Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Delta Spirit: Local or Not?

I like Delta Spirit. I really do. I like their sound. I think they're nice guys. Jonathan was kind enough to find my blog about the band in which I basically said they're a little too over the top for Jesus for my tastes. He pointed out that I'd misquoted a lyric and that the band's intent is to be all inclusive and they're not trying to be preachy. After that, I went back and listened to their music again, and whether I like it or not, it still sounds overwhelmingly, at times for me, overbearingly, religious. Regardless, I like them.

But now I'm a little peeved. Tomorrow's CityBeat is the local music issue. Several bands will be featured and highlighted, but the cover features Grand Ole Party and Delta Spirit. It is no secret that GOP is from San Francisco, but every time I've talked to Kristin, she has been glad to say they are a San Diego band, that it was this scene that nurtured them and welcomed them. San Diego is a city of imports, so as long as they continue to give props to San Diego, I hope they go really, really far.

Delta Spirit is a different situation. Jonathan told me that 3 members live in Carlsbad and two live in San Clemente/Dana Point. "Our music feels a bit more at home in LA, I guess." That is a perfectly ok position to have. But when you represent, you need to represent. For the recent South By Southwest music festival, the band is listed as an Orange County band. San Diego is NOT Orange County. Maybe the festival required a designation. "Pick one." Maybe. But as a proud San Diegan, I feel dissed. And if I were a band that proudly screams from the rooftops that I am from San Diego, I would be a litle peeved that a local mag doing an article on local music would put a band that is only local when it's convenient, whether by their designation, management, what have you. Even Jewel (from Alaska) and Jason Mraz (Virginia?) claimed San Diego as home long after they sold thousands of records.

I really welcome comments and opinions on this because I would like to know if I'm outta line. This reminds me of being in high school and several local bands being pissed that Stone Temple Pilots won an SDMA in 1993 for Album of The Year. I've also heard bands grumble when other bands get signed without playing this town a whole lot but I think that grumbling comes from other motivation. I don't know, I'm just throwing this out there.

Also, a disclaimer: I have not seen the cover nor read any of the features from tomorrow's CityBeat, I've only heard that those bands are on the cover.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I can speak for CityBeat. I actually kinda don't really care. It's splitting hairs. But because I love ye and for the spirit of debate...

Three members live here, and two have been a huge part of the local scene for years (Brandon and Jon with Noise Ratchet and other bands). I don't feel sheepish at all about calling them a local band.

Plus, if we truly do need to split hairs and make a decision, simple math tells us that 60 percent of the band is San Diego. 40 percent is from O.C.

San Diego, by calculator, wins!

Unknown said...

Oh, and as for Grand Ole Party... that's a no-brainer. They all live here, and have "made" their band here in San Diego. They were actually from Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and San Francisco before this... but that was as people, students, friends jamming... not as a band.

But they became an "official" band here. recorded their first demo here. They played their first gig here, played 90 percent of their shows here, and LIVE here.

catdirt said...

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. rosey! that is some FUCKED UP SHIT.... DUDE I TOLD YOU TO SAY SOMETHING... DELTA SPIRIT DOES NOT REPRESENT SAN DIEGO!!! that is all i have to say on this matter. I will engage in no debate or name calling.

Can I bold "DELTA SPIRIT DOES NOT REPRESENT SAN DIEGO!!!"? That is all I have to say. Represent has multiple meanings in that sentence, all right? don't be too fucking literal about the analysis.

Rosemary Bystrak said...

Thanks, Troy... I kinda thought I was splitting hairs when all of this initially came up last week and didn't think it was worth posting (though a couple people I talked to had strong feelings and thought I should) but it stayed on the brain and when I heard they're on the cover, I though there might be some other perspectives who might wanna give their two cents. Thanks for the CityBeat perspective.

Unknown said...

I think you're right that Delta Spirit doesn't "represent" the local scene. There's a quote by the lead singer in the article that will sum it up in tomorrow's paper.

I used to care a whole heckuva lot about whether bands were "truly local." I used to get all flustered and blathery about it. But now I take my provincial pride out of it and just go by simple math and a little common sense.

Flogging Molly is not a local band, although Hensley lives in Carlsbad. Sublime was never local even though a member owned a house on my street. Stone Temple Pilots were the REVERSE situation of Delta Spirit--three from L.A., two from San Diego--but really "created themselves" in L.A.

But when Delta Spirit is made of mostly San Diegans who've been playing Soma and the Casbah for years, it's just common sense.

Brian said...

I think the problem you get saying you're from SD being in a band is just being looked over here in your home town. You get the feeling that people think you play music just for your friends in a garage or something.
When a band comes into town having relocated from somewhere else there is some sort of cool factor that sort of creates a buzz on its own. Like "they're just in town to hang out on the beaches by day, record their new LP and play some shows at night". The local media and scenesters immediately want a piece of it. So it almost would work to your advantage to make it look like you came from some other city to SD. Didn't the Bloody Hollies do that?

Unknown said...

I thought GOP were playing in NOLA before here. Maybe not as GOP..?

I think we should appreciate what we got, cuz its legions better then the Christ rock and pop punk we had been known for.

Brian said...

I guess you're right...

But hey we still got POD!

kristinkontrol said...

RE: GOP ---- KG & JPL are from the bay area, MK is from escondido. we all met in santa cruz, moved to SF and played in a jam band that never performed or recorded, and then moved here to start GOP. we are undoubtedly a san diego band.

xo