Interview: Debra Devi on Blues, Inspiration, and Playing the Venus Revolution
Blues-rock guitarist, singer, and author Debra Devi has carved out a unique voice that blends soulful expression with raw power. From her electrifying live shows to her acclaimed book The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu, Devi has long been an advocate for keeping the blues alive while pushing its boundaries forward. We caught up with her to talk about her love of the blues, her creative process, and her experience playing the Venus Revolution guitar.
Your music blends blues with rock and a touch of psychedelia. What drew you to the blues in the first place, and what keeps you inspired by it today?
When I was seventeen, a cute older guy snuck me into a club to see Koko Taylor and Son Seals. They blew my mind. Koko was a force of nature, and Son Seals could flatten the room with one note.
This was a more mature approach to guitar playing than the hyperspeed guitar solos of rock. The principles of the blues—soul over flash, emotion over cleverness—were expressed in every solo Son Seals played. I thought, “Maybe I could try to do that. Find that one right note.”
I fell in love with the blues that night and went to see as many blues legends as I could. Today I’m inspired by fiery guitarists like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Ana Popovic, and Gary Clark Jr., and by melodic players like Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, and Bonnie Raitt.
As a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, how do you approach the balance between technical skill and emotional expression in your music?
Emotion always comes first. Technical skill helps me express my emotions more fluidly, but when I’m soloing, I try to turn off my brain and just let it fly.
With singing, it’s easy to get tripped up by self-consciousness. A trick I learned is to focus on the next lyric instead of judging the line you just sang.
I write songs when I’m overwhelmed by strong emotion—grief, heartbreak, joy, passion. I mess around on the guitar until I stumble across a riff or chords that express that feeling. Sometimes I’ll put my guitar into an alternate tuning and have no idea what chords I’m playing—I figure them out later. That’s a fun way to break out of a rut.
At the same time, building technique is important. I recently discovered the CAGED system and I love it—it’s opened up the fretboard for me in a whole new way.
“I felt like the guitar itself was raising my game. It’s an exceptional instrument, for real.”
You’ve built a reputation for powerful live performances. What do you love most about playing live, and how does the audience energy influence your playing?
Thanks! I love singing to an audience because you have no choice but to try to make that mysterious soul connection with everyone. It’s like being locked into a state of meditation. I don’t always get there, but when I do, it feels so good.
I really love jamming live with my band—stretching out, trading solos. That’s a thrilling high-wire act. You might fall, and that’s OK. You make it work in the moment.
Audience energy is unpredictable, and that’s fun too. We were on tour in Florida recently, and a bunch of punk kids started moshing to my guitar solo. That was hilarious. I felt like I’d come full circle because the first band I ever played in was a hardcore punk band. I used to mosh!
The blues has such deep roots in American music. Do you feel a sense of connection to its history when you’re performing or writing?
My song 10 Miles to Clarksdale was inspired by the Mississippi book tour for my book The Language of the Blues. It was deeply moving to travel throughout the Delta and experience its stark, lonely beauty. It truly is the cradle of American music. You feel that history there more than anywhere.
My songs lean into rock, but when I play a blues standard like Thrill Is Gone or Mary Had a Little Lamb, I feel that connection to the roots for sure.
You recently tried out the Venus Revolution guitar. What were your first impressions of the instrument? What features really impressed you?
It jumped to life in my hands—I have to say! That’s a rare experience. It’s a beautiful and very alive-sounding instrument.
The Venus Revolution also fit my body like no other guitar. That ergonomic design is clearly built for women—so light and comfortable. It didn’t leave me with a knot in my left shoulder like most guitars do.
The pickups are versatile and sound fantastic—crisp and powerful. The neck is very well-made and playable. It’s especially comfortable for someone with small hands, like me.
How did the feel and tone of the Venus Revolution influence your playing or creativity during your time with it?
The Venus Revolution was a delight to play. The clean tones sparkled, and with a little distortion I got smooth sustain, which was terrific for slide. With heavier distortion, I could rock out and play some wild leads. I had a lot of fun with it and felt inspired.
Even though the body is slim, I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing tone. The wood is dense and resonant. I felt like the guitar itself was raising my game. It’s an exceptional instrument, for real.
What advice would you give to women and girls who are just picking up the guitar and finding their own musical voices?
Dare to suck! You’re going to fall on your face over and over and that’s fine. That’s how you learn. It can be humiliating at times, but so what? Laugh it off and let it go if you make a mistake—or repeat it and let people think you’re just that creative and cool.
Do you have anything coming up that you’d like us to mention?
Yes! I recently covered Jesse Malin’s Meet Me at the End of the World for a benefit album—so keep an eye out for that single and video. I’ve also just launched a Patreon, so if you want to be the first to hear my new music, please check that out.
And I’m delighted to let you know that you can now pre-order Jesse Malin’s beautiful memoir Almost Grown, which I co-authored. Our publisher, Akashic Books, is offering a super-cool limited edition pre-order package, or you can order signed copies through me, Amazon, and more.
Jesse and I began our work just four months before his devastating spinal stroke. We kept writing in hospitals and rehab facilities as he battled his way back. Along the way, I lost my darling nephew to colon disease. Working on Almost Grownhelped me battle my way out of brutal grief.
In short, we’ve both been through hell, but despite it all Almost Grown is a wildly funny, very moving, vastly entertaining read. Go get it! And grab tickets to Silver Manhattan—Jesse’s brand-new play based on the memoir—premiering Sept 5–6 at the Gramercy in NYC.
This is the second memoir I’ve co-authored. The first was Goodbye Homeboy with former South Bronx special ed teacher Steve Mariotti, which Jesse read and loved—he’s the one who asked me to co-author his memoir. I’m now developing Goodbye Homeboy into a film with producer Richard Baratta (The Irishman, Wolf of Wall Street). Wish us luck!
And of course, I’ve got exciting shows coming up too, like the East Pete Blues Festival and the Roots Music Series at Seed Song Farm. Both are free! Full tour dates are at debradevi.com/shows.