Martin Atkins

Martin Clive Atkins (born 3 August 1959) is an English drummer, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Pigface, and Killing Joke. He also works as a consultant, has written multiple books on the music industry, and is the music industry studies coordinator at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. Atkins is the owner and operator of the Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music in Chicago, is an honorary board member of the Chicago-based nonprofit organization Rock For Kids, and is a fellow of In Place of War.

Early life Atkins was born in Coventry, England. During this time, he played with the Revolting Cocks and is credited alongside Chris Vrenna in Nine Inch Nails for performing extra drums on "Wish" and "Gave Up," tracks two and six of the Broken EP (as well as the aforementioned "Head Like a Hole").

In between creating albums and touring with Pigface he also formed The Damage Manual with Jah Wobble, Walker, and Connelly. Atkins later produced and released a collaborative album with Skinny Puppy's Nivek Ogre, the latter's first project outside of Skinny Puppy, under the moniker Rx. The resulting album was entitled Bedside Toxicology.

Between 2000 and 2002 he released four albums as Opium Jukebox featuring instrumental cover tunes done in a Bhangra style.

2006–present In October 2006, Atkins visited Beijing to discover the emerging Chinese music scene. During his stay, Atkins recorded and signed a handful of Chinese bands to Invisible Records and recorded material for a new Pigface album.

Atkins has taught at Columbia College in Chicago where he instructed the course "The Business of Touring". He is also an active guest lecturer, speaking at such institutions as the University of Southern California, the Midi School in Beijing and Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania. Atkins has since become an instructor at the Madison Media Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. Atkins has announced plans to take his lecturing further by eventually opening a school of his own.

In 2020, Martin joined the band Nadjia for a re-recording of their 90s music on the album '7 Ends 13'. A sample of Martin had actually been used in the original recording, but Martin stepped in this time to do it himself.

In 2021, Martin opened Chicago's "Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music" documenting the history of the two movements with over 3000 items and ephemera. Displays include handwritten lyrics by Trent Reznor for Pigface, Martin's drum set, vintage rarities from Skinny Puppy, and a myriad of other rare items from the history of Industrial music.

In 2022, Martin was also inducted by Brian Eno as a fellow of In Place of War, a global organization that uses creativity in places of conflict as a tool for positive change.

Discography

with Public Image Ltd 1979: Metal Box ("Bad Baby" only) 1980: Paris au Printemps (live) 1981: The Flowers of Romance 1983: Live in Tokyo (live) 1984: This Is What You Want... This Is What You Get with Brian Brain 1987: Time Flies When You're Having Toast with Ministry 1990: In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (live) with Killing Joke 1990: Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions

with Pigface

1991: Gub 1992: Fook 1994: Notes From Thee Underground 1997: A New High in Low 2003: Easy Listening... 2009: 6 with Nine Inch Nails 1992: Broken (EP) with Swans 1995: The Great Annihilator ("My Buried Child" only) with Rx 1998: Bedside Toxicology with Nadjia 2020: 7 Ends 13 (Select Songs)