Yard Act on social unrest and making “prog, honky tonk” with Elton John

Yard Act have spoken to NME about what this yr’s shortlist for the Mercury Prize 2022 says about guitar music – in addition to plans for his or her subsequent album and dealing with Elton John.

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The Yorkshire band have been chatting with NME from the London launch occasion for the prize yesterday (Wednesday July 27), the place their acclaimed debut album ‘The Overload‘ was named as one of many Albums Of The Yr alongside albums by the likes of Sam Fender, Nova Twins, Harry Types, Little Simz, Self Esteem and extra.

They have been in attendance with out frontman James Smith, “due to the trains,” mentioned guitarist Sam Shjipstone, including: “assist the strikes.”

Requested what the Mercury Prize shortlist says about music in 2022, Shjipstone replied: “There’s various guitar music on it, which is sort of bizarre. Persons are lastly realising that the guitar is the best instrument ever made!”

Bassist Ryan Needham added: “There’s various rage and unrest lyrically throughout the entire thing, which is sweet to see. It simply sort of displays the overall vibe of the nation and possibly the world.”

As to why their very own album ‘The Overload’ made such a breakthrough, Shjipstone put it right down to the band’s perspective.

“There’s quite a lot of humour on there, buried among the many extra social commentary features of it. That’s fairly refreshing,” he argued. “We’ve been lumped in with the post-punk factor, and there’s not quite a lot of humour amongst these organisations traditionally!”

It’s been a busy summer season for the band, with Yard Act just lately revealed as probably the most booked act of European festivals this summer season. Requested if the four-piece have been feeling the pressure but, the guitarist instructed us: “It’s probably not began but, so I’ll inform you in a few months. We’re raking the cash in! Solely joking. It’ll cowl the tax payments, damaged guitars.”

Not solely that, however Sir Elton John additionally adopted up his months of heaping reward upon the band by becoming a member of them on a brand new model of their single ‘100% Endurance’.

“To not sound big-headed, however I didn’t assume very a lot of it till the day, then it was like, ‘Oh my God, he’s coming to a fucking studio that we’re in!’ We simply began rearranging peanuts and turning a candle. It was actually intense,” mentioned Shjipstone.  “He was good although. He’s a very personable individual, when you’ve ever met him. You don’t really feel too uncomfortable round him for lengthy.”

Needham continued: “It was actually intense for the primary 10 minutes, then we simply began working and everybody locked into the roles that they do greatest. He simply sat on the piano and did his takes. He was a session participant as effectively, so it was similar to a day on the workplace actually. It sounds bizarre to say, however that’s all it actually was.”

Drummer Jay Russell agreed that it was stunning how right down to earth he was with the entire course of”.

“He simply wished what was greatest and proper for the music,” he mentioned. “He didn’t wish to shoehorn any in that didn’t belong there. He wished to play what was proper and it was an excellent expertise.”

Whereas admitting their is perhaps “a bit busy for a bit” to work with him within the rapid future, they teased that their may very well be scope for a extra surprising repeat collaboration.

“He was speaking in regards to the future as a result of he says he’s retiring from dwell music,” mentioned Needham. “He says he simply desires to make prog information, so I feel you must simply hyperlink up with him, Sam, and make some psychedelic prog report. I feel you’d be good at that.”

Russell then laughed on the prospect of the duo creating “prog honky tonk.”

And what about new materials from Yard Act? Have they been fascinated with their second album?

“We’ve thought of it each evening for six months – waking up in a sweat!” laughed Shjipstone, earlier than Needham revealed: “It’s good, we’ve began engaged on just a few bits and set the rehearsal room up. I’d say we’ve turned it right into a studio, however it’s probably not. James has acquired quite a lot of concepts, he’s acquired an excellent angle on it. I feel it’ll be one other loosely-based idea report.

“We’d by no means performed dwell earlier than we wrote the primary one, so taking part in dwell will make it a bit totally different in some methods.”

Does that imply the album may very well be extra energetic and heavier?

“Possibly in locations, however James adjustments his thoughts so typically that it would find yourself being a folks report, you already know?” Needham ended. “Or he would possibly sack us all and do it with Elton John. Who is aware of? We’ve simply acquired to attend and see what occurs.”

Watch our full interview above, the place the band additionally inform us who they’re tipping to win the prize, and overlaying Tom Jones with Smith’s grandad.

The Mercury Prize will reveal the winner at a ceremony on September 8 at London’s Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith.