Push to Fire: Interview with Yellowcard

Push to Fire Interview: Yellowcard
by Meghan Player
Yellowcard press shot
Announcing an 'indefinite hiatus' in 2008, the music community thought pop punk outfit Yellowcard were getting ready to call it a day. Now, in 2011, the band are back and about to release their highly anticipated new album, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes.' Speaking to Push To Fire from rainy Scotland, vocalist Ryan Key chatted to Meghan Player about the new album, their current tour with All Time Low, and how the band managed to find themselves again.
"It's crazy, and pretty mindblowing," begins Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key. The latest batch of reviews have just reached the band, and understandably, they are excited about their new albums impending release.
"We worked really hard on this record," he explains. "We tried not to overthink anything and just enjoy the process. [We wanted] something that the fans that have been waiting for years, would be out of their minds to hear."
And 'out of their minds' is probably right. Fans have been positively buzzing since the announcement that, not only had the band reformed and ended a two-year hiatus last year, but that a new album was also on the way.
Entitled, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes' - a choice that the singer "had had with me for a while throughout the hiatus" and "[rang] true to where we are in our career right now, and where we want to be in the future" - the album marks another chapter in the story of Yellowcard, and Key is undeniably proud of what he and fellow band members achieved with the album.
"I want all our fans to get this record. I think it's a really important one," he describes. "We thought that something special was happening throughout the entire process. There is an energy in the band right now that has been missing, I think, for a few years previous. I feel like everyone is ready for it. And I know that we're ready for everybody to hear it."
Evidently, the bands decision to take a "break" has worked out for the better. Talking about the band and the albums release provokes a quiet confidence and happiness in Key's voice, which leads you to believe that this is what Yellowcard have been wanting and waiting for - and for a while.
"I think having a break allowed us to get back to a place where it's important to us, and it's fun again, and makes us happy," he explains.
"[The hiatus] really allowed everyone to refocus their life, and get out of the craziness of touring and recording - year round, every year. Coming back to it this way, we have a different perspective on what [the band] means to us, and what we want to get out of it."
Keeping that in mind, with a new vision and long term plan for the band, Key is quick to explain that a change in the bands attitude, also meant that the writing and recording process changed as well.
"With this new record, we really did get back to writing a record as a whole team - as a whole band. I think in that way, we were really able to capture, without forcing it, an original, true, Yellowcard sound. We were hoping that [the album] would just happen naturally, and I think it did."
Of course, with any 'comeback' of sorts, and an album in waiting - the toughest test in with the fans. In November of last year, Yellowcard played their first official show to an expectant crowd. A show that Key remembers well.
"I was as nervous as I have ever been. I was never as nervous as that first show," he laughs. "But there was such an incredible energy in the room that night - with fans from a lot of different places. I heard that kids from other countries flew in. I don't know if that's true or not, but the idea of that even happening was kind of mind-blowing."
"It was an important night for us," he continues, "to be back on stage for the first time in years. It was a big deal. We were really nervous walking out there, but immediately we launched into the first song, and it was like getting right back to where we left off."
And from then on, the band have been getting back into touring again - having currently found themselves supporting All Time Low throughout the UK - before embarking on their own headlining tour of the US. Key also had promising news for Australian Yellowcard fans.
"We're coming this year for sure," he suggested. "We don't know when it is, or what it's going to be. Whether it's a festival thing or a headline tour. But we're definately coming!"
Certainly, it appears as though Yellowcard are back on track to continue their journey as a band again. Key's refreshed and enthusiastic personality is a perfect indication of the mindframe of the band right now, but ultimately there is one group of people that are responsible for the bands new lease on life - the fans.
"It's amazing," Key says about the fans who stuck by the band. "[They] knew in their hearts that we were going to get back together and make a new record - more than we ever did. And being able to see them, shake their hands and give them hugs, it's just part of our day everyday. We are just so grateful that they support us."

Thank you to Ryan for taking time out to speak to us. A huge thankyou also to Seam @ Hopeless Records. Yellowcard's new album, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes' is out on March 22nd through Hopeless Records.

