Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is a rock quintet from the Seattle area. The band features Benjamin Verdoes as lead vocalist and guitarist

Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

, Traci Eggleston on the keyboard,various percussion and back vocals, Marshall Verdoes as the drummer, Matthew Dammer on the guitar and Jared Price on the bass. Starting their public appearance with comical PSA videos instead of music they eventually signed with Dead Oceans

Dead Oceans

Dead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...

, released their first LP and started touring North America.

Formation

While Benjamin Verdoes, Matthew Dammer and Jared Price had previously performed as part of the locally successful Lujo Records

Lujo Records

Lujo Records is a United States independent record label that was founded in 2001 by Erik Aucoin who was a student at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana at the time. In 2004, Lujo Records relocated to Washington, DC, and Jocelyn Toews bought 50% of the label. In 2006 Aucoin and...

 band "In Praise of Folly", Traci Eggleston and Marshall Verdoes are new to the stage. Benjamin, Marshall Verdoes' adoptive brother and guardian, made an agreement with Marshall that the two could form a band if Marshall practised drumming diligently. They gained notoriety through their unconventional beginnings as a band in which they created a buzz with word of mouth advertising and comical PSA

Public service announcement

A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...

 videos on Myspace and YouTube featuring band members before making any of their music public.

Beginnings

Their official debut appearance was July 31, 2008 at Seattle's Neumos Where their self released EP "Weepy" was available for the first time. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band signed with Dead Oceans

Dead Oceans

Dead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...

 in the fall of 2008 and released their self-entitled first LP with them in the spring of 2009. They toured with Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band's core members are Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who are supported both on stage and in the studio by a rotating cast of musical collaborators...

, Cursive

Cursive (band)

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, Frog Eyes

Frog Eyes

Frog Eyes is an indie rock band from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada known for their highly idiosyncratic songs, which pit Carey Mercer's melodic falsetto whoops against an avalanche of guitar, keyboards, piano, and drums. Their 2010 album Paul's Tomb: A Triumph was a longlisted nominee for the...

, Japandroids

Japandroids

Japandroids is a Canadian rock duo from Vancouver, British Columbia. The group consists of Brian King and David Prowse . Formed in 2006, Japandroids rose to prominence in 2009 following the release of their debut album Post-Nothing...

, The Globes, The Growlers

The Growlers

The Growlers is a Californian band, formed in Long Beach, in 2006, though their hometown is originally Costa Mesa, Orange County. The band consists of Brooks Nielsen , Patrick Palomo , Matt Taylor , Scott Montoya and Kyle Straka . Their first album, Are You in or Out, was released in 2009...

, David Bazan

David Bazan

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, and Dead Confederate

Dead Confederate

Dead Confederate is an American alternative rock band formed in Augusta, Georgia and based in Athens, Georgia.The band's sound has been described as a mix of alternative country and grunge and has drawn comparisons to Nirvana and My Morning Jacket.-History:...

 

Videography

• "Homeostasis" 2008
• "Borin'" 2008
• "Technology" 2008
• "Safety" 2008
• "Cheer for Fate" 2009
• "Albatross, Albatross, Albatross" 2009

Discography

• Weepy EP - 2008 (self-released)
• Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band LP - 2009 (Dead Oceans
  Dead Oceans
  Dead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...
  
  )
• Where the Messengers Meet LP - 2010 (Dead Oceans
  Dead Oceans
  Dead Oceans is an independent record label based jointly in Bloomington, Indiana and Austin, Texas. The label has a small, but powerful roster of well-known acts including Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Califone, Phosphorescent, Bishop Allen, Casey Dienel's band White Hinterland, Bowerbirds, and...
  
  )

External links

• 2010 Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Interview at Bandega.com