Deap Vally share a cover of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Ventilator Blues’ ahead of split
Indie icons Deap Vally have shared a cover of The Rolling Stones’ 1972 classic ‘Ventilator Blues’, which the LA duo have transformed into a dark, gritty blues punk crossover.
The cover comes as the band approach their sad split. In September, they announced their upcoming album, Sistrionix 2.0, will be their last. As a re-recording of their 2013 breakthrough debut album, the choice to share their version of ‘Ventilator Blues’ as part of the homestretch offers a perfect gift to fans.
Ahead of the album’s release in 2024, their ‘Ventilator Blues’ cover pays homage to one of the bands that inspired them. The band describe The Rolling Stones as “one of the greatest and most seminal bands in the history of rock ’n’ roll”. Since recording the cover in 2014, it has sat in their vaults until now.
A dark, grungy song about death, the track choice feels apt as the band moves towards their final days. “’Ventilator Blues’, one of our favourite Rolling Stones songs, is a song about the inevitable end we are all hurtling towards, and we felt it was a perfect way to soundtrack the final chapter of Deap Vally,” Lindsey Troy said.
After launching into the world in 2013, Deap Vally were a vital piece of the 2010s indie scene and went on to open for the likes of Blondie, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Garbage.
Now, moving on to different adventures, the band announced that they simply “can’t function as a traditional band anymore.” They added: “It’s time for both of us to explore motherhood and other avenues of our lives properly, rather than squeezing them into our artist’s hustle.”
Talking about the decision to end with a re-visitation of their debut alongside this Stones cover, it was all about reuniting with their early passion. The band say: “We just felt it would be fitting to go out with a bang, not a whimper. I felt marking this occasion should be a cathartic process: healing deep wounds, reconnecting with old friends and collaborators – and falling in love with Deap Vally all over again.”
Listen to their cover of ‘Ventilator Blues’ below.
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