The Delta Riggs: Active & Galactic (Interview)

The 13th Floor’s Tim Gruar talks to Aussie rockers The Delta Riggs ahead of their NZ tour…

Following up on 2014′s excellent Dipz Zebazios Melbourne indie-pysche funk four The Delta Riggs dropped Active Galactic (their third album) which is oozing with pop nous, cosmic punk disco tunes (check out the mirror ball helmet in their videos) and an effervescent, throw-away-your-worries vitality. 

In Aussie, radio is still king when it comes to music.  And if you’re talking about rock’n’roll, then that’s the home of Triple J.  For any local bands, featuring on Triple J’s Unearthed and (the covers show) Like a Version are big deals over the Tasman.  If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

Hustlin’ for attention, from 2009 when the band first emerged to now, is the name of the game, reckons guitarist Alex Markwell, who alongside Elliot Hammond (vocals), Michael Tramonte (Bass) and Simon McConnell make up The Delta Riggs.

Markwell’s talking to me during a break from producing at his studio and home in Northcote Melbourne.  He’s just been laying down some guitar tracks with another Melbourne crew, the Cherry Dolls. It’s his current ‘day job’.   When the Delta Riggs are in the studio he’s responsible for the production and the mixing but he reckons everyone has a role in the recording process.  It’s a democratic unit.  “We had some help from some friends from LA on the last album, who came out to add some support but it’s mainly us – we’re all pretty hands on”.

The album was recorded on 16 track recording gear so it still sounds pretty analogue and has elements of ‘garage’ in there.  “Then we muck around with the mixing a bit to make it all sound ‘mint’.  The recording process just works really well, I found.”  The DIY approach means that their record comes out not sounding too over produced.  “No Stock Aiken Waterman production on this one.  None of that.  Although, maybe the next one.  Next time we’ll go ‘ham’ on it.  I wonder if (one time SAW prodigy) Kylie Minogue is free? “S’cuse me Kylie, are you free to do a record?”  Yeah, Nah!”

Hot off a 30-date local tour in support of their latest album, Markwell is fulfilling other obligations in between touring.  It won’t be long before the road calls though as the band are due to cross the ditch for a bit gig in Auckland.

“I love New Zealand,” he says.  I can hear him grinning in irony.  “I love that dry sense of humour…Taika Waititi, Flight of the Conchords… And Katchafirefire – they’re Kiwis – right?”  Yes, they are.  This is all part of our rambling conversation about the early days of the band, making music with an evolving agenda and Kiwi films.  He loves Hunt For The Wilderpeople, by the way.  Half our phone time is spent discussing the finer points of a Toyoya Hilux and Crumpie’s driving techniques.

When I do drag him back to music I learn that the band was formed from loose association back when Alex was living in Brisbane.  It was a collective of other bandmates. “One day, we just decided that it was stupid being in other groups and we decided to stop those and work on this one.”

They quickly wrote a few songs and cut a couple of eps.  “Recording is the best way to get yourself noticed, get work because they can hear you and understand what you are on about.” Now, in Melbourne, he says that the scene is competitive, “You can’t be ‘shit’, if that makes sense.  You have to be good at your craft.  Keeps everyone on their toes.  Gigs come by word of mouth and reputation.  There’s a great scene here.”  And by Triple J AirPlay.  “That definitely helps”.

It’s not long before music talk turns to beer talk and we start comparing local craft beers.  He asks about seafood restaurants in Auckland and wants recommendations.  Having born in Hong Kong as an Aussie ex-pat growing up their he loves Asian cuisine.  When he moved in his teenage years it was to the Gold Coast and then eventually moved to Melbourne where he became a full-time musician in his 20’s.  I ask if he ever wanted to do anything else – an engineer, perhaps.  Or a brewer.  Yeah, that would have been the ‘smart move’.  I sort of am (a sound) engineer, with the studio work.  Yeah, nah.  Always wanted to do music.  Maybe sound tracks”.  Then it all dissolves into a long chat about Kiwi films.

Pulling him back from the abyss, I ask about the band’s unique mix of garage rock (think Datsuns or The Checks) and 70’s soul the songs all have a very funky quality and a raw sound.  “I think it’s our influences.  70’s Soul, Nile Rodgers, things like that.  Good sounds are Chess and Stax records.  Always a big influence for me.  Great groove.  Proper pop song writing.  And a bunch of hip hop artists from the ‘90’s.”

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si84FsgM4MA

I think their song from the new album Never Seen This Before sounds like a braggin’ rap song sung by a garage band listening to Motown.  “We love Jurassic 5, De la Soul and The Black Eyed Peas – when they were still good.  There’s so much shit going on we just take little snippets from everywhere and that’s what you get”.  He laughs.  He says for this album most of the songs are guitar/drums led with plenty of space in between beats to let the music breath.  “I don’t think you need to complicate the sound or fill it with lots of extra stuff like synths or keys just to fill in the silence.”  A bit like a good conversation?  “Yes.  Mind you, that’s on this album.  The Previous one had some hip-hop elements and the one before was different again.  We’re organically growing and evolving each time.  That’s our strength.”

Tim Gruar

See the Delta Riggs flex their muscles at Whammy Bar, Auckland on 26^th February : https://www.facebook.com/thewhammybar/

They also Meatsock – The Music and Meat Festival, 25-26 February, ASB Showgrounds : http://www.meatstock.com.au/auckland/