Matt Chrystal Interviews Nate Cook of The Yawpers. Again.

Flat Nate, Real Nate courtesy of The Yawpers

Vociferous Rock n Roll

By Matt Chrystal
All Photos by Matt Chrystal Unless Otherwise Noted

It's the end of the year! It's the end of the decade! It's time to talk about Best Ofs! It's time to talk about trilogies! It's time to talk about rock n roll! It's time to talk to Nate Cook of the Yawpers!

Trilogies? You want to talk about trilogies from this decade? That could get dicey. The latest installment of this decade's Star Wars trilogy left me frustrated, with many unanswered questions and an uneasy, unsatisfying feeling. Thankfully, my trilogy of interviews with Nate Cook of The Yawpers has left me with just the opposite. Cook has been candid, ridiculous, fun, informative and entertaining. He also has dropped some pretty amazing one-liners along the way.

Trilogies! Throughout this decade, Nate's band, the Yawpers have released a triad of albums on Bloodshot Records that have each gone onto top my Best Of Lists from their respective year of release. American Man, Boy in a Well and Human Question have all definitely found their way onto my Best Of the decade playlist.

In 2016, I chatted Nate up about the powers of his porn 'stache and the prophecies of American Man.
If you haven't already been initiated, then I dare you to go take a listen to "Doin' It Right," the opening track, on American Man, and not let out your own barbaric yawp of excitement over finding your new favorite band. That album showcases The Yawpers' masterful combination of grittiness, timelessness, and raw energy that grabbed me at first listen and took me on a journey right on through the rest of the decade.

In 2017, I went in for another round with Nate; and over a series of hundreds of dropped calls, I was able to find out more about his magical-mullet and the Oedipal Complex that went along with Boy in a Well.

Boy in a Well encapsulates what the Yawpers are all about. A raucous fusion of punk and rockability that serves as the vehicle to convey Cook's cerebral outpouring of emotions. Cook worked out his trauma from a failed marriage through a fever-dream tale of a boy's abandonment issues after emerging from years in well, set to the backdrop of France during WWI.

Fuckin' A! That's trippy!

The year 2019 had The Yawpers working through a line-up change; saw the release of Human Question after their two-month breakneck studio marathon of writing / recording sessions; and they were somehow able to endure a relentless tour and party schedule throughout the U.S. and Europe.

The band also got to witness the Flat Nate phenomenon, as their fans clamored to get their hands on their own cardboard cutout of Nate, naked and clutching a strategically placed copy of Human Question.

Flat Nate conveniently came in a variety of sizes (I got hold of an 18inch Flat Nate, which accompanied me on several brewery tours and made for great conversations and selfies at rock shows throughout the Tri-State area).

Flat Nate on a brewery tour.

Yes, folks, Flat Naked Nate was a thing in 2019. A promotional gimmick that unexpectedly, went horribly right.

To close out the decade and conclude this trilogy of interviews, I tracked Nate down as he was literally suiting up for rehearsals for the Yawpers' upcoming Big Lebowski-themed blowout in Denver on New Year's Eve. We get to talking about the Flat Nate phenomenon, the making of Human Question and, of course, I got his choices for the Best of 2019… sorta.

UnCool Uncle Matty: How did the Flat Nate promotional gimmick come into existence?

Nate Cook: The story that people imagined happening is actually what happened. If I can remember correctly, one night I was just sitting on my couch and probably drank too much and smoked too much pot. My roommate and I were just hanging around and talking about something I could do to promote the record. It was as simple as me going into the bathroom and taking off all of my clothes, then running out and scaring the shit out of him, with my record in front of my dick. He snapped a photo, and then I somehow convinced my record label (Bloodshot Records) to make it into a life-size cardboard cutout.

Flat Nate attending the 8th Garden State Beard and 'Stache Competition

UUM: Where you surprised that fans wanted a Flat Nate of their very own?

NC: I am still surprised. I'm absolutely blown away. It makes no sense to me.

UUM: Can you share some of your favorite Flat Nate moments?

NC: There were a lot of wonderful posts about (Flat Nate) all over the New Jersey area for quite a while! Thanks for that!

Flat Nate with Sarah of Murder By Death

Flat Nate with Aaron and Sarah of Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

Flat Nate with Deer Tick

Flat Nate with Sarah Shook

There were a few times I stayed at fans' houses while on the road, and they had a Flat Nate which was surprising. I went to one house where the guy had a Flat Nate standing up directly next to the bed where he and his wife sleep together. So it was interesting to know that a 6ft "Naked Nate" is just peering down at them in their matrimony bed.

And a friend of mine ordered one and when he finished unpacking it, his nine year old son walked up to him and said, "Dad, I just don't understand you anymore."

UUM: In addition to calling it "Naked Nate," I have seen it referred to as several other names online but "Flat Nate" seems to be the most common moniker. Do you have a preferred name for your cardboard counterpart? 

NC: Nope, that's it. Flat Nate is fine. I think if I spend too much time nicknaming naked pictures of myself, I will probably have to go back into therapy.

UUM: Since we last talked, the composition of Yawpers has changed with the departure of your close collaborator, Noah Shomberg, and the addition of Alex Koshak on drums. Now that some time has passed, can you talk about that transition? 

