Delta 5 "punk/funk"

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Hi everyone, a friend told me to look for releases by Delta 5. Can anyone recommend their best tunes to look out for?

― Frank Booth (Frank Booth), Saturday, 23 August 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

"mind your own business" is their best known tune, mainly because chicks on speed did a cover. i only know them through mp3: i'm pretty sure nothing of theirs is available on cd. i'd say keep an eye out for "you," it's one of my favorite post-punk songs ever.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 23 August 2003 09:11 (twenty-two years ago)

search : 'mind your own business', 'you'
destroy : 'see the whirl' LP

― joni, Saturday, 23 August 2003 09:46 (twenty-two years ago)

mp3s of the three Rough Trade singles are worth seeking - a slender collection of 6 tracks of almost uniformly high quality:

"Mind your own business" / "Now that you've gone"
"You" / "Anticipation"
"Try" / "Colour"

MYOB really is one of the greatest things EVER. That one LP and the later singles really were much less impressive: there's a lot of brass on there, and it mostly sounds stiff really.

― Nag! Nag! Nag! (Nag! Nag! Nag!), Saturday, 23 August 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Are they 1/14th as good as the Delta 72?

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Saturday, 23 August 2003 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

MYOB beats the hell out of the Delta 72.. well, I mean, they were great live and nice people, but not as striking & memorable musically, y'know.

Anyone know of any other covers of "Mind Your Own Business"? So far I have Chicks on Speed, Le Shok, and Pigface.

― daria g (daria g), Saturday, 23 August 2003 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"Mind Your Own Business" is on that Rough Trade post-punk compilation. Actually I think I read in the sleeve notes that Kill Rock Stars are doing a re-issue of all the Delta 5 stuff later in the year.

― Hayden Nicholls (Pop the Weasel), Sunday, 24 August 2003 05:44 (twenty-two years ago)

The album 'See The Whirl' is worth hearing if you can find it - it's never been on CD Lots of horns and synths and stuff you do when you get a bit of a budget and it's 1982. The best bits are grebt but 45 minutes of D5's right-on-ness is a bit wearing.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Sunday, 24 August 2003 08:08 (twenty-two years ago)

two months pass...

Does anybody know where I'd find a tracklisting for See The Whirl? I think I have that and a singles compilation of some kind all on one CD-R but it's unlabeled and dreadfully confusing.

Also, what's that one brass heavy song with the lyric 'and the shadow behind walked with him?' I like that.

― Ferg (Ferg), Monday, 27 October 2003 21:42 (twenty-two years ago)

side 1
1. innocenti
2. final scene
3. circuit
4. open life
5. trail
6. shadow (this is the brass heavy one)
7. delta 5
8. anticipation

side 2
1. journey
2. make up (cowritten with john langford)
3. triangle
4. waiting
5. telephone
6. different fur

bj cole guests somewhere but i forget where...

― joni, Monday, 27 October 2003 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah excellent, thanks a million.

― Ferg (Ferg), Monday, 27 October 2003 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"Anticipation is....

Apparently there's a Delta 5 compilation in the works, due for release in the Spring - Jason at Pefect Sound Forever http://www.furious.com/perfect/ (who was also behind the Kleenex / LiLiPUT and Essential Logic compilations) is apparently involved.

There's also a strong possibility of a prag VEC comp. too ".... but they're waiting for one member to get their act together so they can move forward".

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Sunday, 2 November 2003 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Apparently the Delta 5 Comp. is apparently all ready to go; waiting only for one idle, useless, incompetent bitch at the BBC to get her finger out of her arse and do the job we're paying her for by laboriously rubber-stamping a release form; and it should be out within a month of her doing so.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 31 January 2005 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm. Well I guess Delta 5 had their moments, but I think they're hyped a little to much. Never let anyone say they were the female Gang Of Four.
Prag Vec remind of Foetus, I think. Why? Maybe it wasn't Foetus but some other band. No wait, Foetus was in Prag Vec, wasn't he? Anyway, I thought Prag Vec were a little unoriginal.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Monday, 31 January 2005 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I've begun to think I really ought to check out the Slits album, though. I mean just for the hell out of it.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Monday, 31 January 2005 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Which one?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 31 January 2005 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

"Never let anyone say they were the female Gang Of Four."

Damaged Goods EP = First 3 Delta 5 singles > anything else Gang of Four ever did > anything else Delta 5 ever did

"Foetus was in Prag Vec, wasn't he?"

Jim Thirlwell contributed "wasp, noises, vocals" to the prag VEC album No Cowboys but was never a member of the band afaik.

"I've begun to think I really ought to check out the Slits album, though. I mean just for the hell out of it."

