by Michael Graber of Delta Stardust
Delta Stardust began as a studio project. We were seeking that alchemical, psychedelic sound from blending acoustic, electric, and digital instruments. We also wanted to capture a haunted, mystical Memphis/North Mississippi vibe even as the music–the song forms and sonic undercurrents – kept expanding. We call the genre Roots Psychedelic music.
Our first album, Snakes Made of Light, was released in January. One song was written after I was nearly hit by a bullet while jogging in America’s most crime-ridden city, my hometown of Memphis.
Listen to the song while reading the text.
The song Memphis Tattoo was written after I was shot at while jogging on the V&E Greenline in Memphis.
It was wild. The bullet flew by my ear. My dog took off and I was sprinting, calling 911.
I posted about it on social media, and then many people starting sharing pictures of their healed gunshot wounds, calling them Memphis Tattoos, a song title was born from the tragic happenings.
In the end, the song can be about those bullet wounds or about the indelible mark a place can make on you.