The Demics
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The Demics were a Canadian punk rock band, active in the late 1970s.
Originally formed in London, Ontario in 1977, the band consisted of vocalist Keith Whittaker, guitarist Rob Brent, bassist Iain Atkinson and drummer J. D. Weatherstone. Through 1978, the band were rising stars in the Canadian punk scene. They recorded their debut EP 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", was the band's breakthrough hit on CFNY in 1979.
Brent subsequently left the band and was replaced by Steve Koch. 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 was released. Also that year, "New York City" was named the greatest Canadian song of all time in a reader poll by the music magazine Chart.
Keith Whittaker died of cancer in July 1996.