They have described themselves as queer, vegan and anarchist.[1] They have no designated frontperson and all contribute vocals.[1] Two members of Martha previously founded (and still play in) the band ONSIND, and another led the band No Ditching.[8][9] Multiple members of Martha have also played in the group Fortitude Valley.[10]
Martha formed in the village of Pity Me, a suburb of Durham in the North East of England. Formed by J.C. Cairns (guitar/vocals), Daniel Ellis (guitar/vocals), Naomi Griffin (bass/vocals), and Nathan Stephens-Griffin (drums/vocals) in the early 2010s, they released their self-titled debut EP in February 2012.[13]
They have described themselves as queer, vegan and anarchist.[1] This originally included straight edge, as the band were all sober upon forming, and felt it was a funny thing to include in their description as their sound does not match the usual hardcore of bands that identify that way. The band have said in interviews that they are now no longer all sober.[14]
A year later they released the "Sycamore"/"Lost Without You" single on their own Discount Horse label. The band played Indietracks festival for the first time in 2013. After releasing a split single with American artist Spoonboy (David Combs of The Max Levine Ensemble) Martha headed to the studio with MJ of Hookworms to record their first album.[13]
Courting Strong was released by Fortuna Pop! in the U.K. and Salinas Records in the U.S. They followed it with more split singles with American bands Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez and Radiator Hospital, a repeat visit to Indietracks and an appearance at Glastonbury Festival.[13]
On 13 December 2018 the band released single "Heart Is Healing"; announcing they had signed to Big Scary Monsters in the UK and EU and had a new album following soon.[18] On 28 January 2019 the band unveiled title track "Love Keeps Kicking" as a single.[19] The video for which was the second directed for the band by friends Ben Epstein and David Combs of The Max Levine Ensemble.[19] The band's third album, Love Keeps Kicking, was released on 5 April 2019.
On 28 October 2022 the band released their fourth full-length album Please Don't Take Me Back on Specialist Subject Records in the UK and Dirtnap Records in the US. It was their first album to be released by Specialist Subject, although they had put out a 7" single with them prior. It's also the band's first album to be recorded with Phil Booth at JT Soar in Nottingham, however three tracks from their 2014 split with Spoonboy had been recorded there previously.[20][21][22]
In 2023, They went on The Darkest Timeline Disco Tour Part 2 to Hull, Norwich, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Newport.[23] In June 2023, they appeared at the Booze Cruise Festival.[24]
