The Demics
Encyclopedia
The Demics were a Canadian
punk rock
band, active in the late 1970s.
Originally formed in London, Ontario
in 1977, the band consisted of vocalist Keith Whittaker, guitar
ist Rob Brent, bassist
Iain Atkinson-Staines and drum
mer J. D. Weatherstone. Through 1978, the band were rising stars in the Canadian punk scene. They recorded their debut EP
in the fall of that year, and subsequently moved to Toronto to be closer to the centre of the punk scene. The EP's single, "New York City", was the band's breakthrough hit on CFNY
in 1979.
Brent left the band and was replaced by Steve Koch. The band released a self-titled full-length album in 1980, but subsequently broke up due to internal tensions.
In 1996, a new CD compiling both of the band's original albums was released. Also that year, "New York City" was named the greatest Canadian song of all time in a reader poll by the music magazine Chart
.
Vocalist Keith Whittaker died of cancer
in July 1996.
Bullseye Records of Canada released singer Keith Whittaker's final recordings on a twelve song CD called Drink To Me in August 2007.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band, active in the late 1970s.
Originally formed in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
in 1977, the band consisted of vocalist Keith Whittaker, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Rob Brent, bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Iain Atkinson-Staines and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mer J. D. Weatherstone. Through 1978, the band were rising stars in the Canadian punk scene. They recorded their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in the fall of that year, and subsequently moved to Toronto to be closer to the centre of the punk scene. The EP's single, "New York City", was the band's breakthrough hit on CFNY
CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
in 1979.
Brent left the band and was replaced by Steve Koch. The band released a self-titled full-length album in 1980, but subsequently broke up due to internal tensions.
In 1996, a new CD compiling both of the band's original albums was released. Also that year, "New York City" was named the greatest Canadian song of all time in a reader poll by the music magazine Chart
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
.
Vocalist Keith Whittaker died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in July 1996.
Bullseye Records of Canada released singer Keith Whittaker's final recordings on a twelve song CD called Drink To Me in August 2007.
Discography
- Talk's CheapTalk's CheapTalk's Cheap was the debut EP by Canadian punk rock band The Demics, released in 1979 on Ready Records.The EP's first single "New York City" was the band's breakthrough on campus radio and CFNY...
(1979) - Demics (1980)
- New York City (1996)
- Drink To Me by Keith Whittaker (2007)