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Artist Interviews
Q&A: Yellowcard
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 17 March 2011
Formed in 1997, LA-based quintet Yellowcard released debut album ‘Midget Tossing’ that same year.
With founding member Ben Dobson leaving in the wake of 1999 LP ‘Where We Stand’ and the subsequent introduction of new guitarist Ryan Key, the band departed from more conventional hardcore to a smoother, pop-punk sound. Signing to Lobster Records for the release of third album ‘One For The Kids’, the group survived several further line-up changes, producing the ‘Underdog’ EP in 2002, which led to a deal with EMI’s Capitol Records.
Breakthrough LP ‘Ocean Avenue’ was followed by concept album ‘Lights & Sounds’ in 2005, and then ‘Paper Walls’ in 2007. Having taken a two-year hiatus, latest album ‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ sees the band back on top form. The first release from an all-new line-up of original members Sean Mackin and Longineu Parsons, Ryan Key, and new additions Ryan Mendez and Sean O’Donnell, the album is scheduled to come out on 21 Mar via indie stalwart Hopeless Records.
Fresh from a series of UK live dates with fellow alt-rockers All Time Low, we asked Ryan for his post-tour responses to our Same Six Questions.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I played a little piano as a kid. I wish now that I hadn’t quit my lessons because when I look at a piano I want to be able to shred it. I think I got really into writing music after my grandmother bought me my first guitar at age thirteen. I was the perfect age for Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ to change my life.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’ is inspired by the fight I still have in me. I took two years away from Yellowcard to sort of refocus my entire life. When it came time to write for the record, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of fighting to get our band back where we wanted it to be. I think there is an overall theme of moving forward and living in the present.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
It varies from song to song. Sometimes I will write an entire song in one go, lyrics and all, and others we will write the music as a band and then work on melodies and lyrics afterwards.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
So many. I think initially our aspiration as a band was to tour with bands like Lagwagon, No Use For a Name, and Strung Out. We loved the 90s movement of punk/pop-punk and that played a big part in shaping our sound. As we have grown there have been many other artists and bands that have inspired and influenced us. Personally my favourite artists now are Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams, Green Day and Band Of Horses, to name a few.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
I think it is important for people to try and hear everything that is happening in our music. If the heavy guitars and faster pace isn’t your thing, still give us a chance. There is a lot of depth to our band and our ability as songwriters. You just have to get into the records.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
When our band blew up six years ago, we started to only think about the future. Or at least I did. Asking how much bigger it could get, making grand plans for things that I saw us doing down the road. Unfortunately, I think I missed a lot of the best parts of that ride due to that mind set. So with ‘When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes’, I really want to take it one day, one show, one song at a time. It is important for me to not take anything for granted this time around. It isn’t often in this line of work that second chances like this are handed out. I don’t want to miss a moment of it.
MORE>> www.yellowcardrock.com