NC: It happens. People change. People leave. It certainly wasn't easy. But, long term, I think we are better for it. If somebody doesn't want to be in a band then why keep them around? I don't have any deep insights on it. I just wish him well.

UUM: Did the transition affect the sound of the band?

NC: The effect was the short amount of time it left us to do the record. Our drummer left us right as we were going into the studio to record, so we weren't left with a lot of leeway. But our sound has changed from record to record anyways, so it is hard for me to pin down whether or not that was the reason for it. Sure, personnel changes must have some effect on our sound. It's just hard for me to quantify what that change is.

 
UUM: You have been busy producing a new album for The Beeves. Can you tell us about those guys and your experience working with them?

NC: The Beeves are a bunch of twenty and twenty-one year old punk-ass-bitches. They make really vociferous rock and roll. I'm really amped on their record; we recorded at Steve Albini's studio, Electrical Audio. That was pretty cool. That was my second time there as we did Human Question there as well. The record is going to be amazing. I've actually been transitioning into doing more and more production work, and I have really been enjoying that experience.

UUM: The Beeves will be opening for The Yawpers on your upcoming New Year's Eve gig in Denver. You will be covering the soundtrack to the cult classic, The Big Lebowski. I'm sure most folks are thinking about Dylan's "The Man in Me," but I'd be psyched to hear y'all cover Creedence, Kenny Rogers, and of course "Dead Flowers" by The Rolling Stones by way of Townes Van Zandt. What drew y'all to the soundtrack?

NC: This is our third annual NYE event. We do a different soundtrack each year. Last year was Animal House. The year before that was Pulp Fiction. The Big Lebowski is just a cult classic with one of the best soundtracks ever! I am actually putting on some pants as we speak and am heading out to do some Kenny Rogers rehearsals after this. We are getting geared up for this!

UUM: Speaking of getting "geared up," The Yawpers' latest album, Human Question, which was written and recorded in a two-month period, came pretty hot on the heels of its predecessor, Boy in a Well. What's coming up next?

NC: I started working on a solo album (while in Croatia). There's nothing in the works quite yet with The Yawpers. There might be some rumblings of things happening, but really, there's nothing yet. I am just working on some solo material and will hopefully have something out next year.

UUM: 2019 saw the Yawpers take on Europe. What were some take-aways from that tour?

NC: This was our second time in Europe. It was great. It was actually fantastic! If we could just tour Europe solely then I would probably be ok with that. I enjoy it there because everyone is so kind and keeps us well fed. There doesn't seem to be anyone there that was looking down their noses at us because of our life choices. It's a very art-centric culture there that we don't seem to have here in the States. Ironically, though, we have such better music here in the U.S. I think the fact that we (Americans) are so cruel to people that create art, it weeds out the people that are just in in it for the fashion of it all. Whereas, in Europe, people are so nice to everyone that most artists can keep hanging on, even if they are just mediocre.

UUM: Speaking of lifestyle choices, we are coming up on the end of the year. So let's get your choices for Best of 2019. Let's do this in rapid fire. Ready? And go!

UUM: Favorite Album?

NC: Fuck you! God-damn-it! You can't put that question on a rapid fire list! What the fuck?!

UUM; Ok, ok, it's also the end of the decade, so let's make it easier… how about your Most Listened to Album?

NC: Fuck! Ok, I'd be too embarrassed to admit to some of them. So, I'm going to just say Tupac's Greatest Hits.

UUM: Favorite show to binge-watch?

NC: (Long Pause)… I am not good at this. Maybe, The Leftovers.

UUM: Favorite Tour Stop?

NC: Maybe Bern, Switzerland. I am prefacing all my answers with "maybe" because I am too much of a coward to just give you a fucking straight answer.

UUM: Favorite Fetish or Favorite Genre of Porn?

NC: Oh, Jesus Christ dude! I like to jerk-off to the thought of my wife leaving me again.

UUM: (Long Pause) … Do you prefer your bandmate, Jesse Parmet's, hair down or in man-bun?

NC: Half and half!

UUM: Your Drunkest Moment?

NC: 2019!

UUM: In your song, "Man as a Ghost," you have a line exclaiming that your body has no more violence left to give. And if there's ever been a great reminder of our mortality, it's the battle against neck and back pain. How are you holding up with all your travels and trashing about on stage? What do you do for self-care besides self-medicating?

NC: Frankly, my body just collapsed at some point. My neck has started to rectify itself to some degree. But (the collapse) is apparently going to come back in much worse fashion. I am optimistically pessimistic at the moment. So, yeah. I'm back to self-medication! Sometimes that works, right?

3D Nate repping GSBMS courtesy of The Yawpers

UUM: Thoughts on Today? Hopes for Tomorrow? 

NC: My thought for today is that I'm too tired, and I want to go to bed. My hope for tomorrow is that I don't wake up hungover.
 
The album, Human Question, is out now on Bloodshot Records.
The Yawpers will be performing on 12/31/19 at the Oriental Theater in Denver. Co.


NC: And if you can't be with us in Denver then I can always be with you in Flat Nate spirit!

