YOB’S MIKE SCHEIDT: THE METALSUCKS INTERVIEW
A veritable force within the pantheon of doom, the mighty YOB have recently unleashed their most focused album to date, Atma. Once again, they do not disappoint, offering the listener a soul-crushing, transcendental experience of balls-heavy doom/sludge. YOB possess that rare triple-threat quality of producing consistently excellent recordings, performing flawlessly live, and bringing forth an intelligent, complementary aesthetic to their music. I caught the band on their recent US tour with Dark Castle, which if you missed, means you receive an F in life. The band is about to head across the pond to Europe with Dark Castle and Kongh, captivating new audiences and destroying speakers along the way. I
had the chance to catch up via e-mail with YOB founder Mike Scheidt, where he gave his insight on the band’s growing popularity, working with Scott Kelly, and YOB’s unique inspirations. So spark up some hash, put Atma on your speakers, and enter the devastating world of YOB.
You just released your sixth album, Atma, which is arguably your heaviest and most straight-forward effort to date. What were your musical goals with the writing and recording of this release?
The only goal I have with each album is twofold: to make sure our core sound remains intact, and to push forward and write music that differentiates itself from our other albums so it can have it’s own voice and flavor. Each album needs to stand on it’s own and contribute something new to our overall catologue of music. It’s about finding a new vibe for a potential work of music and then writing songs around that vibe, trying to keep it cohesive and inspired all the way through.
Atma is defined as the “Self” or the World Soul. Your last few albums, (The Great Cessation, Catharsis, The Unreal Never Lived, etc.) had much darker connotations to their titles. What caused this spiritual change of heart and why did you chose Hinduism as your inspiration?
Hinduism has always been an inspiration for me, as well as Buddhism and mystic traditions in general. Those previous titles only seem dark because they mean to negate obsession with mass ideas of the past and contemporary fleeting ideas of self and reality as the only reality we can experience. To have the past lose it’s hold on our lives and the future to be something we nod to in the moment but not be obsessed by it is incredibly positive. To me, Atma includes all reality, seen and unseen, as Self. Every rock, shrub, grain of sand, stars and galaxies, multiuniverse within universe.
Scott Kelly of Neurosis provides guest vocals on the album’s two longest tracks. How did this collaboration come together and what was it like working with such an influential figure in the doom scene?
Scott contributed vocals to one track, not two. He did vocals on “Before We Dreamed of Two.” He did percussion on “Adrift in the Ocean.” All of the vocals on the latter tune are mine. After we played two shows with Neurosis, it struck us to ask if he’d like to lay down some tribal drum percussion and maybe some vocals. He was enthusiastically into it. It was beyond inspirational to have Scott in the studio with us. We had all of the rhythm tracks laid down when he walked in, and we had a vague idea of what we wanted to accomplish together. Scott laid down his drum tracks in about 45 minutes. So fast. Then he wrote his own lyrics and performed them in about an hour. He is such a mellow old soul, and his fire and genius are undeniable. We had a great time and it is one of the best musical experiences I have ever been a part of.
Live, YOB are a veritable force to be reckoned with. How do you create such a devastating wall of sound with only three members and is it difficult to pull off the screaming banshee on acid vocals each night?
It’s a combination of great gear that can move air and TONE and years of playing together I suppose? I’m on the stage side of it so I guess it’s for other people to decide whether we’re pulling it off or not. The vocals, yes. It’s a bitch. If I only screamed and did death roars or conversely did clean singing solely, my life would be much easier, haha. Switching back and forth between all of the voices I attempt to pull off has been an intense journey of trial and error… of learning how to do it efficiently and effectively. Night after night. I’ve gotten much better at it, but have a lot to still learn.
You just wrapped up a North American tour with label-mates Dark Castle and are about to head to Europe with them and Kongh. How was the North American tour and what are you looking forward to most about heading to Europe?
The US tour was nothing short of brilliant. Lots of folks came out to see both Dark Castle and YOB and the people who came out were passionate and gracious. As for Europe… to meet and play for people we have never played to before, to play places we have never been is very exciting. In addition we’ll be playing a couple of places we have been too on our Roaburn 2010 trip and loved our time there. We are also looking forward to sharing the stage with Kongh, a band we have long respected. And to enjoy some Italian coffee and Belgian chocolate and beer! Haha!
