Link title<gallery>Image:http://www.dbmagazine.com.au/350/iv-CentralDeliBand.jpg|Central Deli Band (From Left: Bear, Luke Eygenraam, Matthew Hayward, Photo by Andy Ellis - 2004)</gallery>

Central Deli Band is an Australian rock group originally formed in Whyalla, South Australia, in 2001 by Matthew Hayward (vocals/guitar) and Luke Eygenraam (vocals/guitar/drums). Other core members Corey Price (bass) and James Boss (drums) joined the group in early 2004. They are often classified as sample heavy, new wave dance rock. They are known for their incendary and chaotic live performances, which often take the incorporate elements of absurdist or improvisational performance art.

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History

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Central Deli Band has often been described as employing an electic array of sample-heavy bootleg orientated (and often uncleared) tracks with live instrumentation and a penchant for genre-swapping. The band as often cited early Avalanches and Gerling material as an important influence on their music. Central Deli Band have also been described as having a coarse or confrontational lyrical content within their songs ("Caise" a song about an adolescent homosexual encounter, was particularly controversial). The bands often antagonistic and bizarre onstage behaviour has cited their influences of TISM, Ween and the comedian Bill Hicks. Central Deli Band have often been enamoured and intrigued by Australian culture (particularly the white, male, working class, misogynist, anti-intellectual bogan subculture).

Central Deli Band became first known when they played the inaugural Local Produce stage of the 2005 Adelaide Big Day Out in only their fourth live gig together. After the majority of the group moving to Adelaide for further education and studies, the band developed a large following in the independent Adelaide music scene, playing alongside such acts as Home for the Def, No Through Road and Poly and the Statics. During this period they also supported their influences The Avalanches as well as electronic outfit the Presets.

Since then they have gone on to support and tour with the Grates and Faker. They have also supported Dungen (Sweden), Wolf and Cub, Gerling, Midnight Juggernauts, Little Birdy, The Hot Lies, Starky, The Vasco Era, Ground Components and Pharaohs.

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Controversy

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The band is no stranger to controversy. In one of their first gigs together, CDB were attacked in the town newspaper as being profanity laned and sexually suggestive. Gigs have often resulted in Hayward smearing a wide array of food and animal products on rowdy audience members and reading sexually provocative material (self published fantasy novels mostly). In one instance, the band played a terribly improvised version of the Gwen Stefani hit "Hollaback Girl". During the refain "My shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S.." a violent food fight ensued and police were called.

At another public show they also attempted to offend Channel Ten television personality and news reader George Donikian.

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Line up changes

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In November 2005, James Boss left Central Deli Band, citing personal reasons. Tim Whittington (guitar/keys) joined the band in March 2006, originally on drums but later shifting to moog and additional guitar. Greg Beazley (from the band Poly and the Statics) filled in on drums from April 2006.

During the period of July until October the band went on extended hiatus. This was put down to general "exhaustion" of the band members. This ended when James Boss rejoined the group for dates in October.

Central Deli Band have a large online community following on MySpace. On the webpage, they have four songs available for free download.