You can still get a Flat Nate X-mas ornament now at www.BloodshotRecords.com.

For all other info, check out www.TheYawpers.com

Cool Matty C’s 7 Coolest Albums of 2017

Cool Matty C

There's Something About 2017

By Matt Chrystal

Ah, it seems not all that long ago we were all wishing for the demise of 2016, as it came to be universally recognized as the year that killed off so many of our beloved celebrities.

Boy, how time flies, ammirite?

Now here we are, or most of us are, hoping to push the fast forward button on 2017 (and perhaps the next three years while we are at it). It's unfortunate that celebrities seem to die each year; but, in 2017, we are also are witnessing what seems to be the demise of civil liberties, truths we held to be self-evident, and certain inalienable rights.

But, hey, it wasn't all bad, was it? I mean, we did get some cool new music! See, there is a silver lining in that cloud of orange dust that was twenty-seventeen.

So, anyways, here are my top seven coolest albums of the year. Why seven you ask? Lucky number?
Hey, maybe… I'm sure we could all benefit from ending the year with a little extra luck.

Or maybe it's seven because a wise man once said…

"Seven is the key number here. Think about it. 7-Elevens. 7 dwarves. 7, man, that's the number.
7 little chipmunks twirling on a branch, eating lots of sunflowers on my uncle's ranch. You know that old children's tale from the sea. It's like you're dreaming about Gorgonzola cheese when it's clearly Brie time, baby."

Anyways, step into my office for my top seven albums of the year,

Drum roll please…

No Mightier Creatures, No Mightier Creatures

Peruvian space rocker and poet, Renato Gomez, relocated to Barcelona, Spain and put out an album of stripped-down tunes that rail against consumerism, materialism, and oppression. Gomez, known primarily for fuzzed-out jams as part of the psychedelic South American rock unit, Serpentina Satelite, has kicked aside his wah-wah pedal on this new project and, instead, focused on creating concise tracks, filled with bluesy riffs, punk rock edginess, and biting social commentary.

No Mightier Creatures often finds Gomez reflecting back on time he spent living in the United States as he attempts to shine a light on the hypocrisy hidden away in both the suburbs and in big city living through scathing tracks like "Springfield," "No Light," and "Corporate Dream." This album could be the spark that that ignites a rebellion across the galaxy.

Ryan Adams, Prisoner

Can anyone put me in contact with Mandy Moore? I want to inform her that the things she has said and done have consequences… Ya know, consequences such as destroying Ryan Adams. I want to know if she has listened to Prisoner and if she was able to make it all the way through.

Or maybe I should I call her current beau, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, to warn him.

Or maybe not, after that last album Dawes put out, he might need a little Moore to ignite his creative fires.

Or maybe, I can skip all that and just give Ryan Adams a hug.

Ok, I digress. Back to Prisoner… Adams is no stranger to wearing his feelings on his sleeve. After all, this is the guy who put out albums entitled Heartbreaker and Love is Hell. But, on Prisoner, each song is an open wound; the pain is fresh; and each line cuts deep. The album as a whole is as moving as it is devastating.

Consider for a moment these lines from the track "Shiver & Shake:"

"I close my eyes, I see you with some guy, laughing like you never even knew I was alive…
I've been waiting here like a dog at the door, you used to throw me scraps, you don't do it anymore.
I miss your loving touch, I miss your embrace But if I wait here any longer I'm gonna fade away."

Ouch! And that's nothing compared to the following track, "To Be Without You."

Adams who once sang, "to be young is to be sad, is to be high," is now older, sadder, and sober on Prisoner and emoting, "I feel empty, I feel tired, I feel worn, Nothing really matters anymore."

Damn, I am here for you with that hug whenever you need it, Ryan.

Neil Young, Hitchhiker

Hitchhiker just may be a perfect album. Originally scheduled for release in 1976, it was shelved for forty years because the all-knowing record execs at the time considered it "just a collection of demos." Most of the songs that make up Hitchhiker have been released in some form over the years, and unofficial copies of the album have circulated amongst bootleggers since it was canned. But its official release finally came in September of this year… and it is glorious, especially when experienced on vinyl.

This is Neil Young at his apex, his vivid storytelling laid out in one piece during a single night's recording session, with only his guitar and a few pauses for "weed, beer, or coke."

The fact that material this amazing can be shelved for forty years and come out sounding fresh and fitting for today's world is a testament to Young's songwriting ability and speaks to the timelessness of the music and of Neil Young himself. Long may he run!

Go drop the needle down and listen to the opening double-punch masterpiece of "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger." Go! Right now!

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Sidelong

Ok, so yeah. This album is also technically a reissue as Shook self-released Sidelong in 2015. But, thankfully, Bloodshot Records rereleased the record for the masses in early 2017. Sidelong is actually that good of an album where it could, and probably should, top "Best Of" lists every year.