Speaking of Dark Castle, guitarist / vocalist Stevie Floyd provided the stunning artwork for the new album. Tell us about the art and were you involved the art direction at all?
We found a photo online that was absolutely stunning(and fake) of a sunset in Antarctica (supposedly) and we wanted to use that photo initially. Stevie told us she could paint it and have it be much cooler than a stock photo. We have immense respect for her art both musically and as a painter so we of course were very excited about the possibility. It was an incredible time crunch for us as it was late in the game when we started talking about it. Literally days after we told her to try it she gave us that painting. We are so thrilled with her work. Aaron Edge handled the format and layouts. He has done art for us for many years and we are grateful beyond reckoning to him.
You guys probably have the sweetest logo in all of doom. Who designed it and what inspired it’s elaborate creativity?
The logo was designed by a friend and workmate of [YOB drummer Travis Foster’s], Mike Fairchild, from No Dinx printing in Albany, Oregon. He made that logo with zero prompting or direction from us. He just simply gave it to Travis one day, completed. We have been using it almost solely ever since. We are eternally in Mike’s debt!
Doom metal and more specifically, YOB, have seen quite the resurgence in popularity over the last few years. What do you attribute to this?
I have no idea. It would be pure speculation for me to say anything. I do feel DOOM has a rich history of incredibly inspired, deep, beyond soulful music. Music that existed and was made regardless of who was paying attention. Music that would continue to exist and be made whether the scene and it’s listeners grew in numbers or not. To me, it is not surprising more folks would eventually want to hear what these bands have been doing all of these years. The fact that YOB gets to be a part of this growing awareness of DOOM music is wonderful. I think anyone who’s been playing DOOM for a long time are as equally perplexed and stoked as we are. When all is said and done regardless of who’s paying attention, or for however long, I will continue to write DOOM riffs, period.
Profound Lore have definitely played a crucial role in aesthetic-driven, high-brow heavy music reaching new ears. What’s it like working with a label that thrives on integrity and taste rather than marketing budgets?
It is the best. [Profound Lore main man] Chris Bruni truly represents the best of both worlds. His integrity as a human is unquestionable. And his business sense is 100% intelligent and calculated in the best sense. He only signs bands he truly digs, and he knows how best to promote them and himself while keep the art and his label’s integrity intact. It is a RARE talent.
With the band reaching new levels of recognition, how long do you plan to continue touring and making music?
We do not make calculated plans regarding the future. Honestly, we do what is in front of us, which may or may not include the future. Obviously we book shows, sometimes many months ahead of time. And plan for recording albums, the logistics of everything, making sure we can afford it, etc. As far as what these things will “do” for us, that is not really much of a thought. We pretty much just do what we have agreed to do and then let the result take care of itself, whether YOB will then become “bigger” or if we shrink away into obscurity. This style of music was never going to be something that would get us anywhere. We play it because we truly love it, are inspired by DOOM, our favorite bands, and each other. It is the deepest part of our creativity and soul as musicians.The fact that we could be flown around to play shows, get paid much of anything, and sell more than a few hundred albums is a new phenomena. It’s wonderful. It certainly can affect what we do in the future, and our art comes first. It will always be about having balance between living real lives away from the stage, and then bringing that to the music, the recordings, to our friendly supporters worldwide.
What contemporary bands are you currently listening to?
The new Amebix track online, Blut Aus Nord, Rwake, Dark Castle Neurosis, Red Fang, Black Witchery, The Body, Norska, Brothers Of The Sonic Cloth,Witch Mountain, Kongh,Ulcerate, Danava… too many to name!
If you could set up a dream tour with any three bands, past or present, who would it be?
Neurosis, Sleep, Amebix.
Finally, I have to ask… what the hell does YOB mean, besides being boy spelled backwards?
I got it from a cartoon. Basically I wanted a name that wouldn’t paint us in a corner. As time went on we found out about all sorts of meanings for it. I hope 14 years later, our music has become one of the meanings for the word YOB. We’re getting ready to play the UK and Scotland, I guess we’ll find out! Ha!
-BC
