Joel: Let me start by saying- WOW!..amazing stuff!
Isamu: Thank you ! It`s people like you that have made it fun for YOB!!
Mike: We are having such a blast. 2003 is the year for the HEAVY! So many incredible bands laying it down. And the fact that YOB can be a part of it is very satifying!
Travis: Thank You again although I can`t take credit for what you`ve probably heard, I`m a fairly new addition to YOB (approx. 1 year) but that`s how I felt when I joined..amazed!!
Joel: I, myself, living on the East Coast, know little about what makes up YOB. How about an overview? A time-line approach to help the dummies on the `right coast`..haha
Isamu: This one should be for Mike, but here is a shortened bio in bullet format:
-YOB`s vision was conceived by Mike in the mid-late 90`s
-First line-up was a studio line-up consisting of Mike on vox, guitar and bass with Greg Ocon, a session drummer. A 3 song demo (with a different,faster version of Revolution, I might add) was recorded in 1999.
-First,official line-up came in early 2000. Mike on guitar/vox, Lowell Iles on bass and Gabe Morley on drums.
-Elaborations of Carbon recorded in March 2002
-I`m onboard August 2001
-Catharsis is recorded in March 2002
-Gabe leaves the band in August 2002
-Travis Foster joins, replacing Gabe, November 2002
We`ve been crushing stages ever since!
Joel: How`s the music scene out ther in Portland these days?
Travis: We love Portland!!..The `scene` is trong and very supportive. I`ve personally met many wonderful people here..and tons of great bands too!!!..If it weren`t for Portland, YOB would be very sad..killer venues too!
Mike: Yeah..We LOVE Portland! Great venues and great people!! Portland has a devoted following that worships the HEAVY in its` many forms and they show up and represent at all the shows! We have been very lucky in that for most stoner/doom bands, P-Town is a definate stop for most, and YOB has been able to play with some of our favorite bands: Orange Goblin,Operator Generator,Electric Wizard,Sons of Otis,Ludicra,Witch Mountain,etc.
Isamu: YOBs` hometown is Portland, evn though we live 2 hours south in Eugene..Eugenes` scene is weird. YOB is gaing popularity in this town..
Joel: Now..what would you say are the musical influences behind the massive,epic sound we all know as YOB?
Mike: My songwriting influences for YOB run the entire spectrum of the HEAVY..The obvious being Sleep, Burning Witch, Electric Wizard, Neurosis..The not so obvious influences that push me to wrtie riffs are Will Haven (Carpe Diem), Immolation (ALL!),Satyricon (Nemesis Divina) and all of the great grind, death, black, and hardcore I assault my ears with on a daily basis!!
Travis: Boy..I`d say many years of metal..We all have slightly different tastes and influences..Mine range from The Beach Boys to Burning Witch, and everything between!! I grew up on classic 70`s stuff, like Zeppelin, Sabbath, King Crimson, Zappa, Pink Floyd, etc..Then I ventured into death/black/blast/grind/grind/sludge..I love all good/unique music in whatever form! Since joining YOB, my influences have definately become more....hmmmm...obscure.hahahaa!
Joel: Is the line-up stabilized now?...becuase I know you guys are hard on drummers...haha
Travis: *laughs*..Yeah I sure hope so! I`ve heard it said that this is the final-classic line-up, but, you never know, I`m just the drummer!..haha..We`re all really good friends though and care about each other alot, so that helps. Drumming for YOB is quite a task..these songs are pushing 20-25 minutes each!!! That`s alot to remeber when you`re really baked!! As far as bass & guitar go, YOB wouldn`t be YOB without Mike or Isamu..No fucking way!! So I guess I`m the most expendable..hahaha
Isamu: The line-up is the most solid YOB has ever had!! We are sooo in sync it`s scary!
Joel: Now Mike..I`ve read that you deal/work with vintage guitars and gear. Very Cool. How`s business? Any interesting customers stroll through?
Mike: I worked in a vintage guitar store called Mckenzie River Music for almost 9 years. That show is very high end (pre-WWII) Martin, Gibson, Fender, Paul Reed Smith, Tom Anderson, vintage Marshall and Fender amps,etc) It`s the kind of shop that definately attracts the `stars`..I`ve met Ace Frehley, Lyle Lovett, Frank Black, Bruce Coburn, David Grisman, Wayne `the train` Hancock, Rick Neilsen, ZOOT Horn Rollo-Captain Beefheart (I took guitar lessons from him!), Jackson Brown and Buster B. Jones to nane a few. Business is always good in that kind of shop!