I gushed about this album enough in my review earlier this year with my accompanying interview with Sarah Shook, so I'll just reiterate my point that Sidelong has all the components of a classic. It's solid from beginning to end. Each track can stand on its own; yet, once you hit play or drop the needle, you are not going to want to stop it or take the album out of rotation. There's a familiar feel to the songs as if you have known them all along, yet there's a breath of fresh air as Shook's authentic sound blends her confident voice with thoughtful storytelling and a plethora of biting one-liners.
Every track on Sidelong makes for a perfect selection for a jukebox anthem at your local watering hole or to put on during the (sober) drive there and back.

The Yawpers, Boy in a Well

Boy in a Well is a rock n roll opera / post-punk opus which follows the story of a boy left at birth by his mother, coincidentally enough, in a well in France during the era of WWI.

Nate Cook of the Yawpers channeled the raw emotions stemming from his recent divorce and coupled them with his love of history. He put them in a blender with a large dose of mid-morning hangovers and fever dreams and out came the perfect cocktail of mankind's primordial urges and fears.

I was able to experience this album in three distinct waves: I listened to the record with no information going into it and drew my own interpretations. I listened to the record while digesting the accompanying comic book, and then I saw The Yawpers run through the album live. Each time I was impacted hard with an array of emotions ranging from empathy, to sympathy, to shock and discomfort, to just full-on having fun for the sake of rock n fucking roll.

The Yawpers possess a raw energy that comes across on the album just like it always has at their break-neck, big noise, warts-and-all, live shows.

On Boy in a Well, the band offer up a compelling, full speed ahead soundtrack that seamlessly shifts from heartfelt to heartbroken and from soothing to screaming, sometimes all in the course of just one verse.

Ron Gallo, Heavy Meta

Humorous, satirical, and chock full of tongue-in-cheek witticisms, Heavy Meta plays out like Gallo making art by scrolling through his social media feed, passing by collections of people at Walmart ("Why Do You Have Kids?") ex-girlfriends he has yet to be deleted by ("Can’t Stand You"), exes that he has yet to delete ("Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me"), and scencesters who drew his ire ("All of the Punks are Domesticated"). I’m pretty sure there's a hidden jab at Kurt Vile tucked away in there too.

"All of the Punks are Domesticated" is the coda of the album and could perhaps be the perfect coda for the year 2017 itself.

"Now every room is sterilized, all risk is paralyzed
Meanwhile, the pop tarts climb the pop charts
The blood clots block your heart parts
And no one really has anything to say"

Well, thankfully, Gallo had a lot to say on Heavy Meta because I certainly enjoyed listening to it on repeat for many a car ride this year.

And if his big mark is just "an impressive collection of digital remarks" then thanks for that too, Mr. Gallo.

Deer Tick, Volume 1 &2

The Rhode Island rockers had a dual release date in 2017 for the acoustic Volume 1 and the electric Volume 2. Yes, they are supposedly two separate, stand-alone albums; but funk that. I listen to them consecutively constantly and consistently; so, for me, it's all just one big thrill ride.

The albums had a ketchup and mustard theme going on; and, for that alone, I would have been forced to include them among my top albums. But, thankfully, there was a bit more flavor to feast on.

As anyone who knows me is already well aware, I'm a huge DT mark; but, even for me, these two albums just seemed a lot to digest upon first listen. My initial thoughts were that they just should've taken choice cuts from both records and made one solid kickass album. But then, upon repeated listens, each song not only grew on me but seemed to speak to me and say, "Hit the repeat button again. You know you like this, motherfucker!"

I was also won over by the amusement I found in that my four-year-old daughter has taken to singing "Look How Clean I Am" during her bath-time since the track is a jab at celebs showing off their new found sobriety.

Volume 1 & 2 both have some songs that are introspective, some that are just fun lil ditties, some that are kinda self-indulgent, some that are kinda nonsense, and some that just flat out rock.

And hey man, ain’t that rock n roll? It is to me.

Honorable Mention:

Nicole Atkins, Goodnight Rhonda Lee

Nicole Atkins's voice is beautiful and soulful. There's a heaviness all through this album, but there are themes of empowerment and liberation that also permeate. The music has an enduring feel to it. It is simply a great album. And it's also cool to hear my four-year-old daughter sing the chorus of "A Little Crazy" as she runs around the house in a frenzy.

Happy New Year, folks. Here's to lookin' forward to some more cool shite in 2018!

The Week That Was

Eagles Of Death Metal at House of Independents

10/2 - 10/8, 2017

It's been tough for me to focus enough over the last month or so to do some of the things I find most mentally taxing around here like write album or show reviews. I'm grateful to have wonderful contributors like Henry, Matt, and Ken to pick up some of the slack while I focus on things like editing photos or sharing out songs, videos, and premieres. I have been trying to get out to some shows, but even that has taken a lot more effort on my part than it has in the past. This past week, though, was particularly active for me; and I didn't want to let it just go by without mentioning some of the great experiences.

Well Wisher

Monday, 10/2. Well Wisher, Big Nothing, Earth Telephone, Thin Lips at Wonder Bar.

This ended up being a great one. I've seen Natalie Newbold's Well Wisher several times over the last year or so, and I've really enjoyed their 90s-influenced brand of pop. They've been through a few line-up changes; and, on this night, they had Earth Telephone / Yawn Mower drummer, Biff Swenson, sitting in. His own band, Earth Telephone, were celebrating the recent release of their excellent EP Loss. It's a collection that's been resonating quite a bit with me lately, and you should check it out over at Earth Telephone's Bandcamp.