You really ought to check out the (first) Slits album because it's it's one of the most amazing albums ever recorded.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 31 January 2005 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember feeling bitterly let down by the first Slits album, because it sounded nothing like their thrilling and astonishing 1977 Peel session. I suspect that this might have been a particularly bad judgment call on my part.

I saw Delta 5 live in Spring 1980, in a little club in north-west London. They were great, in that aloof/distanced way that was so widespread at the time, with the two bassists occupying centre stage. Would really like to hear "You"/"Anticipation" again.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Monday, 31 January 2005 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

Further to recent discussions on Dolly Mixture : Classic or Dud? , from the Typical Girls list today:

"delta 5 [CD] is indeed happening. it should come out very soon on krs."

and furthermore:

"Prag Vec is stalled now as John's kind of unresponsive though Nick and Sue are still hopeful and Mute UK is still behind them. D5 hopefully come the new year."

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

will they just reissue it on CD, or will their be a vinyl release? trying to decide whether to shell out for the early singles . . .

― etc, Friday, 29 July 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

anyone know of any other covers of "Mind Your Own Business"? So far I have Chicks on Speed, Le Shok, and Pigface.

early 80s electro-disco version care of Sandy Steel. Can't remember who produced it.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 29 July 2005 01:02 (twenty years ago)

"See The Whirl" is great - "Anticipation" is a great single. Haven't noticed (or looked for) anything by them on CD, however.

― SoHoLa (SoHoLa), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

nothing to find...CD is still held up and/or being worked on...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 29 July 2005 02:52 (twenty years ago)

cd is in the process of having the artwork finished. id know because im doing it...

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 29 July 2005 04:11 (twenty years ago)

the album is alright. I've almost sold it about 5 times then listened to it and decided to give it another listen to make sure. worth owning if it's reissued on cd or if you find it cheap in a used bin not worth shelling out collectors prices for. the singles though. completely different ballgame.

― simon 803 (simon 803), Friday, 29 July 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

Great - now I can replace the one (along with that Plastics LP) that is sitting in my father's garage.

― Land Ho! (dymaxia), Friday, 29 July 2005 10:36 (twenty years ago)

fyi, the reissue is NOT "see the whirl". its the singles, BBC sessions and a few previously unreleased tracks.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 3 August 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

phew...i'm glad cos see the whirl BLOWS! i probably think that mostly because it's been sitting on the wall at gimme gimme records for ages for $35 and i can't imagine paying more than 5 for all that lame over-funkiness.

speaking of girly post-punk bands, i heard the östro 430 lp the other day and i thought it was oh so pleasant.

― danny gu, Thursday, 4 August 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

Delta 5's early singles + radio sessions to be released in January:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-10/10.shtml#delta5

thanks to Dan Selzer for hipping me to this band via one of his mixes

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 10 October 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

you're welcome...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 10 October 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

http://static.flickr.com/24/39038727_916072c54e_m.jpg

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Monday, 10 October 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

KRS has it available for pre-order here:

http://www.buyolympia.com/killrockstars/Item=KRS415

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 21 January 2006 02:01 (twenty years ago)

it's really good

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 21 January 2006 04:11 (twenty years ago)

nice work, maria. i saw it today at the shop.

― sympathy for the underdog (blackmail.is.my.life), Saturday, 21 January 2006 04:34 (twenty years ago)

Whoop! An essential reissue!

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:03 (twenty years ago)

jt, awesome. now i am waiting for the label to send me copies for, you know, designing the packaging. you'd think id be one of the first to receive it!

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:03 (twenty years ago)

jess was wrong

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:06 (twenty years ago)

when you're on a high horse, that doesn't mean giving it drugs

― Dom iNut (donut), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:28 (twenty years ago)

and it's gets really tiresome to hear someone grudge about one person's pfork review, especially when it's completely misapplied, like in this case.

― Dom iNut (donut), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:30 (twenty years ago)

think I'll get this. "mind your own business" and "try" are all I've heard but they're fantastic.

― controversial buffalo stance (haitch), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:44 (twenty years ago)

I WAS KIDDING FOR FUCK SSAKE

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:44 (twenty years ago)

I WAS KIDDING THE FIRST TIME, TOO, JEEZIS.

I mean I even agree that barrel scraping MAY BE GOING ON. Not all that stoked about a Prats CD ...

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:46 (twenty years ago)

"Fuck sake" sounds like one powerful drink.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 21 January 2006 05:46 (twenty years ago)

wait. there is a Prats comp coming out soo-soo-soon?

― brokeback titty sanskrit (sanskrit), Saturday, 21 January 2006 06:17 (twenty years ago)

Prats.

