In the short amount of time I’ve been interviewing musicians, I think Nick Z., guitarist for the "straight outta Brooklyn" band the Yeah/Yeah/Yeahs; is my favorite. Nick comes off like any guy you might see in a record store or at a show, as if he really has no idea that he’s famous. But, in the music world he is "Nick Z. of the Yeah/Yeah/Yeah’s" and yes, he’s got lots to say about this here band of his.

The Yeah/Yeah/Yeah’s got together in the Williamsburg, Brooklyn, after Karen O., lead singer, and Brian Chase, drummer, met at college in Ohio. Brian moved to Brooklyn a few months later, and Karen transferred to New York University where she met Nick through mutual friends. They started getting together to jam, with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Cramps filling their ears as they started to make their assault upon the musical world.

If you’ve heard the Yeah/Yeah/Yeahs’ self-titled EP, you know that the lyrics make no reference to clear-cut places or things. Karen O. mans the pen in this band and Nick says "Stream of consciousness plays a big part in writing lyrics. We like to leave things open to interpretation." Getting into more musical background, Nick explains that other than a year of lessons when he was 16 so he could learn to play heavy metal solos, he’s never had any formal training. The minimalist rock the band generates draws from a place of experimentation, the need to make sounds and see what sounds work rather than focusing on writing a well-versed pop song. Influenced by Sonic Youth, and to quote Nick "Who couldn’t be?" the use of noise as texture makes complete sense.

Currently putting together a full-length album that will be released in early 2003, the sound is a continuation of that with "a little more schizophrenia, a little dancey and less garage-rock," Nick says. When asked his opinion of the music business these days, he doesn’t come across very happy about the current state of things. "It seems pretty desperate right now, really hungry. It’s strange, it seems really similar to Seattle in the early 90s.l Everyone is getting signed for a record deal before they have a record out. It’s like a feeding frenzy, everyone whose playing guitar is getting signed and after 20,000 copies they could very easily get dropped."

As cool and city cement grungy as the Yeah/Yeah/Yeahs are, you might wonder about their longevity as a band. Nick’s answer is refreshingly realistic. "I’m not gonna say we’ll be around forever, we view ourselves as a young band. On one hand we’re trying to take small steps, on the other hand we’re trying to form ourselves. It’s exciting and frightening at the same time because we’re still finding our sound."

Nick goes on to say that they have now gotten to the point where they’re making money off their music. "We’re finally okay. We can pay rent and buy new shoes every month." It usually takes bands years to get to that point, at least if they’re worth their weight in equipment. Nick quips with a quote we know all too well: "It’s nice not having to borrow money every month!"

Jessie Nelson

Photos courtesy of Wichita Recordings and NME.com