Thin Lips

Philly's Big Nothing put out their own self-titled EP over the summer. Like the rest of the bands on the bill, their sound weaves between pop and punk without ever actually being what I'd classify as pop-punk. Thin Lips closed things out; and, again, just another really good set. I hadn't seen them since, I think, around 2015 at Asbury Lanes. Monday night's show took place on the eve of Asbury Lanes's final show that same year; and I found myself, at various times throughout the night, -- with the bands that were playing, the friends that turned out -- thinking that this felt like one of those weeknight Lanes shows I'd stumble into every once in a while.

Good times.

J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.

Tuesday, 10/3. Dinosaur Jr., Easy Action at Brooklyn Bowl.

My plans for Tuesday were to sit home and watch the Yankees / Twins Wildcard Playoff Game. I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and saw that Garden State Beard and Mustache Society President / CoolDad Music contributor, Matt Chrystal, had won tickets to see Dinosaur Jr. at Brooklyn Bowl.

I sent him a text, intending to express my jealousy at his getting free tickets to see, maybe, my favorite band that said something along the lines of "FUCK YOU FOREVER." He texted back, "The timing of this is so funny, because I was just texting to ask you if you wanted to be my plus-1."

Oops.

We patched things up, and I met him at Brooklyn Bowl for the show. Easy Action, featuring John Brannon of Negative Approach on lead vocals, opened with a relentless 45-minute set, rattling off song after song with no filler. Dinosaur Jr. came out and blew the space away with their sheer volume as they ticked off most of the big ones like "Thumb," "Watch the Corners," "Out There," "Feel The Pain," "Little Fury Things," "The Wagon," "Start Choppin'," "Freak Scene," and "Just Like Heaven." They did their usual Deep Wound cover and then brought out Negative Approach for "Can't Tell No One" and "Nothing."

On the way out, we ran into Dinosaur Jr. drummer, Murph, and got a picture with him.

Me, Murph, Matt

Fun night.

Wednesday, 10/4. Home.

Oginalii

Thursday, 10/5. Oginalii, Algebra II at Asbury Park Brewery; The Yawpers at The Saint.

I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, when I noticed that Algebra II were in search of a cello for their last-minute show at Asbury Park Brewery that night. "CoolDaughter 2 has a cello," I thought; so I volunteered it. That night I headed out to see the CD2's cello in action.

Oginalii were up from Nashville and, damn. What a nice surprise. Kind of psychedelic, kind of sludge-y maybe. Elements of classic rock and elements of something a little more ambient.

Algebra II

Algebra II released their debut EP (4 years in the making), Milkshake Summer, back in August. It's an eclectic set of semi-sweet, off-kilter pop songs that I really enjoy hearing live. CD2's cello (well, its player, Gabriella Ibacache, really) performed excellently.

The Yawpers

As I was heading to my car, I got a text from Matt at The Saint that said, "yawpers on come here." We'd just published Matt's interview with Yawpers' frontman, Nate Cook, on Tuesday; so I headed next door. Whoa!

Blistering doesn't begin to describe the set The Yawpers turned in. A blend of country, blues, and punk, the band left everything onstage.

Friday / Saturday. Uncle / Family-related things.

Dave Catching and Jesse Hughes of Eagles Of Death Metal

Sunday, 10/8. Eagles Of Death Metal, The Battery Electric at House of Independents.

Battery's big night. Our friends and Asbury's own The Battery Electric have forged a friendship with Jesse Hughes and Eagles Of Death Metal. You can read all about that in Matt's interview with Ron Santee. This show was a long time in the making, and both bands made the most of it.

The Battery Electric

House of Independents was sold out, and The Battery Electric brought it for the hometown crowd. I'd wedged myself right up front among the EODM die-hards so I could take some pictures, and the response from those unfamiliar with the boys was positive. There were plenty of dyed-in-the-wool Battery fans in the house going bananas as well.

Eagles Of Death Metal took the stage; and, from the first moments, it was obvious that the match between the two bands was perfect. Jesse Hughes started out by shaking hands with everyone in the front row and then went on to lead the proceedings like a preacher (He is an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church.). At various points, he donned Bond St. Bar and Battery Electric T-Shirts. The crowd danced all night. I'd never seen the place so crazy or so packed.

I walked out into the Asbury night; got in the van; and headed home, sweaty and tired with a few hundred pictures. I'm all set to do it again in the weeks to come. Keep on keeping on.

Interview / Review: Matt Chrystal Gives His Take on The Yawpers' Latest and Chats with Nate Cook

The Yawpers by Demi Demitro

Boy In A Well

By Matt Chrystal

Nate Cook of the Yawpers is a real motherfucker… ...or at least, so he claims. More on that later, though.

The Yawpers, a punk rock--rockabilly trio from Denver, recently released Boy in a Well on Bloodshot Records.The record is a loose concept album which follows the story a boy left at birth by his mother, coincidentally enough, in a well in France during the era of WWI.

