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Photo © GRIMY GOODS |
Death Valley Girls are Bonnie, Laura, Bobby and Larry. I first came across them via band camp when their first album Street Venom had dropped. I love gritty, sweaty, sexy, foot stomping rock n roll and with Death Valley Girls that's exactly what you get. Classic rock vibes with a snarling femme fatale at the helm. There's a lot of rock n roll bands out there at the moment but few that feel as authentic and sincere to the roots as Death Valley. They live it, they breathe it, they are rock n roll and they bloody do it well.
Death Valley Girls has been described as many things.. trippy garage rock, psyched out rock, sweat soaked pure rock n roll. All of which is undoubtedly true. How would you describe Death Valley Girls to the unsuspecting listener?
hmm. Rock and roll/dystopian future punk/doom boogie blues shot into space and channeled through our amps and drums.
There is a real sweaty, grimy, leather pant Iggy Pop panther pro-esque to the new track ep Electric High. It seems much more chaotic yet 100% tighter than Street Venom. What was the fuel behind the new ep?
The fuel was Tequila and Doritos, a deadly combination.
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Photo © Adam Boren Bennett |
There's no way I can mention Electric High and not talk about the epic film clip for the song by Larry. I watched it on loop so many times over the first time I watched it. Its filled with so much raw rock imagery its like a rock n roll visual explosion. Where did the idea come from and how the hell did you cut the footage down to fit the song without dying to add more?
The idea was born out of wanting a super raw dirt cheap video that was a perfect visual counterpart to the song, it was all edited using 2 video tape recorders with footage from Larry's Horror/Exploitation/Sleaze Video library, it was really
tough to not keep adding stuff to it, there could have been so much more!
What is it about rock n roll and rock n roll culture you love the most? And what do you think keeps it fresh?
Everything, the music, myths, weirdos, geniuses, losers, fashion, sex, drugs... it never grows old because it can't.
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Photo © TINO TRAN |
You're often mistaken for all girl band when in fact you now have two male members, one being the amazing Larry Schemel (some may recall him from the rock doc on his sister Hole's Patty Schemel's 'Hit So Hard'). How did you guys come together and what is the dynamic like in the band?
We came together by the secret power of rock n roll, the dynamic is like "The Blob", we're evolving into one giant organism.
Do you all come together to write or is it a more... I do the lyrics, you do the music etc etc type thing?
All songs exist in the ethos, waiting for the right time to share themselves with a band or a person- it's a total mystery and blessing when they make their way to you. Once we capture a song Bonnie writes the lyrics, and we all collaborate on the music.
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Photo © Darian |
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Photo © Leonard Drorian |
I know the EP just dropped but where are we going to hear another badass full length from you guys?
ASAP! Workin' on it now.
You've just been on a mini tour. Who are some of the current rock acts around at the moment that you're digging?
Chain & the Gang, Wand, Black Bananas, Zig Zags
Are we likely to ever see you Death Valley Girls rocking on this side of the globe?
Hell yeah, we wanna take the Death Valley Caravan to all parts known and unknown.
Whats on the cards for Death Valley Girls for the next 12 months?
Tours, recording, new music, SXSW, Burgerama, more touring, more new music!