Delta Deep is a blues-based band featuring Phil Collen (lead guitarist of Def Leppard) and Robert DeLeo (bassist for Stone Temple Pilots), in addition to Debbi Blackwell-Cook (back-up vocalist for such artists as Michael Buble and Gregory Hines) and Forrest Robinson (drummer for India.Arie, Joe Sample & The Crusaders, TLC). Collen recently spoke with Greg Prato at Alternative Nation about working with DeLeo and his favourite Stone Tempe Pilots songs. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

Q: How it playing with Robert, stylistically?

Collen: "Obviously, because he’s in a rock band…the big difference is it’s like, funk on steroids. It’s not your typical soul or groove or blues band, because me and Robert are from hard rock bands. Alternative, metal, whatever you want to call it. And what’s really interesting about Forrest Robinson is the fact that he’s from Memphis, he’s played with all these…the Crusaders is a jazz group. But when I first met him, what he said, 'All I really want to play is double kick drum metal.' I said, 'Really?!' Never judge a book by its cover! Because I thought he was like a groove guy, which he is, but that’s what he loves playing. So when Debbi (Blackwell) gets out and sings over the top of it, it reminds me of early Zeppelin. It’s got a feel like that. I didn’t really expect that – I thought it was going to be more subdued, it was going to be a bit of a groove and bluesy, but it turned into this other thing. It’s got element of Zeppelin, Def Leppard, STP – only it’s this soulful, funky, rock thing. It’s a very muscular version of that. Like I said, playing with Robert is a joy. We’re basically a three-piece – guitar, bass, and drums. And there’s so much going on that you’ll fill all of the gaps – and not just all with notes, but with aggression. And that’s the one thing that I always love. I have another band, Man-Raze, and we’ve got two albums out. Paul Cook is the drummer, and he’s the drummer from the Sex Pistols. I loved Paul Cook’s drumming. I loved the Sex Pistols album (Never Mind the Bollocks…). I always wanted that aggression in something. So we pretty much got that down, and again, with Man-Raze, it was that thing, it was the aggression. A lot of people miss out on that. It’s like a lot of rock bands are kind of wimpy or whatever and don’t quite have that thing. But this is…steroidal and muscular are the only words to describe it!

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Delta Deep are set to continue their 2016 Sugar Shack Tour with a run up the East Coast this spring.

Beginning on March 28th in Washington, DC the quartet will hit Philly, Asbury Park, Northampton, MA before heading into NYC, Boston and finishing up with a spot at Daryl’s House, the venue owned by Hall & Oates’ Darryl Hall. The east coast leg of the Sugar Shack tour ends on April 8th in Bay Shore, NY with more dates to be announced shortly.

Delta Deep will be touring in support of their soon to be released live album, featuring songs recorded during the inaugural January Sugar Shack west coast run. The January run featured sold-out shows with fans and critics’ alike raving about the bands live show.

Collen initially started Delta Deep in 2012 after jamming over the course of a year with friend and relative, Debbi Blackwell-Cook. What started as a casual pairing singing Motown and classic blues staples quickly became a quartet who share a love for soul, funk and the blues when they added STP’s DeLeo and drummer Forrest Robinson.

Tour dates:

March
28 - Howard Theatre - Washington, DC
29 - Ortlieb’s Lounge - Philadelphia, PA
30 - Wonder Bar - Asbury Park, NJ
31 - Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, MA

April
3 - BB Kings - New York, NY
5 - Cavern Club at Hard Rock Café - Boston, MA
6 - Daryl’s House - Pawling, NY
8 - YMCA Boulton Center - Bay Shore, NY