Rob: Where did the idea for YOB come from? And for those that don`t know, explain the meaning behind the name...
Mike: The idea for YOB came out of my love for DOOM metal! I was way into Sleep, Electric Wizard, The Obsessed, Trouble, Dream Death, Cathedral in the early nineties. When I saw Cathedral with Napalm Death in `92, I stopped writing punk/death tunes and started writing Doomriffs. They were so righteous, Cathedral. Then shortly after that I heard Sleep for the first time and my life changed permanently. The name YOB came from the Looney Tunes cartoon "Rocket Bye Baby". You have to see the cartoon to get it.
Rob: You guys have come a long way since you have started, a couple of serious line up changes...
Mike: It`s been hard on one hand, and totally easy on another. It`s been hard to change players and try to find the people you can really play music with, and stressful because when someone leaves the band, it`s not like it`s all wrong. There are always some really good traits in everyone who has played in YOB and frightening to try to find someone as good or better. It`s been easy in that when we lost Lowell, Isamu stepped in and became the BEST thing we could ever hope for. Same thing with Travis(our new drummer). Travis stepped into Gabe`s massive shoes and made them his own. YOB has had lots of good luck, and then some.
Rob: The 12th records release of Elaborations Of Carbon is a great CD and you have gathered a lot of fans since it`s release. Describe the evolution of YOB starting from EOC to the upcoming Lunasound`s April release of `Catharsis` and rumours of `Cosmos`...what we can expect from you cats in the future?
Mike: It is continually amazing to me the support we are getting from what seems like everyone around us. The greatest thing I never dared to hope for was to share the stage with my all time favorite bands(which by some stroke of luck, we have). And so much more than that to be able to have relationships with this incredible world wide community that is into the stoner/DOOM music. It has been satisfying beyond words. As far as our evolution, I don`t know exactly. YOB has lots of different influences. When we put out our first three song demo-it was as pure of a representation of DOOM as I could do at the time-directly molded from SLEEP and Electric Wizard with some Sabbath and Obsessed thrown in. I guess my hardcore punk and METAL roots have been showing since then, without abandoning the original blueprint. Or something. Catharsis is my best attempt at no compromise in DOOM and I pushed myself as hard as I could, as did Isamu aand Gabe. 3songs in 50 minutes guarantees no radio edits Haha!. No everyone is going to get into it,though it has all of the elements that the people who like us hear on EOC.I deeply enjoyed recording that record-good or bad.
Rob: You guys love the loudness, and the right tones...describe your set ups amp wise, and for the techies, and what are you doing with your vocals...effects?
Mike: I use a Black MATAMP stack with celestion hot 100`s,a Les Paul with 57 classic humbuckers,MXR distortion plus and a DYNA COMP for my overdrive(though lately I`ve been using a Colorsound Overdriver which may be the best distortion I`ve ever used) and a MXR Phase 90 (70`s on all of the MXR pedals). We play in a A tuning, and I string my guitar with the heaviest strings I could find (starting with a .066)on the bottom. This rig is my inspiration and love. Iuse a Boss CS-2 for my vocals. Just a guitar pedal, and it`s never let me down for otherworldly vocal sound(or my attempt at it).Travis has a 70`s red Vista Lite Ludwig drum set with a 26" bass drum!! I love it I love it.
Isamu: OLD (late 60s early70s) AMPEG SVT w/8-10 cab....ampeg, aunt peggy, mamaSVT....Rickenbacker 4001 bass, BC Rich Mockingbird. I want another Ricki!!!
Rob: Isamu seems to be a great addition to the band, and it also seems to be where you guys have really dug in and began to `get down`...and now you have a new drummer. Describe the present form of YOB, and how the band works together...
Mike: This line up is the best one we have ever had. Me,Isamu and Travis. I`ve never had so much fun playing music. I write the songs for the most part, and arrange them at home,then we dial them in at practice. It`s not that I dictate how it`s going to be.I show the boys my ideas and riffs with the tempos and shifts I have in mind and it just seems to work out. I am beyond anal about this music and I`m sure I am annoying in the songwriting/arrangement process. Luckily, Isamu and Travis haven`t killed me yet.
Rob: Any future tours or shows in the works?
Mike: Lots of shows, any thay we can pick up really. We don`t care when or where. Clubs, basements. punk metal,DOOM,rock, whatever. Hopefully a tour this year.
Rob: What are some of your favorite classic bands...present bands?
Mike: Sleep ,Immolation, Will Haven, Sabbath, The Obsessed, Witch Mountain, Electric Wizard, Burning Witch, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Motorhead, Poison Idea, Neurosis, so many actually it`s hard to say. These are at the top of the list, though.