― Prat, Saturday, 21 January 2006 06:24 (twenty years ago)

That Delta 5 set just became available for download at eMusic, subscribers take note. (Or just sign up for yr free 50 and get it for zilch.)

http://www.emusic.com/album/10891/10891216.html

― Myke Weiskopf (Myke Weiskopf), Saturday, 21 January 2006 13:20 (twenty years ago)

i haven't been one to beat a dead, or high, horse, but I don't see how Tim's grudge, tongue in cheek or not, is misapplied. Jess writes article about how there's no more good post-punk to release, Tim says "jess is wrong" everytime a good (or questionably so) post-punk CD comes out. Bit of a one-trick-pony, but funny or not, the point was valid. Knock him for nagging if you will, but I don't get the "misapplied" point.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Saturday, 21 January 2006 17:45 (twenty years ago)

Hey, can I offer this Desperate Bicycles CDR for sale? Wait, why are you looking at me like that? *is brutally killed*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 21 January 2006 18:01 (twenty years ago)

I don't have any grudge!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 21 January 2006 18:18 (twenty years ago)

All that needs to be done is to release comps of one-offs and singles by groups who never put out a whole album.

― patrick bateman (mickeygraft), Saturday, 21 January 2006 18:20 (twenty years ago)

All that needs to be done is to release comps of one-offs and singles by groups who never put out a whole album.

Been thinking about doing this as online only. The singles I'd love to reissue, we just can't afford to make a comp CD and expect to make any money back.

And Ned, you know I would never so much as hurt a fly.

(mother, there's blood on this knife, mother!)

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Saturday, 21 January 2006 21:10 (twenty years ago)

Jess writes article about how there's no more good post-punk to release

No he didn't. He complained about the barrel-scraping thereof.

The Delta 5 compilation had been in the planning stages well before Jess wrote the piece.. this is just a retrogressive one-trick pony grudge. And i'm sorry i didn't see the humor in the phrase "jess was wrong". My rofflemeter was obviously on the fritz when I read that... my belly should have been aching.

― Dom iNut (donut), Saturday, 21 January 2006 23:39 (twenty years ago)

On the one hand, it's just a side effect of post-punk necrophilia; at some point, on or around August 2003, any remaining good (just good!) post-punk bands had finally been exhumed, renovated, rehabilitated, whatever.

I don't see how this doesn't equate to my simplification Jess writes article about how there's no more good post-punk to release.

I can see how there's a difference between knocking barrel-scraping and saying there's nothing left to reissue, but I still read the article as saying the latter, as well as the former.

I didn't find tim's dredging up of the debate for comedic effect particularly funny, but since he agrees with me (or is mocking my stance!), I don't have any particular issue with it. I'm gonna go contribute to the Glaxo Babies thread now.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Saturday, 21 January 2006 23:59 (twenty years ago)

I wasn't mocking you, Dan. I don't like that ACR album, but given that there are still good psychedelic records being reissued for the first time (or second or third time, but not many people knew about them or something), I wouldn't discount the idea of more good post-punk reissues.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 22 January 2006 00:11 (twenty years ago)

I can see how there's a difference between knocking barrel-scraping and saying there's nothing left to reissue, but I still read the article as saying the latter, as well as the former.

You've got to be kidding me.

So there's no difference between, say, reissuing the Plastics at all vs. reissuing mundane alternate versions of Talking Heads songs.

Ooo kay.

― Dom iNut (donut), Sunday, 22 January 2006 01:20 (twenty years ago)

sorry, I read the initial can as "can't". My mistake.

As for interpreting what jess said, well, agree to disagree.. I only got the barrel-scraping part. If anyone got the latter, I think one read the hyperbole too literally.

― Dom iNut (donut), Sunday, 22 January 2006 01:28 (twenty years ago)

I GOT MY COPY TODAY! I GOT MY COPY TODAY! I GOT MY COPY TODAY!

sounds so good. and the packaging looks exactly like my proofs! yay!

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:14 (twenty years ago)

Wow, ten tracks that AREN'T on the three singles. Are those all BBC session tracks?

I will have to get this now.

― sleeve (sleeve), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 22:52 (twenty years ago)

yes, they're the BBC session tracks, plus three live tracks previously unreleased. and really sweet packaging.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 23:05 (twenty years ago)

Oh man: "Singing the Praises." Love it.

(And yes, Maria, that packaging is fab.)

― Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 23:48 (twenty years ago)

u people are nuts.

many xposts.

i gave this a good review this week.

― cancer prone fat guy (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 26 January 2006 00:55 (twenty years ago)

Maria, do you know if there is a vinyl release planned?

― sleeve (sleeve), Thursday, 26 January 2006 01:11 (twenty years ago)

sleeve, not that i know of!

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 26 January 2006 02:37 (twenty years ago)

Finally picked this up today. I'm listening to the radio session material now and it's really great! I haven't heard See the Whirl myself, but those who have and were disappointed by its reputed "slick" and "polished" sound (or whatever) are in for a real treat with the radio session versions of the album tracks.

