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Yellowcard
November 7, 2011 | Drew Bartlett
AltRockLive recently had the opportunity to interview Sean Mackin of Yellowcard. In this interview we learned about Sean's personal experience and relationship with music, Yellowcard's current tour, and future plans. Enjoy!
AltRockLive: Why do you consider yourself a musician?
Sean: I consider myself a musician because I'm fortunate enough to play music as a profession and as my day-to-day job. But also because for the majority of my life I've been playing violin and sort of something that's helped me through a lot of emotional situations and so I guess on a deeper level that's why I consider myself a musician.
AltRockLive: What do you think is the best way to learn musically?
Sean: I think it's different for everybody. Some people can pick up an instrument and they got it and I was trained with some formal training: teachers, professors, school, classical training and then had a good enough mentor to lead me into fields of composition and improvisation. So, I guess an open-minded teacher that would let someone learn at their own rate would be the best way to learn music.
AltRockLive: How does music make you feel?
Sean: I think music impacts mood and there's obviously different moods and different types of music. I always think of music as a celebration so it's really supposed to lighten the mood but there are some cases where music can really show things in a darker light.
AltRockLive: At what age did you start playing? For what reasons did you start?
Sean: I started playing violin at the age of six and it was because my mother insisted me play music in our house. So, she said it was a gift from her to me, and a gift that I am forever thankful for.
AltRockLive: Who or what inspires you to pursue playing?
Sean: At a young age, it was my mom. She played the violin when she was young and we'd play everyday to a certain point and then she said that my talent had eclipsed her. I started learning other forms of music and really was inspired by guitar players and punk rock bands, composition and so forth. I guess later on in life it was Mike Burkett from NOFX and Chris Shiflett from no use for a name and now the Foo Fighters are all real strong influences.
AltRockLive: Where do you see yourself in the future with music?
Sean: I see myself playing violin. Not just for Yellowcard but for the majority of my entire life it's something that's been there and something that I plan on playing for a long time. If I'm not a performer at some point, I'd love to be able to teach some sort of music education or composition or something like that. I definitely see it being a part of my life.
AltRockLive: What about music do you enjoy?
Sean: I enjoy all types of music. Again, depending on mood but I love singer/songwriter style of music with a little bit more folk background. I feel like that's the perfect setting for a violin or string arrangement. As well as good rock n' roll music, pop rock, you know just depending on what's going on, I'll put in a variety of different albums.
AltRockLive: What has affected your music preference?
Sean: I think it's my friends that I have and their opinion on music plays a role in that. A lot of my friends, we like the same music. A couple of the guys will find a different band or I'll find a different band and we'll bounce that album or record around. So I think more immediately my group of friends has the biggest influence.
AltRockLive: How has the tour been going?
Sean: The tour's amazing. We're about midway through and you know we're in one of our favorite parts of the country. The north east is really really spirited and enthusiastic about Yellowcard and we're in Boston tonight and New Jersey, Philly, and New York coming up. It's just a great time to be in Yellowcard. We've got the new Record out "When you're through thinking, say yes" and the fans are signing along. Go Radio and Every Avenue are supporting us and it's just a really awesome tour and we're enjoying it everyday.
AltRockLive: Last time we saw you guys in May, you were supporting All Time Low. How is it different now that you're headlining?
Sean: We haven't done a headlining tour for about five years. All Time Low is a great group of guys, we met them a long time ago and they're enjoying some amazing success right now and they actually helped us kick off this record by touring. It's just nice to be able to headline because we've been a band for about ten years now and our fans are always asking and looking for more songs to play. In a forty-minute set, we're just playing some of the more popular songs and some of the songs that have been on MTV and what not. This has given us an opportunity to play a lot of the other sort of more album tracks and songs that we've written earlier in our career. We're playing about twenty songs a night and just tipping the scales at about an hour and forty-five minutes of music. On this tour, a lot of our fans have been supporting Yellowcard for years and we wanted to do something special and it's gone on really really well. We're having a great time.
