2010 was a good year for The Delta Riggs.. Releasing their debut self-titled EP in March and spending the middle part of the year, building a solid reputation as a raucous live act through relentless touring up & down the eastern seaboard.
What was the first band you saw live?
The first performance i ever saw was Michael Jackson on the History tour and I’d never experienced an atmosphere like that before, so as a kid it was thrilling.
As for the first actual band, Royal Crown Revue, a badass group of players from California. Their drummer and kind of band leader Danny Glass just kind of befriended me and snuck me into the Great Northern in Byron Bay to watch their show. I was pretty wide-eyed at the time being 14 and having their Alcoholic Anonymous Coach, who was there to keep Eddie Nichols their singer dry, sneak me into the venue from the fire escape.
What’d you learn from them?
Music always comes first before anything else that comes with being in a group. If you aren’t 100% committed to the music you shouldn’t be on the stage. You’re wasting peoples time, get nicked.
Got any pre-gig rituals?
ciggy, beer, play some uke
What do you think the most important issue affecting artists in NSW is today?
This isn’t the most important issue but i guess it still is an issue, Support for live music is pretty much non-existent in Urban areas unless it is the flavour of the week. Melbourne’s live music scene thrives in leaps and bounds over Sydney because Victorians are interested in going out and discovering new acts and fresh music, they are not swayed by trends and hype. Truth be known Melbourne is really the superior City for live music in Australia despite the majority of Industry heavyweights doing business in Sydney
If you weren’t a musician what do you reckon you’d be doing?
I would definitely be a fireman, shift work doesn’t dazzle me but the idea of the hammocks and snooker tables would suit me quite nicely.
