Spotlight: Yukon Blonde

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As a regular listener to CBC Radio3, every once in a while there’s a song or an artist or an interview that makes me stop what I’m doing and listen intently. This compels me to search out the band and learn all I can about them. Such was the case with the psychedelic pop sound and perfect harmonies of Yukon Blonde.

Yukon Blonde are Jeff Innes, Brandon Scott and Graham Jones. Formerly known as Alphababy, the band’s name change was a result of tour mate Jon-Rae Fletcher’s utter hatred of it. “He said Road, Sky, Dog, anything is better than Alphababy,”- Innes recalled, “Cut your losses, change your name, you deserve better.” Fletcher may have prompted the name change, but the name itself came about when “our bass player’s boss once denied that she had grey hair” said Innes, calling it “Yukon blonde.”

After returning from a cross-Canada tour with Jon-Rae Fletcher, as both as his backing and opening band, Alphababy packed their bags and moved from Kelowna to Vancouver. The band changed their name to Yukon Blonde and set out to write all new material, which they recorded in Vancouver with producer Shawn Cole.

The result was a set of 14 songs. Four songs became Everything In Everyway – the band’s debut EP. Released in Canada and internationally (digital) on October 6th 2009, the EP introduced the new band, the new songs and the new name. The veterans of long stretches of highway and sleeping on floors launched a 37-date tour across Canada which included dates at POP Montreal, Halifax POP Explosion and CMJ, and ended in a triumphant return to their home town of Kelowna on November 8th 2009 – almost two months later, picking up many rave reviews along the way.

The remaining 10 songs will be released as Yukon Blonde’s self-titled debut LP on February 9th 2010 across North America by Nevado Records. The band plans to tour extensively in the US and Canada in the months following the release.

I was able to sit down last week for a quick Q & A with Jeff Innes.

Which song on the new album surprised you? By that I

mean: was there a song that was “average” going in, but sounded

so much better as a final result?

A: I think we were all surprised by Loyal Man the most. It began as an acoustic song just a few nights before and Shawn Cole convinced us it had to be on the record. So Shawn had everyone including himself in the tracking room using whatever percussive instrument they could find while standing on these giant stomping boxes, jamming for like an hour. When that was finished, we made noise from piggybacking all the guitar amps in the studio together. When Shawn showed us the unedited version it just sounded so crazy. About two weeks later, we got the final mix and we were shocked at how amazing the song came out.

CMW is coming up for Yukon Blonde, is this your first time?

A: It is our first time and we're quite excited about it.

What do you fear most about this upcoming two-month long tour?

A: That the tour will end... along with the transmission in our van, (Helicopter).

With the move from Kelowna to Vancouver, was there a change of

allegiance to a favourite hockey team?

A: I think it's always been the Canucks for me, Bran is a Flyers fan (for now) and Graham's an Oilers fan from birth, but I think he's coming around. We're all Team Canada fans though, right?

Touring van: Newer vehicle or a piece of crap?

A: We actually tour in the 429 EMS helicopter which was designed as a medical aircraft. We Are The City just bought it for us because they are mega rich and Graham gets sick all the time.

What are your hopes for this tour? What would make it the best

tour you have ever done?

A: To start the tour off in Kelowna with friends Treelines and Red Cedar for a great album release party, followed by a show in Calgary with Two Hours Traffic followed by showcases at CMW and SXSW somewhere in there. End it all back here in Vancouver, and then take off again a few days later.

Also wouldn't it be terrific if we actually had a helicopter?

Go and experience the 60s-styled rock harmonies and spellbinding music of Yukon Blonde on their current tour.

Feb 19 2010 8:00P

TBC Kelowna, BC

Feb 22 2010 8:00P

The Black Dog Edmonton, AB

Feb 23 2010 8:00P

The Exchange Regina, SK

Feb 25 2010 8:00P

311 Minneapolis, MN

Feb 26 2010 8:00P

The Dark Room Chicago, IL

Feb 27 2010 8:00P

The Phog Lounge Windsor, ON

Mar 2 2010 8:00P

O’Brien’s Boston, MA

Mar 3 2010 8:00P

Pianos New York City, NY

Mar 4 2010 8:00P

Littlefield Brooklyn, NY

Mar 5 2010 8:00P

Le Divan Orange Montreal, QC

Mar 6 2010 8:00P

Zaphod’s Ottawa, ON

Mar 10 2010 8:00P

The Casbah Hamilton, ON

Mar 13 2010 8:00P

CMW Toronto, ON

Mar 26 2010 8:00P

Amigo’s Saskatoon, SK

Mar 27 2010 8:00P

The Palomino Calgary, AB

Lisa Christiansen interview on CBC Radio 3

http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/Appetite-for-Distraction/Yukon-Blonde-Jan-19-2010

http://twitter.com/yukonblonde

http://www.myspace.com/yukonblondeband

http://www.nevadorecords.com/

Special thanks to Nick Bernal @nevadorecords

Photo credit – TheRadioHead