Genres Alternative rock Active until 2005 Genre Alternative rock | Years active 1994 - present Active from 1994 | |
 | ||
Associated acts Eric McFadden Experience
Les Claypool's Fancy Band
Cake
Loop!Station Members Paulo Baldi, Sam Bass, Ben Barnes Albums Stroking the Moon, Half-Wit Anthems, Ahead of the Game, Origins of Darkness, The Red Sun God EP Similar Eric McFadden, Eenor, MIRV, Sausage, Colonel Les Claypool | ||
Deadweight was an alternative rock trio from San Francisco, California. Members included Ben Barnes (electric violin and vocals), Sam Bass (electric cello) and Paulo Baldi (drums). Deadweight began as a duo of Barnes and Bass who were graduates of San Francisco Conservatory of Music later joined by Baldi. Their first demo (1994) was produced by Jason Newsted of Metallica. Deadweight has toured both nationally and internationally and has opened for Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade. Deadweight's third album, Stroking The Moon (2003), was released on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label. Playing the violin and cello through a variety of guitar effects, their studio recorded material is surprisingly hard rock. Live performances display an eclecticism that has conjured a variety of descriptions by critics. Examples include, "(howling) like something out of Beethoven's most twisted hallucinations," "Eastern European Gypsy songs sung in the back of a big rig driven across tornado country by the ghost of the Marlboro Man" and "Charlie Daniels in hell playing a combination of Bartok and Zeppelin." Barnes has stated both Jimmy Page and Charlie Daniels are influences for their sound. Deadweight were winners of the SF Weekly's 1998 Wammy award for the category of "Beyond."
Contents
Discography
Songs
The BabawawaHalf-Wit Anthems · 2001
Re-RunsStroking the Moon · 2003
Rollin in the LandAhead of the Game · 2009