Q&A by Simon McConnell (Drums)
The new album Dipz Zebazios seems to have many influences, what were you guys listening to while you were in the studio?
We were listening to a pretty varied mix. A focal point was to make a hip hop influenced album so we were listening and drawing influence from stuff like Outkast, N.E.R.D, A Tribe Called Quest and also favourites like Gorillaz, Supergrass & The 101ers.
You guys are known for your high-energy live shows, which songs seems to get the best crowd response & why?
[pullquote]It sounds like a bit of a wank but i think nowadays more than ever people need to detach from the digital world and have a bit of thinking time for themselves.[/pullquote]It changes on a show to show basis. Its all crowd dependant. Sometimes people want up tempo, faster songs like Rah Rah Radio or Counter Revolution – Sometimes you can sense they want something a bit more down beat like Better or I was Profound Tomorrow. Lately songs on the new record like Supersonic Casualties, The Records Flawed and Telescope House have been connecting well live.
You’ve toured with Kasabian, Primal Scream & met Jimmy Page at one of your gigs, what would you say was the most memorable tour experience?
The Kasabian tour would have to be the most memorable. We played venues that i went to as a kid growing up to watch bands. Massive crowds that welcomed us with opened arms – they let us do our thing and since then a lot of them have come back to see us again. The Kasabian dudes were such humble guys (completely different to how they’re portrayed in the press) they’re all amazing musicians & performers. Mid tour I woke up after one of the best shows to find out a family member had passed away. It was heavy. It put alot of things into perspective. In reflection it was possibly one of the best & worst weeks of my life.
Apart from music, where else do you draw inspiration from?
Any form of art really. Film, Painting, Sculpture. I love going to galleries & museums, turning my phone off and just taking it all in. It sounds like a bit of a wank but i think nowadays more than ever people need to detach from the digital world and have a bit of thinking time for themselves. Another big influence is friends, I’m sure my neighbours think they’re living next to a pysch ward the way we carry on with mass hysteria daily.
2015 is shaping up to be a pretty big year for The Delta Riggs, what have you guys got coming up?
Next up is the Foo Fighter national tour in Feb/March. Its venues like Etihad, ANZ and Suncorp Stadiums. Tens of thousands of people, its going to be mind blowing. I can’t wait to hear some stories from those guys. Then we head straight over to America for a run of shows including SXSW in Austin Texas.
You’re playing Ballarat Beer festival this weekend, if The Delta Riggs brought out the own beer, what would it be called & what would it taste like?
We’d call it “Confidence by Les Riggs” hahahaha. The tag line could be – “Have a drink and discover yourself”. Or we could just fool everyone and wrap our label around tins of Melbourne Bitter.
And finally, what’s your scene?
Currently its the Yarra River Trail I’m walking along. Generally my scene would be Melbourne. Nothing feels or compares to home.
About the Delta Riggs
Renowned for pumping out high-energy jams & ferocious live shows, Melbourne genre benders The Delta Riggs returned home from their much-talked about, maiden UK & European tour, in time to unveil their rattling and rapturous new single “The Record’s Flawed”.
This intoxicating anthem is the perfect exemplar of the boisterous, off the cuff and tripped out party atmosphere that fans can expect from the band’s curiously-titled second album, ‘Dipz Zebazios’.
Promising a huge progression from their acclaimed 2013 debut (‘Hex.Lover.Killer’), The Delta Riggs’ new full-length highlight’s the ambitions of a group unwilling to sit at idle. A sprinkle of sonic influence can be heard the likes of English giants Kasabian, psych icons Primal Scream and art rock mainstays Divine Fits – all of whom the band have toured with in the past 18 months.
See them at the Ballarat Beer Festival. With thousands expected to descend upon Ballarat township on Saturday 24th January 2015, music lovers and beer enthusiasts are encouraged to book early for the event. Tickets (and drink tokens) available now via Ticketek www.ticketek.com.au
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