― D. Bachyrycz, Thursday, 2 February 2006 02:16 (twenty years ago)

can't wait can't wait

― sleeve (sleeve), Thursday, 2 February 2006 02:18 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

I like this more than I expected to. They were kind of also-rans back in the day but this CD suggests they were a bit better than that. The See The Whirl trax are much much better with simpler arrangements and the bass playing is really pretty damn great throughout - funky and melodic. I REALLY dislike those haughty deadpan posh-girl vocals, especially when they jump around thru octaves (e.g You and Try). After the earliest trax it seems more toned-down and not grating - maybe there's more going on with the guitars etc to dilute it out.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 16 March 2006 15:00 (twenty years ago)

I was only familiar with You and Mind Your Own Business but this CD is proof that Delta 5 had a lot more going than those two songs. A wonderful compilation and all involved should be proud of themselves. Well worth the wait.

― Jeff K (jeff k), Thursday, 16 March 2006 15:28 (twenty years ago)

I REALLY dislike those haughty deadpan posh-girl vocals, especially when they jump around thru octaves (e.g You and Try).

that's the best part!

― au hasard (sleep), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Haughty deadpan posh-girls are great, I'd just rather they didn't sing.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:36 (twenty years ago)

One reason I'll take the Au Pairs over Delta 5 any day is that Lesley Woods is too uncool to not sound like a rock and roll singer, and the clash of her raspy pipes over jagged punkfunkery is more interesting than Beth/Julz/Roz's *just so* delivery. But like I say, D5 just about get away with it.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:39 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

I've been a fan of Delta 5 since I heard Mind Your Own Business about 10 years ago, got the KRS comp etc, but had never bothered to listen to their album See The Whirl before cos everyone says it's shit. Finally gave it a "whirl" today and it's not that bad at all! It's not as good as the singles but it's at least as good as either of the Au Pairs albums IMO, which seem to get a better rep.

Dr C is on crack hating on You above ^^^ :) where is he anyway?

― I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Friday, 13 February 2009 17:14 (seventeen years ago)

Loved Delta 5 when I saw them in DC way back when (1980 or 81?). I only knew "You" and "Mind Your Own Business."

― curmudgeon, Friday, 13 February 2009 17:40 (seventeen years ago)

I really really like See The Whirl, even the extra production touches that people usually hate on (the absence of which were a big part of why folks were excited about the unadorned demos on the KRS CD).

― sleeve, Friday, 13 February 2009 19:35 (seventeen years ago)

twelve years pass...

Apple is using the evergreen "Mind Your Own Business" for a new commercial in the US!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 29 May 2021 00:51 (four years ago)

can i have a taste of your ice cream

― sleeve, Saturday, 29 May 2021 00:53 (four years ago)

It's playing constantly during the NBA playoffs.

― Chris L, Saturday, 29 May 2021 00:58 (four years ago)

Their only album remains to be reissued, slightly disappointing as it is.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 29 May 2021 01:50 (four years ago)

I'm being seduced, co-opted, etc., etc., but I love that commercial.

― clemenza, Monday, 31 May 2021 01:28 (four years ago)

I see I dissed the LP as a n00b. Pretty sure I've not heard it again in the ensuing 18 (!) years. Surely time to try again...

― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 31 May 2021 02:16 (four years ago)

https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/mind-your-own-business-delta-5-apple-ad-privacy-1234979172/amp/

Former Kill Rock Stars intern now at ad agency made it happen.

I did read someone on twitter giving Delta 5 members grief for profiting from Apple who pay slave wages in China and elsewhere.

― curmudgeon, Monday, 31 May 2021 03:36 (four years ago)

Was it tweeted from an iphone?

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 31 May 2021 03:38 (four years ago)

I was wondering about that too!

― curmudgeon, Monday, 31 May 2021 03:40 (four years ago)

three months pass...

Man, this sucks.

https://louderthanwar.com/julz-sale-delta-5-founder-rip/

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 22 September 2021 14:26 (four years ago)

That really does suck. :( I am fairly sure she served me in Rough Trade one time.

I don't watch much TV but the iPhone advert using "Mind Your Own Business" must be on all the time here as I have been shocked a few times when it has suddenly blared from my TV.

I wish I was a little older so I could have seen them play.

― stirmonster, Wednesday, 22 September 2021 15:44 (four years ago)

So sad

They were a fantastic band, those clipped, condescending vocal salvos were a joy

― hiroyoshi tins in (Sgt. Biscuits), Wednesday, 22 September 2021 16:02 (four years ago)

Very sad. Saw them in DC at original 930 Club a long time ago.

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 23 September 2021 03:12 (four years ago)

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