Despistado

Despistado
Origin Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Genres indie rock
Years active 2001–2004, 2013-present
Labels Jade Tree
Past members Dagan Harding
Leif Thorseth
Joel Passmore
Brenan Schwartz

Despistado was a Canadian indie rock band from Regina, Saskatchewan.

History

Despistado was active from 2001 to 2004.[1] The band consisted of vocalist and guitarist Dagan Harding, guitarist Leif Thorseth, bassist Joel Passmore and drummer Brenan Schwartz.[2]

Despistado released their first EP, The Emergency Response, in 2002 (produced by David j Taylor); it was subsequently re-released in 2004 on Jade Tree Records.[1] Widely hyped as a "next big thing", the band's single "A Stirstick's Prediction" was used in a commercial for T-Mobile.[3] After many cross-Canada tours in 2004[4] which reportedly left the band exhausted and riven by personal tensions,[2] they returned home to prepare for an international tour in the fall;[2] due to family obligations, Passmore declined to participate in the fall tour through the United States with The Weakerthans, and was temporarily replaced by Robin Sernich.[2] On that tour, the interpersonal dynamics within the band continued to deteriorate, and by Christmas the band had broken up.[2] Their full-length album The People of and Their Verses, completed before the band's breakup, was subsequently released on Jade Tree in 2005.[1]

Passmore is currently in the bands Sylvie and Rah Rah;[3] Harding is currently in the band The War Doves, he has his own solo project, as well as playing with Thorseth in the band Geronimo; and Schwartz played with Anatta prior to that band's breakup.[1]

The band undertook a brief reunion tour in 2009.[1] They again reunited in 2013 for a tour of Western Canada,[1] performing some new material during the latter tour.[1] The band have planned for a vinyl reissue of The People of and Their Verses,[3] and have acknowledged but not yet officially confirmed to the media the possibility of recording a new album in the future.[3]

Discography

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Despistado Reunite for Western Canadian Tour, Hint at New Material". Exclaim!, July 12, 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Despistado Bassist Muses About What Could Have Been". Chart, April 5, 2005.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "The triumphant return of Regina’s Despistado". Ominocity, April 1, 2014.
  4. "Despistado represent Jade Tree across Canada". Chart, May 10, 2004.