Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band first appeared in 2008, when the quintet generated an internet buzz with its lengthy band name and undisclosed backstory. Choosing to preserve that mystique, the Seattle residents released a series of humorous PSA videos on MySpace before issuing any recorded music. A demo song finally appeared that summer, and the band's history slowly began to unfold. Apparently, bandleader Benjamin Verdoes (guitar, vocals) had founded the band with his 12-year-old adopted brother, Marshall Verdoes, whose talent for drumming belied his young age. Friends Matthew Dammer (Moog, guitar) and Jared Price (bass) also joined the lineup, as did Verdoes' wife, multi-instrumentalist Traci Eggleston-Verdoes.