Delta Spirit’s new album, Into The Wide (Dualtone), is full of anti-war and pro-working-class songs, steeped in literary and biblical images that will make them resonate with almost any listener. The music is deep and moody, playing off the sound of chiming rock guitars, driving rhythms and anthemic vocals against a thick wall of dark, almost industrial noise. The songs paint pictures of the disenfranchised, disillusioned and downcast citizens of our country, folks struggling to get by, but still maintaining their faith in the promises of the American dream. Delta Spirit will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on the band.
Jon Jameson: I have been in touring bands for more than 13 years (Delta Spirit for the last nine). I have seen a lot of bars and a lot of shitty green rooms. If one isn’t careful, that’s what touring life can become. Van, club, green room, stage, bar, hotel, repeat. One can only wander so far on foot, and sometimes venues find themselves in bizarre and inconvenient locations. About eight years ago, I went surfing with my friends in Switchfoot, and Phoenix came along, too. All of those highly cultured Frenchmen showed up to the beach on folding bikes and blew my touring mind. Why hadn’t I thought of this?! Before our next tour, I got one. At this point we are in a van. Space is limited. Everyone hated me for bringing my folding bike, but once I got a taste of life outside the green room, there was no going back. I even managed to take it with me to Europe. We were in a Sprinter, and there was literally no room. I think Vasquez almost punched me in the face in rage once. Everyone hates “the Dahon,” but it has been the best thing that has happened to my touring life since cellphones and Google maps. That sounds like a joke, but when I first went on tour one guy in the band had a cellphone and all of the directions were printed out from AAA in a binder. I guess I’m old.
Video after the jump.
