Photo by Tamea Agle

Gritty rock goddess duo Deap Vally exude all things badass, sexy, and hands down rock ‘n’ roll. Their wall of sound and forthright, unforgiving attitude serves as a pillar of strength for the admiring listener (or soon to be fans and converts). We’ve covered them countless times since their debut, from dishing up heavy riffs alongside Band of Skulls to catching them behind the scenes on their West Coast Moon Block Tour, we never tire of these empowering women.

The band’s sophomore record is in the works, with production efforts from Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, although little other details have been revealed. We are keeping our eyes and ears anxiously open for all the great stuff that is just on the horizon for Deap Vally. We chatted with drummer, Julie Edwards, to get a peek at what’s to come from their forthcoming, top secret album. Along with conversations about influences both musical and non-musical, and of course, Women’s History Month. Read on!

Photo by Dominoe Farris-Gilbert

GG: Your top secret new album, the follow up to your debut Sistrionix, is in the works and has Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) at the production helm. In three words please describe your forthcoming second album.

Julie: Dark, Heavy, Juice

GG: March is Women’s History Month. Who are some of your favorite female musicians and how have they influenced you?

Julie: Right now I’m really about women who do it on their own terms: Pussy Riot, Babes in Toyland, Coathangers, Thelma and the Sleaze. Courtney Love’s 90s strength and confrontational aggression made a real impression on me forever. But I think women’s historically codified roles in music (passive, longing, ethereal, victim) has influenced me the most. I want to smash it apart.

GG: If you were to make a Women’s History Month playlist/mixtape, what would be the first three songs of your all-female playlist (any genre/era)?

Julie: All female means ONLY women, which narrows the field significantly. But I like this limitation. So I’d go with ESG’s “Erase You,” L7’s “Shitlist,” and The Slits’ “So Tough.”

Photo by Dominoe Farris-Gilbert

GG: You guys recently played with Babes in Toyland. What was it like opening up for such an inspirational and monumental group?

Julie: The best thing EVER. A total honor, badass and emotionally moving and everything all wrapped up into one.

GG: Next you’ll be heading out on the road with Marilyn Manson. What are you most excited about for that tour? Do you predict we will see some goths decked out in Deap Vally crocheted merch?

Julie: I was a goth for a couple years in the 90s.

GG: Do you have any non-musical female influences that have made a significant impression on you?

Julie: Miranda July (although to say she was non-musical would be inaccurate), Hillary Clinton, my mom, Sophia Amoruso of Nasty Gal.

GG: What advice would you give for up and coming artists, especially women, who are developing their sound and trying to get into the music industry? Any particular Do’s/Don’ts?

Julie: Rules are for the birds. Just do your thing how you do it and don’t let anybody bully you.