IndiePulse Interviews: Delmont

IndiePulse Music Magazine Interviews Delmont on their rise to popularity, the release of their new album “Aged”, which is not only a metaphorical title, but and explanation to the mature outlook of their music, which for a band so your, shows great talent that underscores the genius of their sound.

An IndiePulse Exclusive Interview with Delmont, written by Joseph Timmons.

Delmont was born in Philadelphia. Manayunk, specifically, where Sean and Joey started off doing acoustic jams in Sean’s apartment not far from Main Street. Each member of the band had his own path to becoming part of Delmont and this is what gives Delmont its unique sound. Jonah came to Philly to attend Temple University and fell in love with the city not long after. Upon graduating from U Maine, Colby left his home state and started a new chapter in Philadelphia, a place he, too, grew to appreciate and admire. Joey and Ryan hail from the suburbs and brought their classic, bluesy, flair to the sound that now makes up Delmont. The members did not join all at once but found each other gradually through friends, fellow bands, or even Craigslist ads. Now, with a rock-solid line up, and a glass or two of whiskey, the Delmont boys are here to unleash some hot new tracks on the Philly music scene and the world.

When we broke the news about Delmont, their forthcoming album “Aged” and then premiered their video for “Young and Vicious”, we knew we were seeing the sonic boom of a new blues infused rock powerhouse. An earlier quote from the band was just a tease – “This EP has been over a year in the making and it shows a brand new, more polished sound than what the band was before,” explains drummer Jonah Kazman. “We talk about the hashtag #sweatandwhiskey a lot because, like whiskey, we took the time to develop the complexity of each song and make sure it was ready for the world to hear, and we’ve definitely poured our share of sweat into shows and practice sessions”. Soon enough, we saw the real deal come out.

Delmont features “reformed metalheads” and “classic bluesmen,” the five-piece comprises singer Sean Ramirez, lead guitarist Joey Fontana, rhythm guitarist Ryan Branagh, bassist Colby Fischang and Kazman, who bring a unique southern rock n’ soul touch and balance of many styles of music. Their lyrics strive to address life’s difficult questions, and Aged confronts issues of alcoholism, toxic relationships and navigating your mid-20s. Wow, not an ambitious first release, hmmm?

So, it was with great pleasure that we jumped the opportunity to continue our coverage of the band, their romps in the music scene and where they want to take things next.

IPM: What inspires you to write music the way you do?

At its core, our music is about us taking a part of ourselves. Sometimes a part that is painful or complex and making it into a piece of art that puts this emotion or experience on display. We strive to write music that is a reflection of our lives and is also relatable to the listener. We focus a lot on catchy riffs and making sure that every song has a groove or a swing. We want people to get up and dance, to be energized, or excited when they hear our music.

IPM: With the last question in mind, what inspired this great new album?

 This album was inspired by wanting to develop ourselves musically and show people what our potential was. As the name of the EP suggests, we have ‘aged’ and matured our writing and our sound. These songs came from real experiences we’ve all had and our desire to give people the feeling that they are not alone in their struggles. Being young and out in the world is fun and exciting but it can also be intimidating. We wanted to show people every side of that journey.

IPM: What are or were some of the challenges you have faced producing the new album, while keeping true to your vision of your music?

The biggest challenges that we faced were musical and also conceptual. We were, as a unit, making a change in what the band sound was, adjusting to new members, and also working under a highly skilled professional engineer/producer (Ron DiSilvestro), who demanded excellence from us at every turn. Some of the songs weren’t even done until right before we entered the studio and some even changed over the course of the recording process. This was a humbling and also eye-opening experience to be sure.

IPM: Tell us about some of the responses from fans and other press about your latest release and the new video.

We have been floored by all of the positive responses we have gotten from friends and fans. People have been saying things like “Delmont sounds more polished. They are a professional band now. I just love their sound and can’t wait to hear the whole album.” Other feedback we have received is “This has a great classic rock and roll sound” and “it sounds like you really found your sound… and like you guys are comfortable playing off one another”.

IPM: Tell us about your recent releases or upcoming release.

On April 19^th we released the single off of this EP “Young and Vicious” as well as an accompanying music video (which we were initially announced through an IPM magazine exclusive!) which are both available now. The full EP, “Aged”, was released on May 4^th of this year and we celebrated the release with a show at Bourbon and Branch in Philadelphia.

IPM: What’s next? Any more videos in the works?

We have lyric videos for two songs off of the EP, “Grey” and “Nothing Yet,” that will be released in the next couple of months.

IPM: Any “strange tales” or things that may have happened during a show that seemed too weird to be true?

When we were filming the music video for “Young and Vicious” at the Grape Room in Manayunk, Sean was planning on bringing his microphone that he always uses for shows. It’s a classic Shure mic that has the old-school look to it and is also a very high-quality piece of equipment. When he arrived at the show he couldn’t find it anywhere, which was obviously not a fun time. After searching his car and every place we could think of all hope seemed lost… until his mom called from his apartment. She had let herself in to aid in the search and had been initially unsuccessful but then she checked the fridge. Low and behold, it was sitting there right next to Sean’s trusty Brita pitcher!! Sean’s mom then brought the mic down to the venue, thus saving the day!!

IPM: Where do you see your music going, where would you like to be in the near future, goals, dreams and passions?

Ultimately, we have the same goal that is shared by all original musicians. We want this to be our full-time gig. We want to tour the country, and even the world, and play our music in front of as many people as we can. In the near future we are looking to expand our touring radius up and down the East Coast and also out to Tennessee and the Midwest.

IPM: What would you like our readers to know about you?

We may be chasing the rock n’ roll dream, but that doesn’t mean we’re trying to emulate the “rock star” persona that people see in movies or TV. We like to talk to people and get to know fans better. We each have our own niches we fill and ways that we stand out within the group. Colby is our sports guru, but also is a whiz with electronics. Joey is a true outdoorsman who hunts and fishes regularly. Jonah is an avid PC gamer in his spare time.

IPM: Where can our readers find your music?  

Our music can be found on all digital distribution platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and Amazon. We also have all of our music up on our YouTube channel (where you can also find the music videos), and our Soundcloud site.

Stay posted here on IndiePulse Music Magazine and on Delmont’s website, https://delmontband.com, and following their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@delmontband) pages.

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/1MOCn…

IG: http://www.instagram.com/delmontband/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DelmontBand

Google Play: http://play.google.com/store/music/a…

Amazon: http://music.amazon.com/artists/B004…

Website: http://delmontband.com/