Legend has it that Cook, dreamed up the ideas for the album during an early morning flight where he had the perfect cocktail of a strong hangover and too much of the anti-nausea medicine, Dramamine. Maybe that's true or maybe it's a modern-day folktale akin to Neil Young's writing the standouts on Everybody Knows This is Nowhere while in bed with a high fever. As with anything with the Yawpers, it's hard to tell if they are serious or just having a bit of fun… ...or both.

Generally, when a review states that a band has matured on their latest album, it usually translates to mean that the band has become too serious or are not as much fun or have lost their edge. None of that is the case with the Yawpers on Boy in a Well.

The band has matured quite a bit since 2015's American Man; but, thankfully, they still possess a raw energy that comes across on the album just like it always has at their break-neck, big noise, warts-and-all, live shows.

Cook has grown stronger in terms of his songwriting abilities and has continued to develop his vast vocal range. The band have tightened up their overall sound and offer up a compelling, full speed ahead soundtrack that seamlessly shifts from heartfelt to heartbroken and from soothing to screaming, sometimes all in the course of just one verse.

Boy in a Well showcases a high concept of abandonment in WWI France, but it would seem there is also a lot more going on under the surface. It would also seem there was a lot going on with the Yawpers during the making of the album. In addition to (or perhaps facilitated by) Cook's divorce, the band uprooted themselves from their comfort zone in Denver and recorded Boy in a Well in "isolation" in Chicago. They also brought in help from The Replacements', Tommy Stinston, who acted as producer for some of the sessions. Cook also collaborated with JD Wilkes of the Legendary Shack Shakers to create a companion comic book to act as a visual aid to flesh out more of the story of Boy in a Well.

I caught up with Nate Cook via phone while he was making the trek through the "dead zones" of Kansas so that I could find out more about Boy in a Well, and things got weird real quick.

The interview took place over a series of no less than two hundred dropped calls, where Cook would tell part of a story or begin to answer a question and then his voice would break up or slip into silence. Luckily, I was able to piece together a conversation that I can only assume parallels life on the road for the Yawpers in 2017; and that is one of hidden Oedipus complexes, great nights, bad mornings, and no apologies.

Cool Matty C: It's not often that I hear about concept albums set in France during World War I. How did you come up with the idea for this album?

Nate Cook: At the end of the day, it's supposed to be allegorical about abandonment. My divorce was in the process of happening when I started working on the album. I had all these feelings of abandonment and how abandonment can make you into somebody you don't want to be and can even make you into a monster, even though it may be a monster that people can understand. So I had those ideas and themes running through my head, and I have always been a history fanatic and World War 1 fanatic, for whatever reason,  I don't know. And I thought it might be an interesting exercise to try and shoehorn my divorce in to the context of historical fiction.

CMC: You brought in Tommy Stinson of The Replacements / Bash & Pop as a guest producer for this album. How did that come about?

NC: It was literally just as simple as common cronyism. Our publisher shared an office with his manager and he handed Tommy our previous album and a few tracks from the new one. Tommy expressed interest in getting involved. So we flew him out to Chicago and did the damn thing.

CMC: What prompted the change of scenery to Chicago?

NC: I think most artists work better in isolation and work better when life is entirely about the art. So Chicago for us was a place where personal relationships didn't have to be considered and there weren't people to go out and get fucked up with all the time… Although, we did manage to find that. I think it it's easier for us to be isolated from our normal community and make the art our primary focus and primary outlet. 

CMC: Another interesting aspect and interesting collaboration for Boy in a Well, is that the album has a companion comic book that was illustrated by JD Wilkes of the Legendary Shack Shakers. Where did the idea for a comic book come from and how did JD come to be the man to create it?

NC: The narrative of the album is so convoluted that I thought it might make sense to have some kind of visual aid to go along with it. We had done a tour with the Legendary Shack Shakers, and we hit it off with JD. I feel like he is a very underrated visual artist, and I also feel that his art fit the time period that I was writing about. I guess you could say an almost Vaudevillian type of style. It just occurred to me that if we were going to do the comic that JD would be a perfect fit. I hit him up and he was down!

CMC: There is an Oedipus Complex playing out on Boy in a Well, correct? I did not initially pick up on it when listening to the album but it was very blatant when I was looking through the comic book…

NC: Yes. It is on the album too, but it is couched in much more careful language.

CMC: Have you gotten much reaction to that particular theme or scene? I mean that is the point where we might start referring to it as graphic novel as opposed to just a comic book…

NC: There has not been much reaction to that aspect. I mean, c'mon, oedipal stories have been around since the beginning of time; and, really, what it's more about is familial abandonment. Abandonment is the other side of the coin from wanting something. So the fact that the character was abandoned by his mother would make him want her more in a metaphorical sense. So when we put that in a physical context, it makes it oedipal.

The theme has been around long enough where it is no longer super shocking to people. Maybe to the Right it may be shocking, but otherwise I think it's a pretty common thing.

CMC: Umm yeah sure. It's totally common these days. I guess you're just trying to normalize the everyday oedipal complex of the everyman, ammirite?

NC: Exactly!

