Biography
The enduring partnership between guitarist Alex Glendening and drummer Maria Nuccilli forms the foundation of Detroit outfit Deadbeat Beat, whose music merges the grit of garage rock with the tunefulness of indie pop and layers of psychedelic texture, nodding to earlier influences while staying rooted in the present. Their earliest efforts came across as loose and unpolished, yet by the arrival of their third full-length, How Far in 2019, the group had incorporated greater refinement and depth.
Although the lineup took time to stabilize, Glendening and Nuccilli began making music together as middle school students in a Detroit suburb. Both were drawn to the Velvet Underground and Television, and after gaining command of their instruments they took to performing on local streets. During high school they formed the Decks, and after issuing a pair of albums with that group the pair departed to launch Deadbeat Beat in 2009. Bassist Josh Gillis came aboard, and the trio began performing throughout Detroit. Their approach blended garage rock, light punk, and classic AM radio pop, propelled by Glendening’s skill at crafting hooks and the band’s energetic delivery. In 2011 they put out a split single alongside fellow Michigan act Secret Twins, then issued their debut album When I Talk to You later that year via Gold Tapes.
Gillis relocated to Nashville in 2012, though the three members captured a full set of material before his departure. After bassist Neil Laperriere joined and subsequently exited, the remaining members sometimes performed as a duo or recruited temporary bass support. Day jobs and outside projects slowed momentum, including Nuccilli’s drum work with Outrageous Cherry across the mid-2010s, until former Kommie Kilpatrick member Zak Frieling joined on bass in 2015. Frieling also ran the Gold Tapes label, which around the time of his arrival issued the earlier recordings as the Only Time Will Tell mini-album. This version of the band toured extensively across the United States and developed connections with other acts, notably Tacocat.
They next tracked material in the basement studio belonging to local musician Jeff Else. Proceeding at an unhurried pace, with Glendening occasionally stepping away to perform and record with Tyvek, the group produced its most refined and forceful work to date. The opening release from those sessions was the 2018 single “Bar Talk,” followed later that year by the double-sided 7" “Time, Grass & Stone,” a sprawling psychedelic piece. Glendening’s Tyvek bandmate and established solo artist Fred Thomas handled mastering and offered guidance throughout the process. The resulting third album, How Far, appeared in 2019 through Crystal Palace and Arrowhawk Records.
Although the lineup took time to stabilize, Glendening and Nuccilli began making music together as middle school students in a Detroit suburb. Both were drawn to the Velvet Underground and Television, and after gaining command of their instruments they took to performing on local streets. During high school they formed the Decks, and after issuing a pair of albums with that group the pair departed to launch Deadbeat Beat in 2009. Bassist Josh Gillis came aboard, and the trio began performing throughout Detroit. Their approach blended garage rock, light punk, and classic AM radio pop, propelled by Glendening’s skill at crafting hooks and the band’s energetic delivery. In 2011 they put out a split single alongside fellow Michigan act Secret Twins, then issued their debut album When I Talk to You later that year via Gold Tapes.
Gillis relocated to Nashville in 2012, though the three members captured a full set of material before his departure. After bassist Neil Laperriere joined and subsequently exited, the remaining members sometimes performed as a duo or recruited temporary bass support. Day jobs and outside projects slowed momentum, including Nuccilli’s drum work with Outrageous Cherry across the mid-2010s, until former Kommie Kilpatrick member Zak Frieling joined on bass in 2015. Frieling also ran the Gold Tapes label, which around the time of his arrival issued the earlier recordings as the Only Time Will Tell mini-album. This version of the band toured extensively across the United States and developed connections with other acts, notably Tacocat.
They next tracked material in the basement studio belonging to local musician Jeff Else. Proceeding at an unhurried pace, with Glendening occasionally stepping away to perform and record with Tyvek, the group produced its most refined and forceful work to date. The opening release from those sessions was the 2018 single “Bar Talk,” followed later that year by the double-sided 7" “Time, Grass & Stone,” a sprawling psychedelic piece. Glendening’s Tyvek bandmate and established solo artist Fred Thomas handled mastering and offered guidance throughout the process. The resulting third album, How Far, appeared in 2019 through Crystal Palace and Arrowhawk Records.
Albums
Singles
