VIDEO: "Teenage Wasteland" by The Demon Beat

The Demon Beat – Teenage Wasteland from Geoff Hoskinson on Vimeo.

It would come as no surprise to their fans, and the band itself might try to downplay it, but The Demon Beat looks like they’re about to “break through” and/or literally explode. And we are talking weeks, not months, here people.

Well, that’s just judging from the positive press and praise from people who’ve heard songs off their upcoming release Less Is Less, or seen the band’s video for “Teenage Wasteland,” ably and awesomely done by Geoff Hoskinson.

As we’ve all followed Adam, Tucker and Jordan over the past, what four or five years solid, (always will remember pulling Heavy Nasty out of the envelope, never having heard of the band, thinking 'What the hell?') sure, they’ve received nods and thumbs up and various positive shaking of other body parts from “the press” and big outlets of other mediums. But now you almost have to keep up with what outlet is rockin’ ‘em out or singing their praises.

Impose Magazine premiered the “Teenage Wasteland” video, and the band was named (quite obviously, and rightly) by Paste Magazine as one of 10 West Virginia bands to check out. And Paste and Impose aren’t the only ones.

Less Is Less -- due out around the end of September on Funny/Not Funny, and available for pre-order now -- may be the record that sees the band take that next step, whatever that is. It’s just always been interesting to think about what bands get popular or put on and some bands that may rock as hard or harder, don’t. (hint: family members in the record industry?)

How many times have we thought to ourselves here we’d rather see The Demon Beat on Saturday Night Live than whatever silliness they’ve got booked half the time? More than once.



As much of a badass rocker as Meisterhans may be, as far as plans may or may not have been drawn up to kidnap Hudkins to have Rozwell Kid play the WVRockscene home office, it’s been great to see Tucker Riggleman (as the other dudes handle recording/art) handle the band’s PR front, in addition to setting up Big Bullet Records, in such a professional, thorough manner.

There was talk recently on Facebook about the perceived need to have some sort of a workshop where local music beat writers and aspiring musicians get together to discuss the do’s and don’t’s’s of approaching press types, taking a business writing class, and whatever else. Any such workshop would be very well served to host Riggleman.

He’s handled that end of things for the band. But all this positive coverage isn’t or doesn’t seem like hype. It’s people catching on after so much awesomeness from the band. The Demon Beat is a great example of a band doing things the right way, D.I.Y., worrying about rock and roll and not “breaking through,” “blowing up,” or much less approaching press types.

Pretty much exactly seven years after at a Hurricane Katrina benefit show at Shepherd teamed Tucker up with Adam and Jordan, The Demon Beat may or may not have big, rich, famous things in their future. But they’ve at least done this: remind people what’s great about rock and roll.