The names of the mysterious President‘s band members have been revealed.
- READ MORE: President live in London: a brief but commanding inaugural address from rock’s latest mystery
The new band, fronted by an unknown masked singer, made their debut live appearance at Download 2025 earlier this summer. They have since played their first headline gig at The Garage in London, though the identity of the members has remained a secret.
Many fans are convinced that their frontman is Charlie Simpson of Busted and Fightstar fame. Speculation comes after Simpson revealed to NME last year that he was working on new music. However, he only mentioned his plans with Busted and Fightstar, rather than any new projects coming up.
Now, it’s been revealed that President was initially a solo project that eventually turned into a full band, and their names have been unveiled.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, the anonymous frontman shared that the guitarist is named Heist, their bassist is called Protest, and their drummer is called Vice.
“We’re never going to discuss or acknowledge our identities,” he confirmed during the interview, adding.
“When you’re institutionalised into something and you eventually get out of it, you end up wondering, ‘How much of this is what I think and how much is what I was told to think?’” he said. “President is the perfect way for me to explore these feelings and not have it feel like ‘me’ who has the spotlight on them.”
President are due to release their debut EP ‘King Of Terrors’ on September 26, with the band having already shared the singles ‘In The Name Of The Father’, ‘Fearless’ and ‘Rage’.
Elsewhere in the interview, the frontman explained the ethos of the band’s music, which he said is not intended to be anti-religion, but to aims to try and find “higher meaning.”
“My uncle passed away a few years ago and that was the first time I’d had someone die who was close to me when I wasn’t part of this religious thinking. It hit me really hard. So ‘King of Terrors’ sums up the journey I’ve been on,” he explained.
The band played six songs in total at their recent London show – including a cover of Deftones’ ‘Change (In The House Of Flies)’.
In a three-star review of President’s London gig, NME noted “a cultlike atmosphere” inside the venue. It read: “Sweat is already dripping from our singer’s disturbing mask as he arrives at the glowing red lectern onstage. He’s soon overpowered by the audience – a running theme across the night – who are awestruck and roaring from minute one.”
