Belfast pop act Blue Deputy have released Cypress, the first single from their new EP, which is due out next year on the Under The Rolling Y/Dalliance Recordings label. We asked Andy of the band the BIG questions . . .
Formed in 2020 in Philadelphia but transplanted to Belfast in 2022, Blue Deputy began as a low-key bedroom-bound pandemic project.
The current lineup is Andy Bunting (vocals and guitar), Caoilfhinn McFadden (bass) and Cathal Francis (guitar and vocals).
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
We're all from Portaferry, Letterkenny and Derry. Spotify describes us as "bubblegrunge" but we don’t know what that means. We first bonded over our love of sci-fi and The Smiths.
How would you describe your music?
Folky mid-west emo-inspired rock.
Who are your musical inspirations?
We take inspiration from both current and older acts, our favourites at the moment would be The Beths, Francis of Delirium, The Smiths and Coldplay (specifically their first two records).
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Jools Holland at Hampton Court Palace with my mum when I was eight - unfortunately I was too young to appreciate it and I have almost no memory of it.
What was the first record you ever bought?
The first one I bought with my own money was the 1977 Star Wars soundtrack on vinyl. I found it at a thrift shop in Philadelphia for $5 and it was so scuffed up that it barely played - disappointing but still pretty cool to have.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Alone by Greg Mendez from his most recent EP. The melody is so beautiful and the lyrics are gorgeously poignant. I like the more stripped-down approach he has to production; he lets the tracks really speak for themselves.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"I was looking for a job, and then I found a job, And heaven knows I'm miserable now" - The Smiths.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
That’s almost an impossible question to answer as there’s so many brilliant songs we all love. If I had to choose just one I would say Idaho by Slow Pulp - the entire mood, vibe and sound of that track is just beautiful and I would definitely say it’s one we all keep coming back to.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Here. You can listen to our music on Spotify and all streaming platforms as well as Bandcamp, and we are sporadically active on Instagram, Twitter (or X) and TikTok, but the best way is to come down to one of our live shows!
Alan Corr
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