Steel Beans is the musical moniker of Jeremy DeBardi, an American musician from Snohomish County, Washington, renowned for his innovative one-man band performances that combine guitar, drums, and vocals delivered simultaneously in a flamboyant, high-energy rock style. DeBardi, born around 1988, began his musical journey in Everett, Washington, drawing early inspiration from rhythm-and-blues influences through his grandparents' involvement in bands like The Jive Bombers; he started drumming on household items at age two and later picked up guitar in middle school, idolizing artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. In 2006, he formed Steel Beans as a collective with rotating members, initially performing in local bars and festivals around Snohomish County after a humorous origin story involving "stealing baked beans" from a store following a marijuana-fueled impulse.[1] In the early 2010s, the project evolved into a solo endeavor when DeBardi improvised a full performance alone due to bandmates' tardiness, solidifying his signature setup of using one hand for drums, the other for guitar chords, feet on pedals, and a microphone for raw, belted vocals—often shirtless and clad in eclectic attire like open kimonos or golden capes sourced from thrift stores. Steel Beans gained underground traction over 15 years in the Pacific Northwest scene, with DeBardi balancing music with a lawn-mowing business started after his son's birth in 2017, while recording in a home studio and collecting vintage gear. Breakthrough came in September 2022 when an Instagram video of his performance of the original song "Molotov Cocktail Lounge"—filmed on a hot day in shorts and an open kimono—exploded virally, amassing hundreds of thousands of likes and shares, endorsements from celebrities including Anderson .Paak, Lenny Kravitz, and Bruno Mars, and boosting his followers from 1,200 to nearly 300,000 by early 2024. This surge prompted his first self-booked solo tour across the West Coast in late 2022, followed by major 2023 openings for acts like Tenacious D on an international run (including Europe) and Tool at venues such as the Tacoma Dome, alongside appearances at events like Bert Kreischer’s Fully Loaded Comedy Festival, and further support for Tool in 2024. As of early 2026, DeBardi continues to represent his Everett roots proudly in performances and social media. His self-titled debut album was released on October 9, 2025, via APESHIT Records & EMPIRE, following the single "Stowaway" in August 2025, while maintaining collaborations with local artists and a commitment to community investment in Snohomish County's music scene; his story embodies a "rags-to-riches" ascent from local obscurity to viral phenom after nearly two decades of persistence.