(Artist Report)

Written by: Ginny Gaines   

Deadborns is an independent rock band from St. Petersburg, Florida, that has built its reputation by mixing psychedelic rock, blues, garage rock, soul, and alternative music into its own distinctive sound. The band's story began with songwriter and guitarist Drew Giordano, who was going through an extremely difficult period in his life. After losing both his father and one of his closest friends within the same month, Drew found himself dealing with grief, depression, and personal struggles. Music became an important way for him to work through those experiences, and the songs he began writing eventually became the foundation for Deadborns.

What started as a personal songwriting project gradually developed into a full band. Drew brought together friends Lindsay Martin and Fernando, with Jasmine Deja joining shortly afterward. The musicians shared an appreciation for different generations of rock music, drawing inspiration from artists such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, The Who, and various punk rock groups. Those influences helped shape Deadborns into a band that doesn't fit neatly into one musical category. Instead, the group developed a style that combines older rock influences with a more modern, experimental approach.

Deadborns introduced its music through its self-titled debut album, which appeared on Bandcamp in June 2017 and was listed in some streaming catalogs as a 2018 release. The 12-track collection gave listeners their first real look at what the band was creating, with songs including "The West," "Ruins," "March of the Elephant," and "Bitching About Nothing Blues." The group followed that release with the four-song EP Black in December 2019. These early recordings helped establish the band's identity and gave it an opportunity to reach listeners outside its local Florida music scene.

One of the biggest breaks for Deadborns came when its music began appearing in television, movies, commercials, and video games. Several of its songs were featured in the television series Mayans M.C., including "Bitching About Nothing Blues," "Ruins," "The West," and "Palace of Eyes." The band's music also appeared in the films Inside Game and Echo Boomers, as well as the video game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint. Additional placements included promotional projects involving Monster Energy, BFGoodrich, and Evil Bikes. These opportunities introduced Deadborns to people who might never have discovered the band through traditional music channels.