A Fine Line

Chances are that if you don?t wear black and a lot of it, and have at least one tattoo, then it?s very likely that you don?t follow the Radford music scene too closely. Radford is a small town with a small music scene (which makes sense). After seeing A Fine Line perform on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at the Coffee Mill in downtown Radford, it made me feel like I had stepped outside on a warm morning and I had become alive with the fresh air and?I think I?ll stop before I get totally tacky and clich?. It was really good, to say the least.

A Fine Line are a trio that consists of Stephen Selvey (singer, guitarist, keyboardist, cool guy), Camellia Delk (viola player, singer, keyboardist, groovy gal), and Adam Deal (bass player, a more quiet fella). They have been playing together for about five or six months now, and all except for bass player Deal, are Radford students.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with the band before the start of their show to chew the old proverbial fat next door at the ice cream shop. Here?s a few of the questions that I asked them:

Steven Tollin: Who are your influences?

Stephen: We have all kinds of influences. I guess I like a lot of the early punk bands, but later on I?ve gotten into a lot of artists like Ryan Adams, Damien Rice, contemporary folk singers, stuff like that.


Adam: I guess I?m mostly into death metal, but I've been into more indie stuff lately.


Camellia: Tori Amos is my favorite, but I like just about every genre from classical to indie to industrial music to rap - you know, everything.


Steven Tollin: If you could meet one musician living or dead, who would it be, and why?

Stephen: Probably a random person, but I?d probably meet with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, because I think he?s the best lyricist.


Adam: I don't know.


Camellia: Haha, uh crap, I don't know. I guess probably Tori Amos again, and I guess the reason I?d want to meet her is because I?m obsessed with her, haha. That?s kind of a bad reason.



Steven Tollin: What is your favorite thing about playing in a band?

Stephen: I don't know. It?s just fun to play music; it gives you something to occupy yourself with, express yourself creatively. It feels good, I guess.


Adam: I just like to play, and if you ever get a chance to travel, play shows out of town - that?s a lot of fun.


Camellia: You get to connect with the other people you?re playing with and, you know, it?s just fun improvising my own stuff on top of Stephen?s.



Steven Tollin: Favorite Prince song or album?
Stephen: "Little Red Corvette"


Adam: "Purple Rain" is the only one I know.


Camellia: Oh, that was mine! No, wait, I?ll say "When Doves Cry," and "Purple Rain" is my favorite album, because it?s just the bomb, you know.
Steven Tollin: What?s your favorite CD to listen to while you are cleaning?
Stephen: Oh, definitely when cleaning I want some, like, hardcore band. Something to give me energy. Something like Strung-Out or, like, Face to Face, something like that.


Adam: Last time I cleaned I listened to Gorjio - it?s a Brazilian Death Metal band.


Camellia: 80s music, haha, like Depeche Mode or The Cure. I like to listen to The Postal Service or The Notwists, because it?s kind of up-beat, kind of like 80s music, too. Then I can dance around while I?m cleaning.

Steven Tollin: Jay-Z or Kanye West?

Stephen: (immediately) Kanye West, without a doubt.


Adam: Kanye.


Camellia: Hands down, Kanye West.

Steven Tollin: Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff?

Stephen: I don?t really know either of them too much.


Camellia: Lindsay Lohan


Stephen: Lindsay Lohan, okay


Camellia: Because she's hot.


Steven Tollin: Hover-board or Hover-boots?


Stephen: Hover-board, way more fun.


Adam: Definitely.


Camellia: Yes.


Steven Tollin: Why do you suppose The Pixies are all so fat these days?


Stephen: Camellia can answer this question better.


Camellia: I always thought they were a little chunky, haha, I don't know, all those dough-nuts.



Needless to say, A Fine Line then put on a fantastic show, playing their blend of acoustic-y music with a viola and keyboards. They went from song to song and even did a cover of New Order?s uber 80s hit "Bizarre Love Triangle," in which viola player Camellia Delk sang and dedicated it to, ?my friend Katie, and everyone else from back home in Northern Virginia.?
- RU Whim, Internet Magazine