Joel: Care to elaborate on the recent label change? (Abstract Sounds)
Isamu: To make a long story short..Lunasound was aquired by Abstractsounds in the UK..We are very happy to be working with them..their operation is bigger and their conections are unmatchable!
Mike: It was a stressful thing at first..I didn`t know these people. I didn`t know if they understood YOB, or would even pay attention to us. Luckily, it`s better than we could have ever hoped! They are hooking us up with the right people for YOB (Earsplit PR, Metal Maniacs, and good distribution worldwide!!) It`s unbelievable!
Joel: Is this a one album deal?
Travis: It`s a 2 album deal..Catharsis being the first. We`ve got alot of new material, and we`re getting anxious to record!!
Joel: No disrespect to your label, but had Southern Lord ever crossed your minds as a label choice. Seems fitting.
Isamu: We were hoping they`d pick us up, but no interest was shown (?!!)
Mike: I have sent everything we have done to Greg at SL...He has always been very kind and encouraging, but I don`t think YOB is for him
Joel: Any future label plans? Or is it too soon to even discuss?
Isamu: For now..we are stoked with Abstractsounds.For album #4, who knows?!
Mike: Catharsis is doing very well (I`m told) and the reviews of the cd have been more than stellar! So..who knows?!
Joel: Are there any plans for a bigger US tour??
Travis: We`re hoping to play Emissions #6 in May..If so, we`ll hit as many places we can on the way there and back!!
Mike: We are trying to get Emissions..but it`s looking pretty bleak at the moment. I don`t think Greg Barrett is into YOB.(We`re still hoping though!) A european assault would be awesome!! Touring takes alot of planning and we are all family men with jobs, but we will be on the road for sure in 2004
Joel: There were some rumors of Billy Anderson getting Catharsis for the final mix..any truth to the rumor? Would you like to work with him in the future?
Isamu: He offered to mix and remaster..but we felt it was ready, and good to go! He offered for the upcoming 3rd album..which we are thinking about..
Travis: Wow..Yeah he does great amazing work..genius!! Jeff Olson @ Dogwood is the man behind every YOB recording to date, which I feel are as good as any!
Mike: Billy did offer to do a record for us (over a year ago) but we haven`t been in touch..He`s such a great engineer and producer, and super busy as a result, so it`s hard to say wether it will work out or not..
Joel: I can picture a YOB show as very atmospheric..( I have to visualize, as I have yet to see you guys live yet!!)..What is a live YOB set like??
Mike: We are very loud, drony with lots of MATAMPlification on the stage!! Our focus live is tightness, and we rehearse often to make sure that a song like `Catharsis` has as much vitality live as it does on record. There is no faking it. We are an animated band. We don`t stand still!! To be able to hang out with our friends, get our heads blown off by INCREDIBLE bands, and share YOBs` music along side them is a dream come true for us!
Travis: Yeah..very loud, but a mellowing vibe! Usually 3-4 songs. We`ve played for some eclectric crowds (and bands!) and received awesome response and acceptance! I`ve had both the performing and spectating view and I miss seeing YOB! But I can`t complain..
Joel: Describe a `perfect` show for YOB
Isamu: SHOD was sort of a perfect show for us. Definately the right crowd, lots of people and most of them in DOOM bands!
Mike: Agreed..YOB is comfortable in just about any heavy setting. Hardcore, punk, death, black, prog, or stoner/doom. We hang our hat easily in those circles..
Travis: The perfect show for YOB would be : YOB, Golden Pig Electric Blues Band, Iommi Stubbs, and Wormwood at Berbatis` Pan, December 6th for the cd release of Catharsis..plug plug!! I don`t think I could be happier!..well...if you added Ludicra, Subarachnoid Space and Skarp!
House/aprtment/basement gigs are always my fav!!
Joel: Now Isamu..you have the amazing side projectHC Minds still rolling along. What are your plans, if any, for this ultra sludgey/doom side project? BTW- This DOT(.)/ HC MInds split 10 is killing me!!
Isamu: Thank you!!..Yeah, we are picking it up again..(YOBMike is drumming on that split) and YOBTravis is playing bass. We are trying to play after YOB practices. We will soon write a handful of tunes and then go to the studio to record, after that, we will see! I am excited and happy to be doing HC Minds as well as YOB!! One of these days, when we have a YOB show, we will surprise everyone by switching instruments and busting into some HC MInds live..wow!! (see tour annoucement forum for newly added YOB/HC Minds show!!!)
Joel: Mike..are you still involved with both HC and YOB?
Mike: I LOVE playing in HC Minds! Ismau is a great singer/song writer and I love to bash the drums to his riffs!