CMC: As a side note, I'm a fan of Jack Kirby's Devil Dinosaur comics, and I always thought it was funny to see where he added the sound effect of "Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!" to show the dinosaur smashing around… So it made me laugh when I saw that JD used "Bong! Bong! Bong!" as the sound effect for the couple having sex in the alleyway. 

Ah, the young romantics of WWI France!

NC: Well here's another cool thing. If you count them, there should be eleven "bongs" to symbolize the ringing in of the Armistice Day. It's the ringing in of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. So there's eleven "bongs" which actually come from the clock tower, but it also has that sexual onomatopoeia.

CMC: Nice! So there is a hidden Oedipus complex on the album and hidden "easter eggs" about French holidays in the comic book too.

Hey, speaking of comics, are you guys comic book fans? And, if so, what comics are you into?

NC: I'm a fan of graphic novels in general. I've just flirted with comic books here and there a little bit. I would say yes and no to that question. I think Alan Moore is one of the greatest writers of any medium over the last twenty to thirty years. I have read all of his works; but, as far as any other artists or comic writers go, I am a little less versed.

CMC: How do you think the band has changed or, dare I say, matured since the recording of 2015’'s American Man album?

NC: We take what we do a bit more seriously, but we also take having fun seriously too. That's what happens when you get older, I think. Everything about this album was a lot more deliberate this time around. American Man was a collection of songs that were written over a period of three to four years. This album was very focused. We all wrote it as a piece and made it one big thing. And, like I said, we are all a bit older now; so being flippant about what we do for a living is no longer funny to us.

CMC: Continuing along the lines of the band still having fun, especially during live shows… I read one of your posts on social media where you apologized for your behavior at a show and I thought that seemed uncharacteristic, as the band does not seem to be very apologetic for having a good time…

NC: Was this the one about me sleeping with some dude's wife? That was a fake post. Occasionally, I will write fake letters; and, in this one, I addressed the entire city of Colorado Springs. So yeah, it was just a joke. Although, occasionally I will make a safe post," and I'm hoping I'm not forgetting something that I should be apologizing for.

The Yawpers by George Blosser

 CMC: Speaking of forgetting stuff, I have been enjoying your series of posts on social media of random pics that have no context from late nights on the road. I can only imagine the pics and stories you haven't shared…

NC: There are a myriad of them! All of the pics are pretty standard fare. Ya know, cocaine and bad mornings!

CMC: Breakfast of champions!

So, when I interviewed you after the release of American Man, I had asked if your porn-mustache gave you any super powers and you replied that it only gave you the power not to be allowed near a school zone. This time around, for Boy in a Well, it seems your mullet-mohawk hybrid has really taken on a life of its own; and I’'m wondering what super-powers or super-problems it has brought you…

NC: Yeah dude. It's given me power. Now I'm just banging my mom. It's been going really great.

CMC: Uh wow. So, Boy in a Well is a bit more autobiographical than I originally thought!

NC: Totally!

CMC: Ok, I guess that would be a good spot to wrap things up… but I wanted to follow up on something else we touched on last time as well. We had talked about how the title track to American Man could be considered polarizing and even more so in today's political climate. 
We sorta got your views on WWI era France, but I was wondering what your thoughts are in regards to today's America and what your hopes are for the future…

NC: I think American Man wound up being grimly prophetic in a lot of ways. At the time, I thought I was going overboard with trying to describe that character's point of view; but it seems I did not go far enough compared to what's going on today. I think that our country has taken an absolutely fucking insane turn, but I hope that it stands to bring to light some of the more insane and backwards political slants that have plagued our country for years so that we can finally exorcise ourselves of them, to the point that we will never fucking see something like this again.

CMC: Thanks for your time. I’m going on a booze cruise tonight so I packed plenty of Dramamine. Maybe I'll have a concept album written by the end of it!

NC: Do yourself a favor and delete your mom's number. Delete the number of every mom you know.

CMC: Words to live by!

The album, Boy in a Well, is out now on Bloodshot Records.

The Yawpers upcoming tour dates in our area include:

Oct. 4th at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY (with A Shadow of a Jaguar and Ruby Bones)
Oct. 5th at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ (with Little Vicious, Honah Lee, and Jolly Daggers)
Oct. 6th at Kung Fu Necktie in Philly, PA (with Emmett Drueding and Curtis Cooper)

For more info please visit www.TheYawpers.com.

Interview: Matt Chrystal Talks to The Yawpers' Nate Cook. Playing Belmar's 10th Ave. Burrito on 7/14.

Photo: George L. Blosser

A Barbaric Yawp to Sound from the Streets of Belmar, NJ


by Matt Chrystal

When you want to check out a killer rock show in the Garden State, certain venues come to mind like The Saint, The Stone Pony and 10th Avenue Burrito Co… Wait, what?!


Yup, 10th Avenue Burrito Co., which has locations in Belmar and Red Bank, has long been known for kickass Mexican cuisine (Taco Tuesdays) and badass bar specials (Tijuana Thursdays), but those "in the know" know that  owner, Brian Katz, has made some real joyful noise by providing a stomping ground for both local artists and national touring bands.

