recommended us. We don’t know, but we had a great time. He can ask us again anytime.
Shock Treatment: What do you want the audience walking away with after seeing one for your shows?
Daan: We don’t want to be just another band that entertains you for a bit and then you go home and forget about it. But I guess that’s what every band wants.
Shock Treatment: Speaking of shows, you guys went on a tour of France last year as well. How did that go? How do French audiences compare to the audiences in Amsterdam?
Daan: Yes, we did a small tour in France, which was a lot of fun. There are quite a few venues there that have been around for decades and really care about (garage) punk. We were treated very well by promoters, venues, and audiences. Le Ravelin in Toulouse was a great show, together with Sloks, who just released their new album. Go see them if you get the chance.
We’re going back in May to play Bomb Your Brain Fest in Valence. I don’t think there’s a big difference in audiences, except that in Amsterdam more people already know us.
Shock Treatment: Tell me about your debut LP Drain In My Brain. What was your experience making it?
Daan: We recorded it at Slachthuis with Buster (Asbest Boys, Traumatizer, GIPS Records) in two days. We liked working with him because he understands what we’re going for. We recorded everything live (except vocals), with no overdubs, straight into an old analogue mixer. He just pushed everything until it sounded right, and that was it. Daan Kandelaars helped with the mix/master to get everything balanced. He did a great job too.
I mostly remember wanting to record it as fast as possible, because I was already starting to get over the break-up. I wanted to capture it while it was still fresh, and I think we just made it in time.
Shock Treatment: What sorts of things inspire your lyrics?
Daan: For our debut record it was basically all heartbreak and misery. 12 tracks for 12 years haha; that wasn’t on purpose, but yeah, it was a rough one and I guess I had to write to get through it. There are other themes in the songs, but even when a song didn’t start out being about the break-up, it usually ended up there anyway.
I tried not to filter too much and just wrote down whatever I felt, even if it sounded stupid. Around that time I listened a lot to late ’60s soul (Otis Clay, Martha Reeves, Willie Hutch, James Carr), and their lyrics really influenced me. There’s something very direct and relatable in how they write. I’m always impressed how they can express complex feelings in just one sentence. And all of their lyrics are about love or heartbreak, at least that’s how it felt for me at that time.
Shock Treatment: What does 2026 hold for The Protos?
Daan: We’ve been writing new songs over the past year. We have a recording session planned with Randy and will probably record around 13 or 14 tracks. If all goes well, there should be a new record by the end of the year.
We’re also releasing a third pressing of Drain In My Brain with No Front Teeth on May 1st. The first pressing is sold out and the second is almost gone, so it’s good timing with some weekend tours coming up in May and June. In June we’ll do a weekender with The Anomalys.
Shock Treatment: Where can people go to listen to your music and buy your records?
Daan: Bandcamp: https://theprotos.bandcamp.com/album/the-protos-drain-in-my-brain
The 3rd press will be there from 1st of May.
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Shock Treatment: Who is currently in The Protos and what does everyone do in the band?
Daan: The Protos is Guus, Sid & me (Daan). Guus plays guitar, Sid is on drums and adds backing vocals here and there, and I sing and play guitar. Two guitars and a drum kit is what it’s always been, and we’re pretty sure it’s what it’ll always be.
Apart from the music, we all put in some work getting shows, but to be honest we’re not that good at it. Usually people send us a message on Instagram or email, and if we’re available and we like it, we go for it.
Shock Treatment: How did you guys all meet and decide to play music together?
Daan: I met Sid and Guus at punk shows in Amsterdam/Haarlem. At that time we were playing in Achterlicht (Guus), The Covids (Sid), and Burlers (me), and there were plenty of shows where we’d run into each other. Around that same time I went through a break-up, wrote some songs about it, and wanted to start a new band. I only knew Sid from seeing her at shows and the occasional beer at Checkpoint Charlie, the bar where she works. But I always liked her and her drumming style, so I thought she’d be the perfect fit. At the first rehearsal, we played about nine songs straight through without a break. I think we both felt from the start that something was there. A few weeks before that, I spoke to Guus after an Achterlicht show and told him I wanted to start a garage punk band with him someday. At first I thought that would be a separate project, next to the one with Sid. Then I suddenly realised: 1+1=3. So I asked if he had some spare time, which he did. He came to the next rehearsal and so The Protos was born.
