Seven years ago, Deb 'Spoons' Perry took on The Black Keys' seminal track, Lonely Boy, with her trusty spoons and won over cutlery-lovers all around the globe.
With attitude, drumming finesse and a vest we just can't stop obsessing over, now The Black Keys have dropped their newest album "Let's Rock" and with that, Deb has pulled out her trusty red spoons and learnt to play the rock duo's latest single, Go.
Deb is actually such a rockstar that she's touring the UK at the moment playing in a bunch of bands, but we caught her for a fiver to ask her a few things about her new clip.
What were your first thoughts about performing a new Black Keys song?
I was really pleased and quite shocked to be asked again. However thought, "Wow, how are we going to do this?" I love a spoon challenge. I get lots of random unusual requests.
How long did it take you to learn Go on spoons?
Firstly I played it many times on my drum kit. It’s great to drum to. I downloaded the lyrics from the internet and printed them off and I write my spoon playing ideas on the sheet as I rehearse. It probably took me about a couple of hours on and off to complete it. Trying moves, getting guitar riffs and drum fills right. I do it mainly in the shed by myself. The trouble with me is that although I have a routine worked out, each time I play I sort of change it a bit and it constantly develops.
Did you throw in any new spoon flourishes/techniques that you didn’t on your version of The Black Keys’ Lonely Boy?
Yes, I put in my surf move where I jump side on as though I’m on a surf board. They had to go in!!! Being by the ocean and I love surfing. Silly knee wobbles… just for fun.
Spinarounds….. they were hard on the beach sand. Finger rolls with the spoons. Up and down my leg playing. Accentuating some of the off beats. Playing on my head quietly to finish!
Where was this shot?
Augusta, Western Australia in our lounge room, Leeuwin Light House (where the Indian ocean meets the Southern Ocean) on WA’s southwest tip, Cosy Corner which is a beautiful protected bay close to Augusta where locals go to swim, fish, snorkel and walk and Hamelin Bay, another beautiful large bay near Augusta. It has a caravan park there, big protected sandy beach and people come and look at the friendly stingrays that cruise the beach front. I performed in front of what is left of the old original jetty.
Where would you would like to play your spoons in future - it can be anywhere in the world!
I am actually achieving one of my spoon goals at the moment by playing my spoons in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland as we travel around. I am jumping up with musicians playing traditional music in pubs and on the street. It’s great fun to see them looking and realising that this older lady can actually keep time and play OK. My husband Bill is enjoying watching all their surprised faces.
I would like to do the same thing to Bluegrass music in the US and I have always wanted to experience the music scene in New Orleans.
One other thing is to have another go at breaking the world record for people all playing the spoons at once. I tried it at TedX in the Sydney Opera House a few years ago. Gosh what an experience that was, to simply play my spoons there was amazing.
The Black Keys' new album "Let's Rock" is out now - plus get your hands on some sick merch t-shirt and vinyl bundles here.