Katz has made 10th Ave. Burrito Co. the backdrop for a slew of local acts including Pig Iron Profits, Blind Owl Band, Black Flamingos, and the Brummy Bros. He has also succeeded in showcasing a veritable who’s who of national festival favorites such as The Howling Bros, Jim Lauderdale, Possessed By Paul James, Joe Fletcher, Ian Fitzgerald, SS Web, The Banditos (who are returning on 7/24); and, this week, The Yawpers from Denver, CO, will be rocking the Belmar locale on Thursday July 14th. Admission is FREE.
 Many of the performers who play at 10th Ave., while all unique, have a similar theme of being alt-county, foot-stomping roots rockers.


"I sit in my office and scour the internet for unique sounding original music," Katz said of his selection process, "…what draws me to the sound isn’t so much the music itself, but rather the fact that I’m in awe that there is this great movement from all these super, sick-ass, talented musicians trying to keep something alive and thriving. I select bands just on feel, and it’s not just that genre."

Bloodshot Records label-mates, The Yawpers and Banditos have upcoming shows this month; and, when asked what he looked forward to from those bands, Katz replied, "The Yawpers have a cool unique sound, Rock-n Roll, bluesy, kickass country sound! What stands out about the Banditos? Ummm, they are fuckin’ tight! I don’t ever put expectations on shows. I know a lot of bands are traveling long distances in a van, shitty sleeping conditions, making it on dimes. I just want them to come here and have as a good an experience with Tenth Ave as they put out for our guests. We’ve had so many great shows here, and I’m honored that we’ve got so many great acts to stop here along the way."



I recently got to talk with Nate Cook, the porn-stache’d poet-punk, and frontman of The Yawpers, as he prepares for the band’s gig at 10th Ave. Burrito Co. in support of the album, American Man, which was released last year on Bloodshot Records.




CoolMattyC: The Yawpers’ latest album grabs the listener right out of the gate with "Doin’ It Right" and blasts off on a journey that incorporates vivid narratives and frenzied freak outs. Did you have a message that you set out to get across with this album?


Nate Cook: If anything, it’s a scattershot of messages. It’s an attempt to write from the perspective of different characters. Each narrative acts independently to give a different point of view.

CM: Certain songs such as "Burdens," "American Man," and "3AM" seem to stand out to many as favorite tracks from the album. Were there any songs in particular, that when you finished, you just leaned back and were like "Fuck Yeah?"


NC: I think every time we finish a song that we plan to put on a record there is a brief moment of excitement over it and we are pumped to play it… but that always seems to fade quickly and we want to make something even better. But yeah, I am proud of all of our songs!

CM: Given today’s political and socio-economic climate in the U.S., does playing a song like "American Man" take on an even heavier meaning?


NC: Well, specifically that titular track is written from the perspective of someone I don’t necessarily agree with. And, again, the album is written from the perspectives of characters… characters that do not always share my point of view. As for the current climate, I don’t think we would have made American Man if we had started making the record today just because of how polarized everything has become lately and because of how ignorant people can be. It is harder to be subtle now with politics because everything that gets said is polarized by one side or the other. I don’t know that we would have made that album even just a year later than we did. It dropped right before everything seemed to go bananas in politics.


Sometimes, our fans want to put us in a boat that we don’t necessarily sail in. I do not think we would make something as political as American Man again.

CM: It seems anytime the band gets mentioned, there are a ton of comparisons made to which bands, past and present, that you sound like. Are there any comparisons you agree with or disagree with?


NC: A lot of them are pretty weird. We were once described as an "acoustic folk duo"…even though we are a trio that plays punk rock n roll!  It astonishes me that just because we use acoustic guitars we are labeled as folk rock… that’s the comparison that really grinds my gears.


Other than that, there hasn’t been any specific band comparison that got me off or freaked me out.
 I kinda like that we float along and do our own little thing.

CM: The band is touring out of Denver, CO, is there anything you look forward to when coming over to do shows in the New Jersey/New York?


NC: Hmm, driving over the Walt Whitman Bridge?!


(fun fact: The band name “Yawpers” is a nod to a line from Walt Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass")  


Yeah, we love NJ! We have been up there two or three time before and the whole state seems beautiful.

CM: What can people look forward to when they come to see a Yawpers show?


NC: Plenty of Cocaine & Alcohol!!!

CM: Can I quote you on that?


NC: Of course, man!



CM: Ok and finally, the world needs to know… does your mustache provide any additional inspiration for the band or give you super powers of any kind?


NC: That’s one of the best fuckin’ questions anyone has ever asked me!


Thanks to my mustache, I now have the special ability not to be allowed within 200 yards of an elementary school.
 If you really want to see a great mustache, I recommend you check out pics of my drummer (Noah Schomberg) who had thee gnarliest fuckin’ steroid-caterpillar mustache! It gave him the power to blend in amongst our white trash band!

The Yawpers are set to play 10th Ave Burrito Co in Belmar, NJ This Thursday July 14th (Admission is Free).


They will play the American Beauty Bar in NYC on 7/15 (Tickets are $12).


The album, American Man, is out now on Bloodshot Records.


For more info visit:
 www.theyawpers.com

For info on upcoming shows at 10th Ave Burrito Co check out:
 www.tenthaveburrito.com