Shock Treatment: The band is currently based in Amsterdam, yeah? How did punk music find you in the Netherlands?
Daan: Yes, we’re based in Amsterdam/Haarlem. “WIJ ZIJN THE PROTOS UIT AMSTERDAM!”, at which point Guus always adds: “EN HAARLEM!”. We’re just as often in Haarlem as in Amsterdam, to be honest. We love Slachthuis and its posse. Shout out to the H-Town Hardcore crew.
I only started listening to punk about 10 years ago. I was playing in another band with Randy (Burlers, Traumatizer), and we both shifted towards punk a few years before COVID. We went to a lot of shows together, then formed Burlers. In the years right after COVID, there were lots of new punk bands playing in the Netherlands.
At that time I listened a lot to ’70s punk, proto-punk, and post-punk, before finding my way to ’60s garage punk and all its revival.
Daan: That was a surprise for us too. We just received an email saying: “Jack wants you as his support.” The promoter didn’t know us and also didn’t know how Jack White found out about us, but that was the message from his management. Of course we said yes.
We did send our debut album to his label, Third Man Records, but never got a reply. Maybe he listened to it and remembered us, or maybe someone recommended us. We don’t know, but we had a great time. He can ask us again anytime.
Shock Treatment: What do you want the audience walking away with after seeing one for your shows?
Daan: We don’t want to be just another band that entertains you for a bit and then you go home and forget about it. But I guess that’s what every band wants.
Shock Treatment: Speaking of shows, you guys went on a tour of France last year as well. How did that go? How do French audiences compare to the audiences in Amsterdam?
Daan: Yes, we did a small tour in France, which was a lot of fun. There are quite a few venues there that have been around for decades and really care about (garage) punk. We were treated very well by promoters, venues, and audiences. Le Ravelin in Toulouse was a great show, together with Sloks, who just released their new album. Go see them if you get the chance.
We’re going back in May to play Bomb Your Brain Fest in Valence. I don’t think there’s a big difference in audiences, except that in Amsterdam more people already know us.
Shock Treatment: Tell me about your debut LP Drain In My Brain. What was your experience making it?
Daan: We recorded it at Slachthuis with Buster (Asbest Boys, Traumatizer, GIPS Records) in two days. We liked working with him because he understands what we’re going for. We recorded everything live (except vocals), with no overdubs, straight into an old analogue mixer. He just pushed everything until it sounded right, and that was it. Daan Kandelaars helped with the mix/master to get everything balanced. He did a great job too.
I mostly remember wanting to record it as fast as possible, because I was already starting to get over the break-up. I wanted to capture it while it was still fresh, and I think we just made it in time.
Daan: For our debut record it was basically all heartbreak and misery. 12 tracks for 12 years haha; that wasn’t on purpose, but yeah, it was a rough one and I guess I had to write to get through it. There are other themes in the songs, but even when a song didn’t start out being about the break-up, it usually ended up there anyway.
I tried not to filter too much and just wrote down whatever I felt, even if it sounded stupid. Around that time I listened a lot to late ’60s soul (Otis Clay, Martha Reeves, Willie Hutch, James Carr), and their lyrics really influenced me. There’s something very direct and relatable in how they write. I’m always impressed how they can express complex feelings in just one sentence. And all of their lyrics are about love or heartbreak, at least that’s how it felt for me at that time.
Shock Treatment: What does 2026 hold for The Protos?
Daan: We’ve been writing new songs over the past year. We have a recording session planned with Randy and will probably record around 13 or 14 tracks. If all goes well, there should be a new record by the end of the year.
We’re also releasing a third pressing of Drain In My Brain with No Front Teeth on May 1st. The first pressing is sold out and the second is almost gone, so it’s good timing with some weekend tours coming up in May and June. In June we’ll do a weekender with The Anomalys.
Shock Treatment: Where can people go to listen to your music and buy your records?
Daan: Bandcamp: https://theprotos.bandcamp.com/album/the-protos-drain-in-my-brain
The 3rd press will be there from 1st of May.
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