Delta 5
OriginLeeds, West Yorkshire, England
GenresPost-punk, new wave
Years active1979–1981
LabelsRough Trade
Pre
Charisma
Past membersJulz Sale
Ros Allen
Bethan Peters
Kelvin Knight
Alan Riggs
Graeme High

Delta 5 was an English post-punk band from Leeds.[1]

Career

Delta 5 was formed from the same art school scene at Leeds University as Gang of Four and The Mekons.[1][2] The original members of Delta 5, Julz Sale (vocals/guitar), Ros Allen (bass) and Bethan Peters (bass), formed the band "on a lark",[3] but soon became a part of the thriving Leeds post-punk scene, and later added Kelvin Knight on drums and Alan Riggs on guitar, both of whom also played in Dead Beats.[2] Combining feminist politics with a two-bass funk-punk sound (much in the style of another, more famous Leeds band, Gang of Four), they released their debut single "Mind Your Own Business" in 1979.

The members of Delta 5 were important figures in the Rock Against Racism movement and were the subject of a highly publicised assault at the hands of a right-wing group affiliated with rival movement Rock Against Communism.[4]

After the release of second single "You", the band went on a successful tour of the United States, and soon thereafter left Rough Trade for Charisma Records imprint Pre.[5] They recorded their debut album See the Whirl, which suffered from overly clean production and received low marks both critically and commercially. Due to the commercial disappointment of the album, the group disbanded.

Post-breakup

Apart from bassist Bethan Peters playing on Fun Boy Three's second album Waiting and performing with them live to support its release, the members of Delta 5 were mostly musically inactive. Meanwhile, Delta 5's recorded output was finding a posthumous fan base internationally. The band Shonen Knife recorded a cover version of "You" with Japanese lyrics and renamed "Saboten" ("Cactus") for their 1982 debut album Minna Tanoshiku.

In 2006, Kill Rock Stars released a compilation of early Delta 5 material titled Singles & Sessions 1979-1981,[2] capitalising on the re-emerging popularity of post-punk bands such as Gang of Four and Wire. The set included unreleased material, along with BBC radio sessions and live cuts.[6]

Delta 5 drummer Kelvin Knight died on 2 December 2015 from liver and kidney failure at the age of 56.[7] Singer and guitarist Julz Sale died from cancer in Thailand on 20 September 2021.[8][9]

Legacy

Long after Delta 5's existence, "Mind Your Own Business" has remained the band's most enduring song, having been covered by Chicks on Speed, Le Shok, R. Stevie Moore, Pigface and Dum Dum Girls. The song was featured in episode 5 of the series Sex Education in January 2019,[10] an episode of the 2020 BBC TV series The A Word,[11] and in an Apple commercial in 2021.[12]

Discography

Albums

Compilation albums

Singles

  • "Mind Your Own Business" / "Now That You've Gone" (1979, Rough Trade Records)
  • "Anticipation" / "You" (1980, Rough Trade Records)
  • "Try" / "Colour" (1980, Rough Trade Records)
  • "Shadow" / "Leaving" (1981)
  • 6 (12" EP, first three singles) (1981, Base Records)
  • "Powerlines" / "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (1982)

References

  1. 1 2 Lester, Paul (2008). Gang of Four: Damaged Gods. Omnibus Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-84772-245-4.
  2. 1 2 3 Lily Clarke, Mia (24 January 2006). "Delta 5: Singles & Sessions 1979-81". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Jason Ankeny. "Delta 5 | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Delta 5 Biography". Aol.com. 12 February 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011. the group's role as political leaders increased in the wake of a notorious street attack on its members by right-wing thugs, culminating in the rise of the Rock Against Communism groundswell.
  5. ↑ "Delta 5". www.furious.com. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Horning, Rob (19 January 2006). "Delta 5: Singles & Sessions 1979-1981". Pop Matters. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. ↑ Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2015 July to December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  8. ↑ John Robb (22 September 2021). "Julz Sale (Delta 5 founder) RIP". LouderThanWar.com. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  9. ↑ Sheppard, Oliver (22 September 2021). "Delta 5 Founder and Singer Julz Sale Has Passed Away". Post-Punk.com.
  10. ↑ Midkiff, Sarah. "Every '80s Song & The Originals That Make Up "Sex Education's" Soundtrack". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "Th A Word | Series 3, episode 1". BBC iPlayer. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Tannenbaum, Rob (10 June 2021). "In the '80s, Post-Punk Filled New York Clubs. Their Videos Captured It". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
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