Daily Grind Alternative Music News
(Alt Music News Updated Every Day)
07/19/96
Got any News or Gossip for Daily Grind?Mail it to ChartAttack News Editor, Simon Coyle
Yesterday's News
DEMICS SINGER DIES OF CANCER
A Canadian punk rock hero has died. Keith Whittaker, lead singer of The Demics, died of cancer on July 16 in Toronto. The Demics were a London ON-based punk band that performed around southwestern Ontario in the late 1970's - from the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto to London's York Hotel. In Chart Magazine's Great Canadian Music Poll (March 1996), The Demics' single "New York City" was voted top Canadian single of all time, against commercial successes like Neil Young, Blue Rodeo and Rush. The single was on a five-song EP entitled Talk's Cheap, release in 1979 on Ready Records. The EP was re-released in the early 1990's by Fringe Records in Toronto. The band's only other recording was a full-length self-titled album on Pickwick Records. Recently, Whittaker had been back in the studio working with English rock guitarist Chris Spedding. Born near Manchester, England, he moved to Canada when he was a teenager in 1967. He was influenced by R&B, but decided to form a band after being exposed to early punk bands on a return visit to England in the '70s. "He was the invincible Keith Whittaker, the one and only," said a long-time friend, Jan Haust, in Toronto. Rob Brent, who played guitar on Talk's Cheap, said Whittaker was a larger-than-life character. "Although he lived in London, Ontario, which is a pretty quiet, conservative place, he was a real rock and roll wildman," said Brent. "He lived that life even before he was in a band. He brought that to his performances. He was one of those people you read about in books."--by Shelley Boettcher
NEWS FROM MATADOR RECORDS
Pavement turned down the chance to have 5-4=Unity in a black cherry Jello commercial, opting instead to turn over Cut Your Hair to sponsors of the next Brady Bunch movie.
UPCOMING RELEASES
Coming this autumn: new albums from The John Spencer Blues Explosion, Liz Phair, Railroad Jerk and Chavez. Also, new material from The Frogs (yessssss!), with the delicately titled My Daughter the Broad.
IN OTHER NEWS..
As reported in CITR's Discorder magazine: Beez and Maow from The Smugglers got hitched on June 22. Apparently the reception contained sets performed by Zumpano and Junior Varsity
Knock-Down Ginger are apparently mixing new songs for their next release, amid rumours that bassist Sheila has moved to Sakatoon, leaving the band in limbo.
Coal are at this minute recording at Lemonloaf Studios for their upcoming release.
The Pacific Music Industry Association has started a new program. They have $75,000 to give away to bands who would like to tour in Canada. For more info, get in touch with Ellie O'Day at PMIA 873-1914.