De-De-Delta Saint are a fantastic, fast rising surf-blues-rock band hacking out fleshy hooks within fun songs. Here 'JUXTA' chats to this fem-orientated band and listens intently to what they have to say for themselves...
HI, HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR BAND DELTA SAINT?
We�re drinking tea, eating biscuits, sippin� whiskey and generally having a good time, all of the time
WHY DID YOU CALL YOURSELVES DELTA SAINT?...
We really love all the delta blues players from ages ago, such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Memphis Minnie as well as all the punk rock stuff. All these female delta blues players are mostly all dead now, so we think of them as delta saints, cos they�ve snuffed it a long time ago, and named our band after them.
COME JUDGMENT DAY DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE FORGIVEN FOR YOUR SINS?
Unless we all join the priesthood I think we�ll have to break into heaven. After spending years in a convent school we�ve kinda served our punishment, so should be free from sins forever, but it doesn�t always work like that�
WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING IN DELTA SAINT?
Bringing delta blues in a punked-up-melodic-road movie soundtrack way to people�s attention. Being in control of everything we do, most of the time.
WHAT'S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
Hearing a track from our EP played on John Peels� show on Radio 1 and playing the cool festival that was this year�s Ladyfest in Manchester. Ladyfest is a festival of mostly female fronted bands and musicians which happens in various cities all over the place. NY, Washington, London, Newcastle (happening in 2004). There�s films, zines and art as well as the music stages. All proceeds made go to charities, so go to the next one near you or do one yerself on yr own manor!
YOU ARE ALSO INVOLVED WITH 'NORTHERN LIGHTS MUSIC.' HOW SO?...
Paula from the band runs her own record label and music promotions company called Northern Lights Music, so it kinda seemed the simplest thing to do, release our debut EP on Northern Lights. Control everything. Have a laugh. Work with other cool bands too. www.northernlightsmusic.co.uk
WHERE ARE YOU BASED AND WHAT IS THE MUSIC SCENE LIKE AROUND THERE?
We�re from Manchester originally, but now live in London. Spend our time travelling back and forth between the two. Really good music scene in both places. Manc�s not all Badly Drawn Boy and Starsailor wannabes y�know. Bands in Manc we like include Hooker, Lord Mongo, Fi-Lo Radio, Moco, Zero Pretties The Obsession, and on the northside of London town we�re liking Blind Jackson, The Audio Journal, Cintilla, Plastic Heroes, Fast Food and Gloryscene. Some indie, some emo, some punk, some rock, some synth-core action, some cool noises in the areas.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVE BANDS, AND WHAT ARE YOUR FAVE BOOKS AND MOVIES?
Fave bands:
Dr. John, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, Jon Spencer, Pixies, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nina Simone, The Breeders, Guided By Voices, Fugazi, Queens Of The Stone Age, Frank Zappa, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Dick Dale, Serge Gainsbourg... too many others to mention�
Books: Anything by Harry Crews - Florida based novelist., Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson, Stupid White Men - Michael Moore
Movies: Vanishing Point, Fight Club, Easy Rider,
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DERREN BROWN'S 'RUSSIAN ROULETTE' PRANK?
Well its more exciting than Blane�s plastic box dangling from a crane stunt. It's kinda sick though when you think half the people watching it were thinking, go on, get it wrong, we want blood!.. I think he�s a bit of a messed up character so it would�ve made a good plot for a David Cronenburg film in a spooky gothic way�
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SAY?
If you�re around in London town this Nov and Dec we�re doing some gigs. www.deltasaint.co.uk
Come and spread yr winter cheer�
(interview conducted by Steve Rudd)
Read a review of their 'DESERT RACER' EP here
(aii, just click on the title there and say, 'There's no band like Delta Saint'...