AltRockLive: You recently released an acoustic version of "When you're through thinking, say yes", what made you decide to do this?
Sean: Well, it wasn't a conscience decision right away but what had happened was we were doing some b-sides for the record and we looked back and said I think we have 80% of the songs already acoustic. We didn't really have an outlet right away so we said let's do the whole thing and maybe we'll be able to put an acoustic album out later this year which is something that we've always wanted to do and it just sort of came about. That's kind of how it came up and the response has been overwhelming. Websites like absolutepunk.net went ahead and streamed the album first and iTunes we peaked at #10 on the alternative charts. It's still the first week of sales right now but we wanted it totally to be a surprise and release like that and it's just amazing that it's been so well received.
AltRockLive: How has the fan reaction been so far?
Sean: It's been awesome! There's no complaints. Everything online that our fans are saying is that it's the best sound live that Yellowcard's ever had and performance wise we're very focused on our music and our live performance and what we give to our audience every night. So to hear that this is the best we've ever sounded is kind of a giant pat on the back for us. We're also very fortunate to have an acoustic record out this week. It's an acoustic record of "When you're through thinking, say yes", entirely produced by us and that's been a treat for our fans and our listeners. Just a lot of great things going on.
AltRockLive: Can we expect any other releases at any point in the near future?
Sean: Yeah, we're currently working on new material and talking about getting in the studio next year for a new Yellowcard release in 2012.
AltRockLive: You're touring with Every Avenue and Go Radio, how did this line up come together?
Sean: Well the every avenue guys, we have some ties. Ryan the lead singer has written some songs with Every Avenue on their past and current record and they were on Warped Tour and we experienced some real cool sets. Then Go Radio actually we had never really met them but we had heard from a couple people that they were a fantastic band and we also have some similar ties from Tallahassee. They're a band from Tallahassee, FL and Ryan and I both went to college there. We have a couple degrees of separation there and they submitted to support the Yellowcard tour and anytime you hear people talking about a band in a positive way and you know some people and similar friends, you always want to try to hook up at some point. That's really kind of how it happened. Little behind the scenes stuff, managers talking and booking and what not. They're both phenomenal bands. They're both very different sounds and every time we do a tour, we want to make sure we put together an entire evening for our fans and not just a couple opening band and then Yellowcard. It seems like everyone is singing along to their songs every night and I'm watching the entire show and both bands are great on this first Yellowcard headlining tour in five years.
AltRockLive: In late november you're touring with Saves the Day and The Wonder years in the UK, and the majority of Europe. How is that going to be different from your tour now?
Sean: Well we're co-headlining with Saves The Day and I don't know if you grew up listening to them like we did but we're pretty excited about it. Chris is a phenomenal songwriter. We're also pleased to be joined by a band called The Young Guns and they're gonna be joining us on some of the European dates as well. The dates that The Wonder Years aren't playing, The Young Guns are going to play with us. Great bands and we're fortunate enough to have all these awesome tours this year and that's gonna wrap up the Yellowcard year right before Christmas. There's not a better way to end the year touring with Saves The Day and some good friends.
AltRockLive: What are you looking forward to most in the upcoming months?
Sean: There's a few things. Team Yellowcard has always been about traveling and touring. So, just finishing the year out strong going to Europe and England. We have some amazing fans over there and it'll be nice to have the holidays off and then I'm really looking forward to getting in the studio and doing the new Yellowcard record. We've already been bouncing around a couple ideas here on the road. Ryan Key, Sean O' Donnell, Ryan Mendez, Longineu, they're all great songwriters so it's always exciting to get in the studio and see what comes together. So I'm excited for the future and 2012 or Yellowcard.
AltRockLive: Any last words for the fans?
Sean: Yeah definitely. Some of these shows like Boston, Philly, New York City, the shows are pre-sold-out and we're just getting such an overwhelming response and it's so unbelievable to have that type of support from the bottom of our hearts that Yellowcard thanks them. That's really the most important thing.
