Joe Casey has a reputation for being a little surly and fatalistic. This tends to be the focus of articles about his band, Protomartyr—there’s even a Tumblr dedicated to “Descriptions of Joe Casey.” (One entry: “He’s like an inverse Bono.”) To be fair, Protomartyr hails from the gritty rock ’n’ roll capital of Detroit, and Casey’s lyrics can be as direct and raw as a fresh knife wound.
Maybe I’ve caught him on a good day, but when we speak, Casey’s in good spirits and seems genuinely satisfied with the band’s success. Unsurprisingly, his approach to touring is still very workmanlike: “When you’re on the road, you’re essentially a traveling salesman,” he explains matter-of-factly.