{{Short description|Canadian punk rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = The Demics | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = London, Ontario, Canada | instrument = | genre = Punk | occupation = | years_active = {{start date|1977}}–{{end date|1980}} | label = Ready<br/>Huge Records (domestic)<br/>Other Peoples Music (international) | associated_acts = | website = | current_members = | past_members = Keith Whittaker<br>Rob Brent<br>Iain Atkinson-Staines<br>James Weatherstone<br>Steve Koch }} '''The Demics''' were a Canadian punk rock band that formed in 1977 in London, Ontario.

==Biography== Originally formed in London, Ontario in 1977, the band consisted of vocalist Keith Whittaker, guitarist Rob Brent, bassist Iain Atkinson-Staines and drummer James Weatherstone. Through 1978, the band were rising stars in the Canadian punk scene. They recorded their debut EP<ref name="collectionscanada.gc.ca_Talk's Cheap 1979"/> 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" released on Ready Records, was the band's breakthrough hit on CFNY in 1979.

Brent left the band and went on to form the post punk/new wave band, "Mettle" as guitarist and synth player. Brent was replaced by Steve Koch in the Demics. 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 titled ''New York City'' was released domestically on Huge Records.<ref name="worldcat.org_New York City Compilation"/> 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 on July 16, 1996.<ref name="chartattack.com_30 June 2004"/> Guitarist Rob Brent died of a heart condition on November 5, 2014 at the age of 57.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rob Brent, Demics & Mettle guitarist|url = http://blogs.canoe.com/brandnewblog/entertainment/rob-brent-demics-mettle-guitarist/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160214200727/http://blogs.canoe.com/brandnewblog/entertainment/rob-brent-demics-mettle-guitarist/|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2016-02-14|website = James' Brand New Blog|access-date = 2016-01-17}}</ref> Drummer James Weatherstone died in his sleep on July 18, 2021 at the age of 63.<ref>{{cite web |title=Remembering the life of James WEATHERSTONE |url=https://lfpress.remembering.ca/obituary/james-weatherstone-1082879465 |website=London Free Press Obituaries |access-date=August 16, 2021 |language=en |date=July 24, 2021}}</ref>

==Discography== *1979: ''Talk's Cheap'' *1980: ''The Demics'' *1981: ''The 400 Blows'' *1996: ''New York City''

==See also== {{Portal|Music|Canada}} *Music of Canada *Canadian punk rock *List of bands from Canada

==References== {{Reflist | refs = <ref name="collectionscanada.gc.ca_Talk's Cheap 1979"> {{Citation | url = http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2012-02-12T20%3A49%3A57Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=5026112&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus&lang=eng | title = "Talk's cheap" (sound recording) (By) Demics | year = 1979 <!-- Ready Records --> | work = Collectionscanada.gc.ca | publisher = Library and Archives Canada | location = Ottawa | oclc = 84098327 | id = AMICUS No.&nbsp;5026112 | accessdate = 13 February 2012 }} </ref>

<ref name="chartattack.com_30 June 2004"> {{cite news| title =The Demics Get Another Go| magazine =Chart| issn =1198-7235| date =30 June 2004}}</ref>

<ref name="worldcat.org_New York City Compilation"> {{Citation | last = The Demics | author-link = The Demics | title = New York City | publisher = WorldCat | oclc = 67682184 | id = [http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/ourl/res.php?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_tim=2012-02-12T20%3A20%3A26Z&url_ctx_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=27139896&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcollectionscanada.gc.ca%3Aamicus&lang=eng AMICUS No.&nbsp;27139896] }} </ref>

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==External links== * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110210173839/http://www.bullseyecanada.com/ Keith Whittaker]}} solo album at Bullseye Records * [http://myspace.com/keithwhittakermusic Keith Whittaker] at MySpace

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Demics, The}} Category:Canadian punk rock groups Category:Rock music groups from Toronto Category:Musical groups established in 1977 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1980 Category:1996 in Canadian music Category:1977 establishments in Ontario Category:1980 disestablishments in Ontario

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