AltRockLive recently had the opportunity to interview Sean Mackin of Yellowcard. In this interview we learned about Sean's personal experience and relationship with music, Yellowcard's current tour, and future plans. Enjoy!
AltRockLive: Why do you consider yourself a musician?
Sean: I consider myself a musician because I'm fortunate enough to play music as a profession and as my day-to-day job. But also because for the majority of my life I've been playing violin and sort of something that's helped me through a lot of emotional situations and so I guess on a deeper level that's why I consider myself a musician.
AltRockLive: What do you think is the best way to learn musically?
Sean: I think it's different for everybody. Some people can pick up an instrument and they got it and I was trained with some formal training: teachers, professors, school, classical training and then had a good enough mentor to lead me into fields of composition and improvisation. So, I guess an open-minded teacher that would let someone learn at their own rate would be the best way to learn music.
AltRockLive: How does music make you feel?
Sean: I think music impacts mood and there's obviously different moods and different types of music. I always think of music as a celebration so it's really supposed to lighten the mood but there are some cases where music can really show things in a darker light.
AltRockLive: At what age did you start playing? For what reasons did you start?
Sean: I started playing violin at the age of six and it was because my mother insisted me play music in our house. So, she said it was a gift from her to me, and a gift that I am forever thankful for.
AltRockLive: Who or what inspires you to pursue playing?
Sean: At a young age, it was my mom. She played the violin when she was young and we'd play everyday to a certain point and then she said that my talent had eclipsed her. I started learning other forms of music and really was inspired by guitar players and punk rock bands, composition and so forth. I guess later on in life it was Mike Burkett from NOFX and Chris Shiflett from no use for a name and now the Foo Fighters are all real strong influences.
AltRockLive: Where do you see yourself in the future with music?
Sean: I see myself playing violin. Not just for Yellowcard but for the majority of my entire life it's something that's been there and something that I plan on playing for a long time. If I'm not a performer at some point, I'd love to be able to teach some sort of music education or composition or something like that. I definitely see it being a part of my life.
AltRockLive: What about music do you enjoy?
Sean: I enjoy all types of music. Again, depending on mood but I love singer/songwriter style of music with a little bit more folk background. I feel like that's the perfect setting for a violin or string arrangement. As well as good rock n' roll music, pop rock, you know just depending on what's going on, I'll put in a variety of different albums.
AltRockLive: What has affected your music preference?
Sean: I think it's my friends that I have and their opinion on music plays a role in that. A lot of my friends, we like the same music. A couple of the guys will find a different band or I'll find a different band and we'll bounce that album or record around. So I think more immediately my group of friends has the biggest influence.
AltRockLive: How has the tour been going?
Sean: The tour's amazing. We're about midway through and you know we're in one of our favorite parts of the country. The north east is really really spirited and enthusiastic about Yellowcard and we're in Boston tonight and New Jersey, Philly, and New York coming up. It's just a great time to be in Yellowcard. We've got the new Record out "When you're through thinking, say yes" and the fans are signing along. Go Radio and Every Avenue are supporting us and it's just a really awesome tour and we're enjoying it everyday.
AltRockLive: Last time we saw you guys in May, you were supporting All Time Low. How is it different now that you're headlining?
Sean: We haven't done a headlining tour for about five years. All Time Low is a great group of guys, we met them a long time ago and they're enjoying some amazing success right now and they actually helped us kick off this record by touring. It's just nice to be able to headline because we've been a band for about ten years now and our fans are always asking and looking for more songs to play. In a forty-minute set, we're just playing some of the more popular songs and some of the songs that have been on MTV and what not. This has given us an opportunity to play a lot of the other sort of more album tracks and songs that we've written earlier in our career. We're playing about twenty songs a night and just tipping the scales at about an hour and forty-five minutes of music. On this tour, a lot of our fans have been supporting Yellowcard for years and we wanted to do something special and it's gone on really really well. We're having a great time.
