Bio
We spoke to Tim Schiazza to get his take on the history of The Yossarians;
It took me a lifetime of movement before I ever found the space and will to learn guitar, which is strange as I was indoctrinated into a healthy musical landscape from an early age. I suppose I was too much of a rebel to even pick up a tool which would later help me ignite so many reactions and take me to the heart of the secret revolution that comes down hanging from trees in the dead ended night and strolls through the empty lanes and ends up knee deep in whiskey and recollection.
The Yossarians, as a planned thing really first came together in the weird lair of the artist John McKeown. He had been arranging musicians from all over the city to come and put all their instruments through loop pedals. It was there myself and Josef who had been living together, met Benny our banjo psychpot, Russell ‘our own weirder version of John Cale’ Scooner, our first drummer and Dave Lacy now of the band Great Waves, our first bass player.
For a year or so we played all over Manchester and took the camper van abroad busking and travelling and surfing and making more money than we were back at home and having German girlfriends. Then we disbanded for a year and our long standing friends Mark, who plays in the band Mistoa Poltsa came in to be our permanent bass player and Mick came in on Drums and Matt on percussion and vocals.
When we finally came back together it was as if we were part of something important to all of us. Myself and Benny had been living in a squatted church and were putting on parties with a fresh new wave of people and minds who wanted to challenge the lame lame lame restrictions that the governing bodies put on places that provide entertainment. We often played with the band Salford Media City, a tribal funky revolving circus parody Lars Von Idiots and The Heavy Heavy Monster Show. We were the last bands to ever end up being in NME or whatever but we were playing it out on all platforms under all kinds of conditions without any helping hands or inheritance. We still are, only most of the performers in Manchester now share a stage and respect each other’s art.
Manchester has moved on and things are very diverse if you look closely. Our sound has changed since we began from being the most banging folk band to more of a cross over with No Wave and more experimental directions which we will integrate with our live shows this year.
It took me a lifetime of movement before I ever found the space and will to learn guitar, which is strange as I was indoctrinated into a healthy musical landscape from an early age. I suppose I was too much of a rebel to even pick up a tool which would later help me ignite so many reactions and take me to the heart of the secret revolution that comes down hanging from trees in the dead ended night and strolls through the empty lanes and ends up knee deep in whiskey and recollection.
The Yossarians, as a planned thing really first came together in the weird lair of the artist John McKeown. He had been arranging musicians from all over the city to come and put all their instruments through loop pedals. It was there myself and Josef who had been living together, met Benny our banjo psychpot, Russell ‘our own weirder version of John Cale’ Scooner, our first drummer and Dave Lacy now of the band Great Waves, our first bass player.
For a year or so we played all over Manchester and took the camper van abroad busking and travelling and surfing and making more money than we were back at home and having German girlfriends. Then we disbanded for a year and our long standing friends Mark, who plays in the band Mistoa Poltsa came in to be our permanent bass player and Mick came in on Drums and Matt on percussion and vocals.
When we finally came back together it was as if we were part of something important to all of us. Myself and Benny had been living in a squatted church and were putting on parties with a fresh new wave of people and minds who wanted to challenge the lame lame lame restrictions that the governing bodies put on places that provide entertainment. We often played with the band Salford Media City, a tribal funky revolving circus parody Lars Von Idiots and The Heavy Heavy Monster Show. We were the last bands to ever end up being in NME or whatever but we were playing it out on all platforms under all kinds of conditions without any helping hands or inheritance. We still are, only most of the performers in Manchester now share a stage and respect each other’s art.
Manchester has moved on and things are very diverse if you look closely. Our sound has changed since we began from being the most banging folk band to more of a cross over with No Wave and more experimental directions which we will integrate with our live shows this year.
Links
Checkout The Yossarians self-titled album right here;
www.theyossarians.bandcamp.com/album/the-yossarians
Or ‘Name Your Price’ for the album Jellyfish Hymns here (We suggest giving a complimentary tip);
http://theyossarians.bandcamp.com/album/jellyfish-hymns
Follow the bands Facebook for gigs and other updates;
www.facebook.com/TheYossarians
www.theyossarians.bandcamp.com/album/the-yossarians
Or ‘Name Your Price’ for the album Jellyfish Hymns here (We suggest giving a complimentary tip);
http://theyossarians.bandcamp.com/album/jellyfish-hymns
Follow the bands Facebook for gigs and other updates;
www.facebook.com/TheYossarians
News
Here is Tim’s take on the news;
After wasting a lot of time with a record and its backers, we have finally released our second album which is basically the step forward and the step back in time smashed into one level piece. I think now we're looking for a place to record a third album with someone who is in it for the insanity and sounds of it all and not just the money and the C.V. There are many bands in our collective and space for many more. Join us. Headlined stages at Kendal Calling, Sounds From The Other City, Chased out of small towns for acting queer, euro-cultured, celebration days as well as sell-out shows in Paris.
Upcoming shows people should go to our Facebook in case something special happens at late notice and back to France for the summer.
After wasting a lot of time with a record and its backers, we have finally released our second album which is basically the step forward and the step back in time smashed into one level piece. I think now we're looking for a place to record a third album with someone who is in it for the insanity and sounds of it all and not just the money and the C.V. There are many bands in our collective and space for many more. Join us. Headlined stages at Kendal Calling, Sounds From The Other City, Chased out of small towns for acting queer, euro-cultured, celebration days as well as sell-out shows in Paris.
Upcoming shows people should go to our Facebook in case something special happens at late notice and back to France for the summer.