INTERVIEW WITH THE YARDS

• 16th Feb 2004

Glasswerk caught up The Yards (ex-Seahorses) on their tour with Love having released their debut e.p. 'The devil is alive and in DC' on Industrial Erocitica Records.

Can you give us some background about the band?

I spent the last few years being a dad and writing tunes in between changing nappies. It’s the new ROCK. Everyone should have a go. The bassist, Stu, came back from touring with the happy Mondays. John the drummer had finished touring with St Etienne. We met John Hargreaves, the genius keyboard player through our long departed string section, Matt and James who we still jam with occasionally. We’ve had a spinal tap number of guitarists when Chris Farrel stepped in. That was the turning point. Things are better than ever.

Why do you think we should be listening to you?

You all deserve a treat. And our unquenchable ego’s need feeding constantly. Shouldn’t you ask yourselves that kind of a question?

What makes you demand our attention more than other bands out there at the moment?

Because we’re spoilt?

Who/what inspires you to keep writing songs and music?

Good music and bad circumstances. And we’re all shit at doing anything else.

Your new single is called the devil is alive and well and in dc. Is this a reference to the Bush administration?

Yessiree Bob. Can’t someone just stop that guy? And all of his little wizards? Please?

Do you think politics and popular music mix/should be mixed?

Only if you mean what you say and you say what you mean, which isn’t a very popular approach in politics or in the music industry either, but there you go.

I have to ask, do you get sick about people asking you about John Squire and the Seahorses?

No, not really. Next…

What are the best and worst gig experiences you enjoyed/endured?

Seeing Jeff Buckley at Glastonbury in 1995. And it was just the most amazing thing I’d ever seen or heard. That was a good year for music.
Worst gig was when I played Glastonbury 1997 on a sinking stage and all I could hear was cymbals and the loudest, scratchiest guitar known to man. And it was on live TV. When I saw the video the next day it sounded like a pet shop burning down and I looked like I wanted to die. My ears are still ringing from that day and that is not a joke. Not Even Fucking Funny.

Finally, if you could only use three words to describe The Yards, what would they be?

Three words? That’s a bit tight, don’t you think? I told you we were spoilt. Ok, here goes…

GUNS KNIVES TAXIDERMY

It’s all there, maaaan. Read between the lines. It’s The Meaning of Life Itself. Honest. Just open your eyes and you will see. Oh, and buy our album while your at it.