5 Q&A With Citizens of YEAH!!!
How did everything come together?
As soon as I finished my first album (Thermonuclear Warmth) I began recording songs again. Given that the first album was my first attempt at recording by myself, many of the songs for the second album were already written but which I thought would be more difficult to record. “3 little piggies” and “War dogs” were the only two I wrote during the recording process.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for this album to life?
On the one hand, this was easy because I am the producer and the engineer! I was very focused on improving the main production weaknesses of the first album, particularly the vocals and the drums. I spent a lot of time listening to drums, particularly Slint's 'Spiderland'. I had relied on double tracked vocals on the first album, but for ‘People's Republic of YEAH,’ I moved away from this and I feel that it really opened up the mix and added clarity.
Which song(s) from 'People's Republic of YEAH' do you like the best and why?
My personal favourites are “lying on the tarmac” and “under a lion's head.” I wrote “Lying on the tarmac” nearly 20 years ago but it was the last and best recorded of the songs on the album. I used e-bows to build from the second chorus and am really satisfied with how it turned out. “Under a lion's head” is another old song which was only ever a half finished demo, but I always thought there was a good song in there. I managed to capture what I liked about the original demo but the final version is far more rounded.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
I've always enjoyed song writing and playing guitar, however it was lockdown which really kick started my journey into home recording. Initially I decided to learn drums, something I'd always wanted to do and it snowballed from there.
Where do you find inspiration for your songs or musical ideas?
I usually start a song with a guitar riff or chord progression. Mostly it's just through improvisation. I'd call it jamming but I'm not sure you can jam on your own. I tend to then add drums and bass at the same time as they go together. The lyrics are usually just something that fits the melody, usually inspired by something that’s going on in the world or something I've read thats interested me.