The Demics were a Canadian punk rock band that formed in London, Ontario in 1977. The band consisted of Manchester, England native Keith Whittaker on vocals, guitarist Rob Brent, Cambridge, England native Iain Atkinson on bass and drummer Nick Perry. Perry left the act soon after their formation. The Demics rehearsed in early 78 with future B–Girl drummer Marcy Saddy, but ultimately solidified the lineup with the addition of Jim "J.D." Weatherstone. The band recorded their debut EP Talk's Cheap in the fall of 1978, which included the band's breakthrough single "New York City." The song was a hit on college radio and pioneering Toronto FM station CFNY. The band relocated to Toronto soon after, becoming mainstays of that city's live music scene and performing alongside visiting touring acts like the Ramones, the Dead Boys and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.
The original Demics played their supposedly final performances in Toronto and London in December of 1979, only to reform the next year with guitarist Steve Koch. The band recorded a self–titled full length in this time for Hypnotic Records, but called it quits for good in 1981. The full length re–recorded several of the songs from Talk's Cheap, and has since seen numerous reissues, most recently on by Linus Entertainment.
Vocalist Keith Whittaker died of cancer in July of 1996. The same year, a reader poll in Canadian music magazine Chart voted "New York City" the greatest Canadian song of all time.
Download both records from CHRW's London Music Archives
Talk's Cheap
The Demics
The original Demics played their supposedly final performances in Toronto and London in December of 1979, only to reform the next year with guitarist Steve Koch. The band recorded a self–titled full length in this time for Hypnotic Records, but called it quits for good in 1981. The full length re–recorded several of the songs from Talk's Cheap, and has since seen numerous reissues, most recently on by Linus Entertainment.
Vocalist Keith Whittaker died of cancer in July of 1996. The same year, a reader poll in Canadian music magazine Chart voted "New York City" the greatest Canadian song of all time.
Download both records from CHRW's London Music Archives
Talk's Cheap
The Demics