Isamu: Yeah..it`s all in the family!!The YOBoys don`t mind the HC Minds..hahaha
Joel: Isamu hinted at trying some vocals on some upcoming YOB...have you seriously considered dual vocals?
Mike: It will happen..
Isamu: maybe a few screams in the studio..
Travis: That would be interesting.. I`m all for it!
Joel: I see the new website is up and running!! Looks awesome! (www.yobdoom.com)plug plug plug!!!
Isamu: We are stoked with our official site..! It has stuff that had never been available before! We will be upkeeping it ourselves, man it will be fun!!
Mike: The site is completed!! Hails to Isamu and Melissa Fouch (metalissa) for all of their time! It`s a really good, functional site with Isamus` artwork and Melissas` magic touch! Go check it out!
Joel: I have to comment on the artwork for `Elaboratons of Carbon`..The artwork by Malleus was perfectly fitting for the heaviness of that album..The cover art for `Catharsis` is killer..just looks `heavy`
Travis: Both albumcovers fit so well..they enhance the albums, as a whole, in some strange way..I think cover layout is very important! Malleus` artwork is/was brilliant and I think that with Catharsis..The cover eflects the direction the music has taken.(designed by Isamu too!!) I love it!!
Isamu: Malleus artwork is awesome..! I love it as well!..He took my original concept and artwork and made it into what it became for Elaborations..I made the original artwork, working closely with Mike for creative concepts and all that!
I also created the artwork for `Catharsis`..It is very different. We did not want to make it appealing to `doom heads` only..It would be a bad move, I think. I tried to come up with something very visual, and at the same time make it so it had no genre boundaries! I cannot wait to hear what people say about it! The artwork is so much a part of the whole package..it needs to compliment the music!
Joel: The `preference` question.... cd or vinyl?
Mike: Cds..I don`t have the patience to take care of vinyl..though I do think it is better sounding on the right system
Travis: Vinyl!
Isamu: Vinyl is cool..but a bit more specialized..I`d still go for the cd`s
Joel: Speaking of vinyl..any plans for YOB release on vinyl?
Travis: I think we were working on EOC vinyl with Tim at Parasitic Records, and I hope the same for Catharsis some day! In fact, I think every album should be available on vinyl for a more intimate listening experience!
Joel: Back to SHOD stories..highlights?
Mike: Just to be a part of that festival was one of the high points of my life! Big props go out to Nate Carson for making it all possible!..For me, the highlights would be seeing Graves at Sea and Asunder live...
Travis: Three days of bliss!! A whole weekend of DOOM and ROCK!
Isamu: The best thing YOB has participated in! Seeing so many killer bands!!
Joel: For the `gear head`...what do you use?(I`m guessing MATAMPS..heheh)
Mike: I use two MATAMP GTO-140 heads into three 4x12 cabs with a AB switch..I have two Les Pauls (my fave being a Historic Collection 1957 black Les Paul Custom)..I use a ROSS Distortion into a MXR Dyna-Comp for distortion and a MXR Phase 90, plus a Morley Bad Horsie
Isamu: I play Rickenbacker basses, ampeg SVT with 8x10 cab + Orange non master 120w head + Sunn 2x15 cab
Travis: I use a 1976 (I think?) Ludwig Vistalite(red) kit in big sizes..26x14 kick, 15x12 tom, 18x18 floor, 20x18 floor, and 14x16.5 snare..also have a wood Frankenstein kit (under construction) consisting of a 28x16 kick and so on..Zildjian cymbals, but I`m looking for Paiste and Istanbul stuff!
Joel: On that note..care to comment on the new material that I hear is being tested live?
Mike: As said before..we enough material for 2 albums..A double album is my idea and Abstract hasn`t said yay or nay yet..I guess some of it is similiar to both EOC and Catharsis stylistically, but our new stuff is YOB2003 for sure..New riffs..Definately songs that have been gig tested alongside EOC and Catharsis material and most definately stood on their own! I`ve been told by many folks who know our back catalogue, that the new stuff is our best tunes yet!! Plus, there are so many new tunes, it would be impossible to pick just a few out for a cd..
Tracks -
Blessed By Nothing 8:30
Exorcism of the Host 12-14 minutes
Kosmos 10-12 mins.
Essence 12 mins.
Mahakala 7 mins
The Illusion of Motion 24 mins.
Angles Within Demons 10 mins
You see the dilemma? All of the songs are up to our standard. I don`t want to leave even one of them unrecorded. So a double record, while being alittle too indulgent, may work really well!! We`ll see!!!
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