Deadweight (band)

{{Short description|American alternative rock band}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Deadweight

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| alias =

| origin = San Francisco, California

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| genre = Alternative rock

| occupation =

| years_active = 1994 - 2005

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| associated_acts = Eric McFadden Experience
Les Claypool's Fancy Band
Cake
Loop!Station

| website =

| current_members = Ben Barnes - electric violin and vocals
Sam Bass - electric cello
Paulo Baldi - drums

| past_members =

}}

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.[http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=deadweight Band Biography at Alternative Tentacles website] Retrieved July 4, 2007

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.[http://www.uttertrash.net/deadweight.htm Rock and Rosin, An interview with Ben Barnes of Deadweight, Bob Ignizio, UtterTrash.net] Retrieved July 4, 2007 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 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,"[http://www.spokesmanreview.com/allstories-news-story.asp?date=051404&ID=s1519617 Nightlife, music scene heating up in Spokane, Bar Code: Deadweight pulls like gravity, Isamu Jordan, www.SpokesManReview.com] Retrieved July 4, 2007 "Eastern European Gypsy songs sung in the back of a big rig driven across tornado country by the ghost of the Marlboro Man"[http://www.sfweekly.com/1997-12-10/music/the-house-of-tudor/ The House of Tudor, Silke Tudor, SFWeekly, December 10, 1997] Retrieved July 4, 2007 and "Charlie Daniels in hell playing a combination of Bartok and Zeppelin."[http://www.sfweekly.com/1996-07-24/music/sfo3-1996/ SFO3 1996, SFWeekly, July 24, 1996] Retrieved July 4, 2007 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."[http://www.sfweekly.com/1998-10-21/music/wammies-winners/ Wammies Winners, SFWeekly, October 21, 1998] Retrieved July 4, 2007