Mink DeVille was founded in 1974 by New Yorker Willy DeVille (William Paul Borsay). DeVille left for London in 1971 to form a band but could not find suitable musicians. When his visa expired and the money ran out, DeVille decided to return to the States. New York had little more to offer him, so he bought a pick-up truck and headed west. In San Francisco, he eventually formed Mink DeVille with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The trio performed frequently in San Francisco and the surrounding area. When they read about the Ramones in a magazine, the band was inspired and headed to New York.
CBGB
The band decided to add an extra guitarist and after trying out several guitarists, Louis X. Erlanger eventually joined the band. With Louis, the band took shape and their typical sound of rhythm & blues, soul and cajun was formed. The band played a lot in the New York club circuit but eventually broke through after playing at the legendary CBGB club where, among others, The Ramones and Blondie started their careers.
Paris
After contributing 3 tracks to the Live at CBGB's album, they went into the studio for their first album, Cabretta, which included the successful single 'Spanish Stroll' (1977). After the second album Return to Magenta, Willy kicked everyone out of the band except guitarist Erlanger and moved to Paris. Here, still under the name Mink DeVille, he recorded the album Le Chat Bleu.
Solo
The band was expanded for the album with Steve Douglas (saxophone), Kenny Margolis (keyboard, accordion, backing vocals), Jerry Scheff (bass), Ron Tutt (drums), Jake and Eve Moon (backing vocals). When their record company Capitol shelved the album for a year, the group moved to Atlantic Records. On this label, in a lineup that had changed again, the album Where Angels Fear to Tread was released. After the 1985 album Sportin' Life, Willy dropped the Mink DeVille name and continued under his own name.
Great
The first solo album Miracle was produced by Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler. The song 'Storybook Love' was used in the film Princess Bride and was nominated for an Oscar. Several live CDs and studio albums were released (including Victory Mixture, Horse of a Different Colour and Crow Jane Alley). Willy DeVille's solo career was not without greats: over the years he performed with artists such as Tom Waits, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen. In the 1990s, DeVille recorded a cover of Jimi Hendrix's 'Hey Joe' (Backstreets of Desire). The song was a hit in Europe. In 2007, DeVille performed in the Netherlands during the Pinkpop Classic festival. Willy DeVille passed away in August 2009 from pancreatic cancer. He was 58 years old.
DeVille’s music is still played on the radio to this day, although most people do not even know who the man was or ‘what the band was actually called’ that recorded Spanish Stroll years ago. Fortunately, bigger artists like Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi have always appreciated him and have all shared the stage with him.
Top 2000
In the 24th edition of the Top 2000, there are no entries from Mink DeVille.
Sunday Morning Classic
On 12 March 2023, Willy came by with his band Mink DeVille to our little record bar in Groede to play their debut album Cabretta from 1977, our Sunday Morning Classic. We had plenty of treats ready for him and it turned into a wonderful evening.
Willy's debut was an immediate hit. Willy DeVille beautifully expresses the feelings of a young man in the city, where love (passion) is always lurking. It is bigger and stronger than he realises (the hormones run wild). Or rather, he gradually realises that it is bigger and stronger and especially that he actually has no reply. At least five songs remained on his setlist throughout his life, sometimes with special new interpretations. That doesn't happen often with a debut, in my opinion. Those classics are of course Spanish Stroll, but also Mixed up, Shook up girl, Can't do without it, Cadillac walk and She's so tough.
The typical DeVille atmosphere is already present in the first track. Soul with a rock chorus. That characteristic mix of styles immediately stood out. There is a strong black and Latino edge to this record and that was new at the time. Fast and slow alternate quickly. Especially in the slow songs like Mixed up and Can't do without it, you hear the talent to sing a lyric with a lot of feeling.
The album owes its name to a kind of leather jacket (a leather cabretta jacket was worn by Ben Edmonds, the Capitol Records A&R man who signed Mink DeVille in 1976). Willy DeVille said that the Cabretta leather was like the music of his band, tough but tender.
Willy DeVille was a highly distinctive and original pop artist, a special flower by the roadside of the music world.
Source: NPO and various websites Photo: Plismo and Eckhard Henkel / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
