You would really struggle to compile an argument as to why Yellowcard didn’t soundtrack most of the yearly 00s. The pop punk legends burst onto the international stage with the track Ocean Avenue and since then, they have been a fairly consistent presence in the music world. After years of maintaining solid rapport with their fan base, the band have been busy working on their latest release Southern Air. I caught up with the iconic Violinist Sean Mackin to get the latest on all things Yellowcard.
Though the releases have been consistent, there was a period of hiatus for the band, with the future of Yellowcard. Though the band released an album shortly after, Southern Air marked the 2nd release since their hiatus, concreting the life of the band for the foreseeable future. We got talking about what this meant to Sean. “It feels great; right now is a perfect form of awesomeness in the band. Ramping-up with Warped Tour, and then yeah, this second album off Hopeless Records, who have been taking such good care of us. But the excitement from our fans, and other bands we tour with…it’s so unbelievable. We honestly couldn’t be happier.”
Though the 2nd release from their new label Hopeless Records, Southern Air marks big number 8 for the band in terms of studio releases. Given a career of 15 years and such an extensive back cataglogue, I asked Sean how he feels the new releases sit amongst their past ones: “We wrote Southern Air earlier this year, we really wanted to focus on the best of Yellowcard, everything we loved about it. We tried to find all of the elements from our previous records, so went back with Niel Avron, who’s our long-time friend. I mean, he’s at the top of his game, without question one of the world’s best producers, and he confessed that this is our best record. So Niel Avron doesn’t say things that aren’t true, it was a great honour to hear that, and that’s how we feel.”
The first release off the album was the non-threatening, ode to summer romance Always Summer. What draws most agency, however, about the tune is the youthful energy and innocence that we first saw back in 2001 with Ocean Avenue. Given the life and career experiences the band has encountered since then, is it getting hard to write music of this nature now? “Well, I think in time you put the guys in Yellowcard, like we all have so many influences whenever you get us together, we’re absolutely going to come up with that Yellowcard sound. That’s just what we do. With this one, Southern Air, we were all focused in the same direction. And that doesn’t always happen though, you have four very different people, but when Yellowcard is firing up, its always exciting, and that’s where we are at now”
So with the album almost ready to hit the shelves, and now available for full stream, Yellowcard will be venturing down to Australia for a series of intimate, close quarters performances. It became pretty clear just how excited the whole band was about this tour: “It’s so amazing, it really is unfortunate how far away it is, but Australia is like Hawaii for us, it’s like paradise. I have September circled on my calandar; it’s going to be a crazy month.”
For those who don’t know, Sean was recently diagnosed with cancer and had begun chemotherapy. I informed him that there’s a whole country full of fans sending their love and support to him. He replied: “Thank you so much, I’ll take all that love. Only 7 months ago I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The surgery went well, getting my vocal range back. Getting tired, but that’s normal. I wish I could say I was all clear, but that’s not the case, one more case of Chemo, then hopefully the green light. But you best believe I’m feeling unstoppable.” That’s a great sign to all the Aussie kids patiently waiting for Yellowcard’s return to once again rock our socks off. Southern Air will be released August 14, get it in ya!
Yellowcard 2012 Australian Tour Dates
Tue 18 Sep The Tivoli | Brisbane 18+
w/ HEROES FOR HIRE and NINE SONS OF DAN
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Fri 21 Sep The Hi-Fi | Melbourne 18+
w/ HEROES FOR HIRE and FOR OUR HERO
Moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1300 438 849
Sat 22 Sep UNSW Roundhouse | Sydney All Ages
w/ HEROES FOR HIRE and THE NEVER EVER
Ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849
Fat As Butter Festival – 22nd September 2012
The Foreshore, Newcastle
