Hot Press meets Deap Vally

Anyone with access to a television, radio, computer or even two tin cans with a wee bit of string attached will already be aware of the omnipresent Deap Vally. Anywhere you look, their primal, powerful and unforgettable sound (fuzzed up guitars, pounding drums and righteous rock 'n' roll vocals) can be heard. They’re sound-tracking everything from teen soap montages to mortgage lending advertisements (okay, we may have made that one up). The LA duo are very much on the brink of big things. When Hot Press catches up with drummer Julie Edwards, the musician tells us that life in “the Valley” is good and she’s glad just-released debut album Sistrionix is having the desired effect.
“Having our music played everywhere was definitely something Lindsay [Troy, guitar/vocals] and I wanted,” she says. “We want to reach as many people as we can. Sistrionix was a pretty easy birth for us. I think when we set our mind to writing songs they just come out. We don't really dwell on things and it's not a struggle. Our music isn't about being over-complicated or over-thought.”
With Deap Vally’s live performances already the stuff of legend, the ladies are very much in demand right now. With the tour schedules becoming increasingly busy, might they be tempted to recruit another member to share the load?
“No, not a temptation at all,” she replies. “It works really well with two of us. We’re not totally closed to the idea of it happening some day if the right person appears. However, we’re not focused on it. Touring is a whirlwind. It’s lots of travelling and has been so much fun.”
At the time of our interview, Julie was getting ready to support Queens Of The Stone Age in Canada. Very much a match made in heaven, we wonder whether she’s considering getting Josh Homme in to twiddle the knobs for their second record?
“Josh producing? It’s a thought,” she teases. “We’d really love to work with Kevin Parker from Tame Impala on the next one, actually. That’s a little dream of ours. We haven’t even released our first record in our home country yet, so we’re gonna be on this album for a while.
“It’s a dream come true to get to play shows with the Queens,” she continues. “They’re one of the great rock ‘n’ roll bands of our time. It’s an extra perk to share a bill with someone who inspires you so much and encourages you to play visceral, intense, in-your-face rock ‘n; roll.”
In a few weeks, the people of Ireland will get to sample some of that intense rock ‘n’ roll first-hand when Deap Vally appear at Electric Picnic. If Julie’s upcoming visit is as memorable as her first one, we’re all in for a treat.
“I’m so excited about returning to Ireland,” she grins. “I once went on a field trip in high school to Ireland with my theatre group. We stayed in other kids’ houses. We performed in a prison on an island outside of Cork and it was awesome. While on that trip I visited what I consider to be the most beautiful place on Earth, called Gougane Barra. It’s the most amazing place I’ve ever been to in my life. I’ll always have a special spot in my heart for Ireland. Also, I was in Dublin when I was 15 and got to see someone break a bottle over someone else’s head in the street, so that was pretty exciting too!”