Interview — Yes Helicopter

Skratch Magazine

Progressive alternative band, Yes Helicopter travels in a van affectionately dubbed the Silver Cobra. “If you ever see us on the roads,” Marton (Guitar), Dustin (Guitar), Mike (Drums), Nick(Vocals) and Andrew(Bass) say,
“Turn to CB radio channel 19 to engage in an intellectual conversation of epic proportions.” When the band isn’t on the road in their snake charmer of a ride, they’re in their hometown of Kamloops, British Columbia. Yes Helicopter is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on their EP, due out in late April.

Skratch: Give me an idea of what one would expect from your live show.

YH: Five individuals giving it their all pretty much. We try to give an energetic performance regardless of the size of the venue or crowd. We have our own DIY lights and light boxes that we control onstage. We actually gutted our first pair of PA speakers (which we were using as a guitar stack 8 years ago) and placed two 150-watt bulbs inside, along with 6 other strategically placed lights.
Marton: We usually have a pretty diverse crowd that comes out to our shows.

Skratch: What do you guys do off the stage?

YH: We spend a lot of time writing all sorts of music, recording, mixing and putting on shows for other bands. Other then that we research gear a lot. As a band we like to hang out and have deep meaning conversations, throwing in the occasional "I love you man" to each other. We have been known to enjoy a nice game of NHL 09© and we challenge any band out there to a game.

Skratch: Where do you enjoy touring? Any good stories?

YH: We have yet to tour with this band. We played an out of town show in Penticton BC, which is about 3 hours from where we live. Our 2 friends (Jolene & Joelle) from town surprised us by showing up and we had a great time. That same show, on our way out of town, some other friends (Ailing & Stephanie) coordinated where we would be stopping on our way out to grab some food and they scored us some free meals. That rocked. We look forward to touring across Canada in the near future, playing hockey and drinking good beer...eh.

Skratch: What are you favorite two lyric lines from your recent songs? Tell me a little about them.

Nick: "You will never catch me when I fall you wont even raise your hands at all" & "and here we go again swaying through innocence and mind altering influence"

Mike: "Everyone have you ever felt at all, while your city begins to fall" & "this cities sinking by the day but we will find a way "

Dustin: "through the winter and the fall love will save us all" & "Breaking down the sounds
that level whole towns"

Marton: "through the winter and the fall love will save us all" & "Everyone, have you ever felt at all"

Andrew: "We throw anchors to the shore to hold our sails." & "through the winter and the fall love will save us all" Nick is constantly surprising us with lyrics we fall in love with.

Skratch: What other special talents do you guys have aside from music? Any hobbies?

YH: Dustin was on a drinking team.....Mike slays at NHL 09, Nick is a poet, but he just doesn't know it, Marton is scared of flying, Andrew can crush a mans skull with his teeth. As for hobbies, we pretty much live to play live & write music in general.

Skratch: Any secret crushes you care to divulge?

YH: Katy Perry, Stoya, Traci Lords, Hayley Williams, annnnnnnd Hayley Williams again.

Skratch: Politically, where does the band stand?

YH: We are musicians, not politicians. (Canada has pretty dry politics anyways).

Skratch: Aside from being a "rockstar", what are your dayjobs? What are your goals?

YH: Aside from being "musicians", a couple of us are concrete finishers. We also work some food industry jobs for the lifestyle. Dustin works as a recording engineer and as a biochemist (in his spare time). Nick works at a liquor depot, insuring that our great province can get their drink on. This is Pil Country.

Skratch: When all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered as a band and as people?

YH: Humble

Skratch: Who in the band is more likely to be a pyromaniac, a teacher, and/or an Olympic swimmer?

YH: Mike would be the pyromaniac, his sex is on fire. Marton would be the teacher, and Andrew would be an Olympic swimmer, his physique is phenomenal.

Skratch: Your next live shows are?:

YH: We are playing a couple dates with Fall in Archaea, the Fallacy, and Cera on a mini tour. In April we are playing with our hometown friends Elliot Stella and from the island My Broken Hero. In May we are playing a date with Strung Out & Death By Stereo, which we are very, very excited about.

If you’re a little rusty on your CB radio slang, you can always contact the band on myspace at www.myspace.com/yeshelicopter. “We are always checking it and talking,” the band promises.

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