Delta 5

{{distinguish|Delta-S|Delta-v (disambiguation){{!}}Delta-v}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Delta 5

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| alias =

| origin = Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

| genre = Post-punk, new wave

| years_active = 1979–1981

| label = Rough Trade
Pre
Charisma

| associated_acts =

| website =

| past_members = Julz Sale
Ros Allen
Bethan Peters
Kelvin Knight
Alan Riggs
Graeme High

}}

Delta 5 was an English post-punk band from Leeds.

Career

Delta 5 was formed from the same art school scene at Leeds University as Gang of Four and The Mekons.{{cite book|last=Lester|first=Paul|title=Gang of Four: Damaged Gods|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2008|page=17|isbn=978-1-84772-245-4}}{{cite web|last=Lily Clarke|first=Mia|title=Delta 5: Singles & Sessions 1979-81|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2633-singles-sessions-1979-81/|work=Pitchfork|date=24 January 2006|access-date=18 May 2021}} The original members of Delta 5, Julz Sale (vocals/guitar), Ros Allen (bass) and Bethan Peters (bass), formed the band "on a lark",{{cite web|author=Jason Ankeny |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/delta-5-mn0000238297/biography |title=Delta 5 | Biography & History |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2015-12-12}} but soon became a part of the thriving Leeds post-punk scene, and later added Kelvin Knight on drums and Alan Riggs on guitar, both of whom also played in Dead Beats. Combining feminist politics with a two-bass funk-punk sound (much in the style of another, more famous Leeds band, Gang of Four), they released their debut single "Mind Your Own Business" in 1979.

The members of Delta 5 were important figures in the Rock Against Racism movement and were the subject of a highly publicised assault at the hands of a right-wing group affiliated with rival movement Rock Against Communism.{{cite web

|url=http://m.aol.com/music/default/biography.do?aid=1013278

|accessdate=2011-02-12

|title=Delta 5 Biography

|website=Aol.com

|date=2011-02-12

|quote=the group's role as political leaders increased in the wake of a notorious street attack on its members by right-wing thugs, culminating in the rise of the Rock Against Communism groundswell.

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707151415/http://m.aol.com/music/default/biography.do?aid=1013278

|archivedate=2011-07-07

}}

After the release of second single "You", the band went on a successful tour of the United States, and soon thereafter left Rough Trade for Charisma Records imprint Pre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.furious.com/perfect/delta5.html|title=Delta 5|website=www.furious.com|access-date=2019-03-12}} They recorded their debut album See the Whirl, which suffered from overly clean production and received low marks both critically and commercially.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}} Due to the commercial disappointment of the album, the group disbanded.

Post-breakup

Apart from bassist Bethan Peters playing on Fun Boy Three's second album Waiting and performing with them live to support its release, the members of Delta 5 were mostly musically inactive. Meanwhile, Delta 5's recorded output was finding a posthumous fan base internationally. The band Shonen Knife recorded a cover version of "You" with Japanese lyrics and renamed "Saboten" ("Cactus") for their 1982 debut album Minna Tanoshiku.

In 2006, Kill Rock Stars released a compilation of early Delta 5 material titled Singles & Sessions 1979-1981, capitalising on the re-emerging popularity of post-punk bands such as Gang of Four and Wire. The set included unreleased material, along with BBC radio sessions and live cuts.{{cite web|last=Horning|first=Rob|title=Delta 5: Singles & Sessions 1979-1981|url=https://www.popmatters.com/delta5-singles-2495885326.html|work=Pop Matters|date=19 January 2006|access-date=18 May 2021}}

Delta 5 drummer Kelvin Knight died on 2 December 2015 from liver and kidney failure at the age of 56.{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2015b.html |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2015 July to December |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com |date= |accessdate=2015-12-12}} Singer and guitarist Julz Sale died from cancer in Thailand on 20 September 2021.{{cite web|author=John Robb |url=https://louderthanwar.com/julz-sale-delta-5-founder-rip/ |title=Julz Sale (Delta 5 founder) RIP |website=LouderThanWar.com |date=22 September 2021 |accessdate=22 September 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Sheppard|first1=Oliver |title=Delta 5 Founder and Singer Julz Sale Has Passed Away|url=https://post-punk.com/delta-5-founder-and-singer-julz-sale-has-passed-away/|website=Post-Punk.com|date=22 September 2021}}

Legacy

"Mind Your Own Business" is the band's best-known song, having been covered by Chicks on Speed, Le Shok, R. Stevie Moore, Pigface and Dum Dum Girls. It featured in episode 5 of the series Sex Education in January 2019,{{Cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/01/221581/every-song-on-sex-education-soundtrack|title=Every '80s Song & The Originals That Make Up "Sex Education's" Soundtrack|last=Midkiff|first=Sarah|website=www.refinery29.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}} an episode of the 2020 BBC TV series The A Word,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p089gz|work=BBC iPlayer|title=Th A Word {{!}} Series 3, episode 1|date=5 May 2020|access-date=19 March 2022}} and in an Apple commercial in 2021.{{cite web|last=Tannenbaum|first=Rob|title=In the '80s, Post-Punk Filled New York Clubs. Their Videos Captured It.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/10/arts/music/new-york-new-music-post-punk.html|work=The New York Times|date=10 June 2021|access-date=12 June 2021}}