It has been a difficult year for many bands that had some momentum going. The world stopped but that does not mean your music and development should do the same. Our friends Delphi Ravens took the time without the chance to play live shows to focus on getting better and writing new music. Success.
We caught up with founder, bassist, and main songwriter Papa B.™ to see what they have been up to and what is on the horizon. Enjoy the interview.
First off, tell us about the band name Delphi Ravens?
The name came from combining 2 elements. The Oracle of Delphi was supposed to be where the greatest thinkers in the world would go to find answers to their unanswerable questions. The Raven is more from the idea of the 3-eyed raven which was used most recently in Game of Thrones for its futuristic visions. I liked the idea of combining these 2 elements of knowledge and vision.
How would you describe the band’s sound?
We have been compared to so many different bands past and present. I think this has to do with the fusion sound we like to create but also the really different backgrounds of our members. We have metal, hard rock, alternative/indie rock, jazz, country/blues, and even orchestral music backgrounds. An unusual blend.
We have been compared to Deftones, Evanescence, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Alice in Chains, Siouxsee & the Banshees, Silversun Pickups, Bright Eyes, even a little bit of Tool.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
Given our diverse backgrounds that is a tough one, but I would say newer bands and music have more impact on what we do than older ones. But the genres we draw from are very wide, as I mentioned.
The Pacific Northwest has been a hot bed of authentic music for decades. Where do the Delphi Ravens fit into this scene?
We are probably one of the hottest bands from the Northwest. I say this because we were formed just before the pandemic hit and have been writing and recording since. But we haven’t even played live in the last year! Still, we have had great reviews, radio play in UK, Canada, and US, and already have gathered more than 10,000 fans. So, I think for a new band we are doing well. But most important, we are happy with the music we are producing.
ReverbNation has ranked us in the Top 3 Alt/Indie Rock bands in the Northwest, the Top 75 nationwide and the Top 125 Worldwide.
We hear that your live shows are truly impressive. Tell us about the concert experience.
We really try to put together shows that have a blend of our songs and a few covers of very recent songs and weave a story as well as pull on different emotions as we go through our sets. We actually do plan our shows and the music to provide the best performance possible. Add in some energy and good musicians and we get a great crowd reaction.
What do you hope to inspire in the listeners of your music?
We are emotionally driven in our song writing. From anger to fear to great love lost to even a mini-protest song we want to have the audience to actually feel something and relate to the music – touch something personal in their lives.
One reviewer said our song Hardest Goodbye was “dripping with emotion.” We love to hear that and know that it touched someone.
Share some insight for other bands trying to make a name for themselves.
Well, if you are doing original music like us, focus on each song and make it the best you can. Not every song will meet your standards but keep working at your craft and you will get better. I think working hard, and smart, is the best way to get results. Finish every song you really start, it is a great habit to form. And find people who can work together which I know is tough. It took me over a year to find the right members for our band. I did wonder if it would ever happen but just kept working at it and it did!
One thing I see almost every band miss, is that you have to know your business. We are in the music business and learning about licensing, distribution, and the business side is not an option. You have to know it if you want to be successful.
How does the next few years look for Delphi Ravens?
It looks great!!! We are set to hit the studio again in mid-October for 4 more songs – 11 total for 2021. So, our production is good, our quality is good and getting better, and we promote as much as we can. We don’t consider ourselves a really successful band yet, we have a ways to go but we get better continuously. We will be putting together our first EP later this year and first album in 2022.
And with some luck, we will be playing live a lot more next year. Our goal is to be playing bigger venues than the typical bars, wineries, etc. and expose more people to our music. And there is nothing like playing live.
Keep up with more from Delphi Ravens HERE.
