In early March of this year, DEHD released their self-titled debut LP on Maximum Pelt. In the 9 loosely connected tracks, DEHD layers atonal melodies, roaming rhythms, simplified percussion with echoing ethereal verse into a fringe effort worthy of a listen. This week The COMP Magazine caught up with
the trio in their East Garfield Park practice space to discuss the formation of the group, their current sonic investigations, their artistic influences, and the process of recording their upcoming LP due out
next year.
D. – DEHD
E.K. – Emily Kempf
E.M. – Eric McGrady
J.B. – Jason Balla
How about we begin with some background information and how y’all formed DEHD? Eric and Emily are from the south, while Jason grew up in Chicagoland. Where did you meet? What prompted your collaboration? And, how did you form as an ensemble?
D. – We began as a romance project. The romance was going so well we decided to add a third. Now we explore other emotions but romance is never far away peering out from behind a corner.
2016 appears to be a productive year. You released your debut album DEHD in March and are currently recording a second. I’m wandering if you can walk us through your process in developing and arranging these materials?
D. – The songwriting process has come out of us learning how to communicate musically together. Once we started to understand each other writing the songs became easier. Our two rules are to have fun and hang loose.
When do you hope to release your second album? What is the conceptual and sonic focus of this effort? Do you see any transition in how you approach this material from your debut album?
D. – We plan to release the record in 2017. 2016 has been a year of discovering our personalities. As it has unfolded, it’s yielded noiser tones, wilder melodies and more faces.
The songwriting itself has become more intentional in that we’ve scheduled ourselves time to create songs and also to dive into self recording.
In part, there are elements in DEHD that remind me of the American underground noise rock that surfaced in the early 1980s. I am wandering if there are any specific musicians or music that you see informing your aesthetic inquiry?
D. – Though there are bands from many generations that we relate to, we try to guide the band with our own voices and current obsessions. To list a few bands we relate to: The velvet underground, twerps, beat happening.
You are currently preparing for a Midwest tour. Can you share with us the process of organizing this sojourn? Where will you be playing? Do you have any specific goals with this tour?
D. – Per our previous statement. The immediate goal of tour is to play well, have fun and make friends.
What do you enjoy most about your sonic investigations?
J.B. – I like guitar.
E.K. – I like bass. (Dehd allows me to play the way I want)
E.M. – I like drums.
DEHD: Eric McGrady, Jason Balla, and Emily Kempf, Chicago, IL 2016, photo by Chester Alamo-Costello
What’s the plan for the remainder of 2016? Do you have any upcoming performances in Chicago? Anything else you can share about future pursuits?
D. – We plan to finish writing and recording our new record. Currently we are half way done. Our original cassette is to be released digitally on Fire Talk, a friends label in nyc. We’ll likely be traveling more as the year unfolds. Primarily the Midwest.
For additional information on DEHD, please visit:
DEHD – https://dehdforever.bandcamp.com/releases
Emily Kempf – https://emilykempf.bandcamp.com/track/twenty-dehd
Interview by Chester Alamo-Costello