AltRockLive: You recently released an acoustic version of "When you're through thinking, say yes", what made you decide to do this?
Sean: Well, it wasn't a conscience decision right away but what had happened was we were doing some b-sides for the record and we looked back and said I think we have 80% of the songs already acoustic. We didn't really have an outlet right away so we said let's do the whole thing and maybe we'll be able to put an acoustic album out later this year which is something that we've always wanted to do and it just sort of came about. That's kind of how it came up and the response has been overwhelming. Websites like absolutepunk.net went ahead and streamed the album first and iTunes we peaked at #10 on the alternative charts. It's still the first week of sales right now but we wanted it totally to be a surprise and release like that and it's just amazing that it's been so well received.
AltRockLive: How has the fan reaction been so far?
Sean: It's been awesome! There's no complaints. Everything online that our fans are saying is that it's the best sound live that Yellowcard's ever had and performance wise we're very focused on our music and our live performance and what we give to our audience every night. So to hear that this is the best we've ever sounded is kind of a giant pat on the back for us. We're also very fortunate to have an acoustic record out this week. It's an acoustic record of "When you're through thinking, say yes", entirely produced by us and that's been a treat for our fans and our listeners. Just a lot of great things going on.
AltRockLive: Can we expect any other releases at any point in the near future?
Sean: Yeah, we're currently working on new material and talking about getting in the studio next year for a new Yellowcard release in 2012.
AltRockLive: You're touring with Every Avenue and Go Radio, how did this line up come together?
Sean: Well the every avenue guys, we have some ties. Ryan the lead singer has written some songs with Every Avenue on their past and current record and they were on Warped Tour and we experienced some real cool sets. Then Go Radio actually we had never really met them but we had heard from a couple people that they were a fantastic band and we also have some similar ties from Tallahassee. They're a band from Tallahassee, FL and Ryan and I both went to college there. We have a couple degrees of separation there and they submitted to support the Yellowcard tour and anytime you hear people talking about a band in a positive way and you know some people and similar friends, you always want to try to hook up at some point. That's really kind of how it happened. Little behind the scenes stuff, managers talking and booking and what not. They're both phenomenal bands. They're both very different sounds and every time we do a tour, we want to make sure we put together an entire evening for our fans and not just a couple opening band and then Yellowcard. It seems like everyone is singing along to their songs every night and I'm watching the entire show and both bands are great on this first Yellowcard headlining tour in five years.
AltRockLive: In late november you're touring with Saves the Day and The Wonder years in the UK, and the majority of Europe. How is that going to be different from your tour now?
Sean: Well we're co-headlining with Saves The Day and I don't know if you grew up listening to them like we did but we're pretty excited about it. Chris is a phenomenal songwriter. We're also pleased to be joined by a band called The Young Guns and they're gonna be joining us on some of the European dates as well. The dates that The Wonder Years aren't playing, The Young Guns are going to play with us. Great bands and we're fortunate enough to have all these awesome tours this year and that's gonna wrap up the Yellowcard year right before Christmas. There's not a better way to end the year touring with Saves The Day and some good friends.
AltRockLive: What are you looking forward to most in the upcoming months?
Sean: There's a few things. Team Yellowcard has always been about traveling and touring. So, just finishing the year out strong going to Europe and England. We have some amazing fans over there and it'll be nice to have the holidays off and then I'm really looking forward to getting in the studio and doing the new Yellowcard record. We've already been bouncing around a couple ideas here on the road. Ryan Key, Sean O' Donnell, Ryan Mendez, Longineu, they're all great songwriters so it's always exciting to get in the studio and see what comes together. So I'm excited for the future and 2012 or Yellowcard.
AltRockLive: Any last words for the fans?
Sean: Yeah definitely. Some of these shows like Boston, Philly, New York City, the shows are pre-sold-out and we're just getting such an overwhelming response and it's so unbelievable to have that type of support from the bottom of our hearts that Yellowcard thanks them. That's really the most important thing.