Rob: Anything you would like to share with the community at StonerRock.com?
Mike: I love that website and all of us have the good luck of seeing this scene grow and thrive,and it hasn`t even come close to peaking,IMO. Thank you for all of the support and kindness anyone has shared with YOB. It is a pleasure without end.
Rob: Here are the 13 stupid questions that we ask at the end of the interview...if you weren`t a rocker, what would you most like to be?
Mike: A morbid weblo.
Isamu: A big fucking loser!
Rob: what was your worst gig and why? What was your best gig and why?
Mike:
Worst: Playing with an opening band (I won`t say names) who played an hour and a half (and stunk) and we got our set cut to 25 minutes. It was a big show for us and it was a major bummer at the time (2+years ago). Best-there are too many to name.
Highlights: Playing with High On Fire,Electric Wizard two nights in a row, playing with Will Haven (jeff forever changed how I play guitar). Maybe our best show for me was the first time we played with Witch Mountain, the first time we played in Portland. That night was magical for me. I met what would become some of my best friends ever for the first time, and realized that good times were in store.
Isamu: Worst: HC Minds....no members. played as a 2 piece - Best: with my band Metalmorfosis (show in Lapaz Bolivia 85)... 5,000 people nice! also ash street with Bongzilla cause the night rocked and our PDX friends were all there!
Rob: top three movies, books and albums of all time?
Isamu: I do not watch TV, movies or read...3 most fav albums: humm.... Cirith Ungol (King of the Dead), Black Sabbath (Master of Reality), Slayer (Hell Awaits)
Mike: Top three movies: The Big Lebowski,Lord Of The Rings,The Exorcist - Top Three records: SLEEP"S HOLY MOUNTAIN, IMMOLATION CLOSE TO A WORLD BELOW, BLACK SABBATH MASTER OF REALITY - thought that could change tomorrow...
Rob: how often do you surf the net and what do you mostly do while online?
Mike: Getting better at typing with my left hand (tee hee). I mostly go to Stonerrock.com and the Matamp site to drool.
Isamu: Not often... I only to go stonerrock.com and wherever I can download Harsh METAL!!!!
Rob: what is your favorite city and venue to play, and why?
Mike: Portland is our hometown though we don`t live there. Our friends there are more than quality, and the venues are fantastic. There is a big stoner/DOOM contingent there, and it`s great to play to a group of folks who understand what we are doing and have the same records in their collections as we do!
Isamu: PORTLAND!!!!! any place in PORTLAND...again, we love you poeple in PDX.
Rob: what is the most rock `n` roll thing you`ve ever done?
Mike: Falling off of stage drunk and flipping out jumping, then I puked!!
Isamu: I am an introvert /paranoid rocker... so nothing!!
Rob: What`s the most rock `n` roll thing you`ve seen someone else do?
Mike: Seeing Billy Idol pass out cold on stage was pretty rock and roll...
Isamu: I can`t think of any.. too many freaks out there.....doing rock and roll things?
Rob: what`s your worst "bad trip" story?
Isamu: I have one everyday.. they are horrible!! some people call it going to work?
Mike: I`m with Mu on that one! My worst bad trip is better than the 9-5!!!
Rob: What`s the most painful thing you have ever witnessed at a rock show?
Mike: Seeing a skin head walk throught the pit with a razor blade.
Isamu: Knive and broken bottle attacks while I played a show in LaPaz, Bolivia.....
Rob: how old were you when you first realize you wanted to rock?
Mike: I was 12. A friend of mine could play Black Dog on guitar- I was blown away. I tortured my parents for three years until they bought me an electric guitar and amp.
Isamu: 12 years old... saw a band play covers..... my life changed immediately!
Rob: what`s the most embarrassing job you ever had?
Mike: Doing phone sales. Never ever ever again. We sold light bulbs, vitamins, and floor cleaner. I would write down numbers for people who weren`t home and call the number over and over, acting like I was talking to a customer.
Isamu: Busboy at a mexican restaurant... I spilled drinks on customers every fucking day.... too baked to hold trays!
Rob: what`s your favourite ice cream flavor?
Mike: Chubby Hubby
Isamu: Coffee
Rob: if you could date any rock star dead or alive in the world, who would it be? Movie star?
Mike: Definitely Ione Skye. She fucked me up when I was a teen!
Isamu: Pat Benatar... she rocked my world when I was a kid....she was heavy man!!!
Rob: what would be the ultimate dream gig of all time line-up be, with your band opening? Limit to three bands please (including your own...) and where?
Mike:
SLEEP
ELECTRIC WIZARD
WILL HAVEN
WITCH MOUNTAIN
YOB @ Madison Square Gardens!! OH YEAH! |
