Nick Delffs (he of The Shaky Hands) is the man behind Death Songs. A new band with a taste for the ramshackle and untidy. The acoustic guitars scramble amidst various percussive instruments and whatever else may be at hand. The band’s debut 10″ continually throws up a timeless sense of folk and earthy melancholy.

“I called it Death Songs because there’s always that possibility that the next song I write would be my last”

Bowlegs: Death Songs is a pretty morbid name for a band – where did that come from?
Nick: Well, I was thinking about Native American death songs a lot at the time and how they can express so many things about the person’s life all at once. And then I was thinking about how I could die at any moment – and then I decided to make all my songs death songs and then I felt very liberated, like I could make the song be anything and everything and nothing and then BAM! There was the name for the project. It happened just like that.

Also, I would like to add that talking, singing, or thinking about death is not necessarily a morbid activity. It is something we all obviously must do at some point, so why not sing about it?

Bowlegs: So who is part of Death Songs, or is it all you?
Nick: Many people come and go. The most steady players have been Justin Power and my brother Nathan. They are all my songs and I am the singer.

Bowlegs: How does writing for Death Songs differ from your writing experience with Shaky Hands?
Nick: Well, with Shaky Hands the songs would come to life within the band. Everyone in that band put a lot of themselves into my songs. So much so that at times they didn’t even seem like “my” songs. With Death Songs things are much more open ended. Anything can happen. More improvising! Also, I always save my best songs for Death Songs. Bowlegs: What influences the Death Songs sound? Nick: Sleep deprivation and soul music.

Bowlegs: Do you miss playing with your brother in a band? Do you still jam together?
Nick: Sometimes. We haven’t jammed together in a while. We both are busy with our own projects right now. I can see him playing with Death Songs again for sure!

Bowlegs: What has the feedback been like for your debut Death Songs 10″ release?
Nick: Not sure.

Bowlegs: Can we expect an album at any point?
Nick: We have a full-length album coming out early next year.

Bowlegs: What has been your favourite record of 2011?
Nick: I have been listening to Kurt Vile’s Smoke Ring For My Halo a ton!

Bowlegs: Hitting the road with the music any point soon?
Nick: We are going on a small west coast tour in a couple weeks with Y La Bamba!