We are Dead Cat Bounce - SF bay area kids who love to rock. Our name is a nod to Alex and co-founder Derek's backgrounds in the financial services sector. In finance, a "dead cat bounce" refers to a temporary recovery in the price of a declining asset, only to continue its downward trend—a term they found catchy and fitting. However, the band emphasizes their love for animals, stating, "In no way do we want to disparage our feline friends; we love cats and dogs too!". The name sums up us to a tee - all 40+ and having the biggest recovery almost post corporate life.

Alejandro “Alex” Whitfield - Lead Guitar

Alex, the guitarist of Dead Cat Bounce, has been playing since he was 16. He came up through the thrash metal scene in San Francisco in the ‘80s and ‘90s, sharpening his chops in loud clubs and rehearsal spaces before branching out into reggae rock, alt-rock, and funk projects. After eventually returning to university and stepping away from music for a while, he found his way back—when the global pandemic reignited his drive to plug in and play again.

His style reflects a wide range of influences, from the expressive fire of Jimi Hendrix and the innovation of Eddie Van Halen, to the melodic strength of Nancy Wilson and the blues foundations of T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters. He also draws from the heavier, modern edge of players like Mark Tremonti and Jerry Cantrell.

The result is a guitarist who balances feel and technique, blending classic influences with a contemporary rock sensibility—bringing depth, groove, and energy to Dead Cat Bounce’s sound.

Danielle West - Vocals

Vocalist Danielle, having previously only haunted karaoke bars and road trip singalongs, was struck by proverbial lightning while day drinking at a street festival and decided she wanted to join a band. One Craigslist response and audition later (and much reassurance to her cats), she joined Dead Cat Bounce. Outside of perfecting her 90s grunge growls, her other hobbies include knitting, buying blank notebooks she never uses, and eating potatoes.

Ted Barram - Bass

Ted started playing bass in bands in Santa Cruz in the 90's, including stints with Forward, the Michelle Chappel Band, and the unfortunately named Grass Chicken. More recently he spent almost a decade with the East Bay band Roscoe. He's influenced by the post-punk bands of the late 70's and early 80's, and the UK shoegaze bands of the 90's. Steve Kilbey from the Church & Mark Burgess from the Chameleons - both lead singers who play bass - helped shape his melodic sound. He's also the main member of the indie-rock outfit Suns of Atom.

Derek Imose - Drums

Originally from Honolulu, Derek came up in the island’s underground punk scene playing in bands like Mystery Crash and SRO before taking things to the mainland with Cringer. From 1987 to 1989, the band was part of the thriving LA punk circuit, eventually moving north and landing in the heart of the Bay Area’s DIY explosion. At 924 Gilman Street, Cringer shared bills in the late 80s/early 90s with the likes of Operation Ivy, NOFX, early Green Day, The Offspring, and a wave of bands that would soon blow up—but back then, it was all sweat, grit, and Xeroxed flyers.
Known for his loose, no-frills drumming and an instinct for chaos, Derek helped fuel the raw energy of a scene that lived by its own rules. After a brief 30-year hiatus, he's back—still loud, still loose, and still pounding out rhythm like nothing ever stopped.