Push to Fire Interview: Yellowcard by Meghan Player Announcing an 'indefinite hiatus' in 2008, the music community thought pop punk outfit Yellowcard were getting ready to call it a day. Now, in 2011, the band are back and about to release their highly anticipated new album, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes.' Speaking to Push To Fire from rainy Scotland, vocalist Ryan Key chatted to Meghan Player about the new album, their current tour with All Time Low, and how the band managed to find themselves again. "It's crazy, and pretty mindblowing," begins Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key. The latest batch of reviews have just reached the band, and understandably, they are excited about their new albums impending release. "We worked really hard on this record," he explains. "We tried not to overthink anything and just enjoy the process. [We wanted] something that the fans that have been waiting for years, would be out of their minds to hear." And 'out of their minds' is probably right. Fans have been positively buzzing since the announcement that, not only had the band reformed and ended a two-year hiatus last year, but that a new album was also on the way. Entitled, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes' - a choice that the singer "had had with me for a while throughout the hiatus" and "[rang] true to where we are in our career right now, and where we want to be in the future" - the album marks another chapter in the story of Yellowcard, and Key is undeniably proud of what he and fellow band members achieved with the album. "I want all our fans to get this record. I think it's a really important one," he describes. "We thought that something special was happening throughout the entire process. There is an energy in the band right now that has been missing, I think, for a few years previous. I feel like everyone is ready for it. And I know that we're ready for everybody to hear it." Evidently, the bands decision to take a "break" has worked out for the better. Talking about the band and the albums release provokes a quiet confidence and happiness in Key's voice, which leads you to believe that this is what Yellowcard have been wanting and waiting for - and for a while. "I think having a break allowed us to get back to a place where it's important to us, and it's fun again, and makes us happy," he explains. "[The hiatus] really allowed everyone to refocus their life, and get out of the craziness of touring and recording - year round, every year. Coming back to it this way, we have a different perspective on what [the band] means to us, and what we want to get out of it." Keeping that in mind, with a new vision and long term plan for the band, Key is quick to explain that a change in the bands attitude, also meant that the writing and recording process changed as well. "With this new record, we really did get back to writing a record as a whole team - as a whole band. I think in that way, we were really able to capture, without forcing it, an original, true, Yellowcard sound. We were hoping that [the album] would just happen naturally, and I think it did." Of course, with any 'comeback' of sorts, and an album in waiting - the toughest test in with the fans. In November of last year, Yellowcard played their first official show to an expectant crowd. A show that Key remembers well. "I was as nervous as I have ever been. I was never as nervous as that first show," he laughs. "But there was such an incredible energy in the room that night - with fans from a lot of different places. I heard that kids from other countries flew in. I don't know if that's true or not, but the idea of that even happening was kind of mind-blowing." "It was an important night for us," he continues, "to be back on stage for the first time in years. It was a big deal. We were really nervous walking out there, but immediately we launched into the first song, and it was like getting right back to where we left off." And from then on, the band have been getting back into touring again - having currently found themselves supporting All Time Low throughout the UK - before embarking on their own headlining tour of the US. Key also had promising news for Australian Yellowcard fans. "We're coming this year for sure," he suggested. "We don't know when it is, or what it's going to be. Whether it's a festival thing or a headline tour. But we're definately coming!" Certainly, it appears as though Yellowcard are back on track to continue their journey as a band again. Key's refreshed and enthusiastic personality is a perfect indication of the mindframe of the band right now, but ultimately there is one group of people that are responsible for the bands new lease on life - the fans. "It's amazing," Key says about the fans who stuck by the band. "[They] knew in their hearts that we were going to get back together and make a new record - more than we ever did. And being able to see them, shake their hands and give them hugs, it's just part of our day everyday. We are just so grateful that they support us."
Thank you to Ryan for taking time out to speak to us. A huge thankyou also to Seam @ Hopeless Records. Yellowcard's new album, 'When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes' is out on March 22nd through Hopeless Records.