Yes Sensei started out as merely an idea back in late 1999 by friends Mike Andriani (guitar/vocals) and Paul Como (bass) to create loud and noisy guitar fury laced post punk, much akin to the likes of heroes Unwound, Jesus Lizard, Shellac and Sonic Youth. In creating something that was in stark contrast to the the common sounds found on Long Island the two struggled to find a sensible, creative drummer who didn't resemble a cartoon of a drummer. However, by December 2000 an inventive, fresh faced kid named Dave Elliott (aka Davecat) found a place behind the drum kit and Yes Sensei as song writing/perfoming unit was official. Ear splitting havoc was wreaked upon shows that were played locally and regionally in the band's orginal three piece line up and was ultimately documented on the 2002 debut "What I Do Best is What I Do Worst" which was released on Rok Lok Records and The Children's Revolt. The record received acclaim from publications such as Punk Planet, Rockpile, Verbicide, Under the Volcano and more. Fun was plentiful, especially when we thought it would be sweet to do an entire set as Cheap Trick. Seriously, Davecat makes a stellar Bunny Carlos. Though we realized how uncool we were when we played REM's "Pop Song 89" to a basement of kids wanting ferocious hardcore. Though everytime Andre Bermudez joined up with us to play Mudhoney's "Touch Me I'm Sick" that was rad. A whole lot of racket came out of Davecat's garage for the first few years. We had planned a tour with Microwave Orphans that morphed into just being two shows as they were breaking up. We did a pretty sweet weekend jaunt with On the Might of Princes, getting to play with The Assistant, Hot Cross, Transistor Transistor and the then named Radio Raheem (yo Rahim start playing "Aloha" again) who ruled (and still rule) but had the cops shut down the show at Dave's house with their incredible din. Late in the spring of 2003 Paul Como resigned his low end frequency responsibilities ending the first chapter in the Yes Sensei story. Paul later went on to form the notoriuslly skronk happy Bigg Uppz.
Happy to fill the bass position was Michael Parish fresh out of his first stint with The Potbelly Bandits. We played one show in this new trio format at a packed show at Hardware (RIP) where in the span of 4 songs Mike broke strings on every songs. Bryce from Grid Iron looked on in horror as his new Gibson Les Paul was manhandled. One week later unbeknownst to everyone except Dave, Yes Sensei gained a new member as Adam Vargas, freshly kicked out of The Lazer, joined the band on second guitar almost two years after he originally was supposed to as it was discussed before his Children's Revolt label helped co-release our first record that he'd join the band. Til this day it is believed that Adam was two years late to his first practice. Adam's first show with the Yes Sensei was weeks later at Saints and Sinners where he was dressed like a hobo clown from some Vaudeville-esque performance. This was an exciting time for the band as there was a whole lot of song writing, practicing and playing shows. Above all even though the band had been playing shows like crazy for three years it seemed like people finally had no other choice to enjoy Yes Sensei. The dynamics of the music changed radically as the songs became more sonically complex and more resembling free jazz than the primitive post punk romps that decorated the band's formative years. And of course the band found itself staking out even louder territories of volume, even prompting shattered glass at one venue that is no longer around. The summer of 2003 was filled with crazy shows including one outdoor white noise, freak out laden performance where we played in a downpour of rain. In August of 2003 we spent a few days in the basment of The Hobo House recording our second album "We Who Transplant Sustain" with Phil Douglas from Latterman. Usually referred to as the weekend spent in our underwear, the recording of the second album infused the band's evolving sonic repitoire of angular guitar driven post punk, mixed with free jazz & noise improv tinkerings. The kids from Empty Silos Echo War and some of our other friends helped in accompanying us on the album in various manners. Some would argue that lots of pot was smoked. You be the judge. Later that winter we did a tour with our pals Scent of Human History, which turned into a insane pissing contest of who can be louder. It was either really beautiful or really stupid. What was beautiful was that Ren from Scent of Human History in one night learned a set with us to fill in on bass while Michael attended to a family matter. We even got to confuse audiences with our chaotic, undecipherable version of Sonic Youth's "100%". "We Who Transplant Sustain" arrived just in time for tour and later was met with a wave critical acclaim from Punk Planet, Skratch, Wonkavision, Impact Press, Dirt Culture, Veribicide, Under the Volcano and a slew of others. But don't tell Heart Attack- they hated it. We came home from a great tour to take a break for six months as Davecat studied abroad. We resumed in the late spring of 2004, started to write some new songs and play shows but that summer ended up being largely uneventful for the band as Adam now lived upstate 5 hours away and then got married to his love. Though we did a weekend with Empty Silos Echo War and Jeremy unknowingly titled our future songs for us. We struggled to write new songs that we were happy with and probably considered being babies and tossing in the towel. This continued into 2005 were real life was taking a hold and allowing the band less and less time to create anything. Though we managed to embark on a full US tour with our buddies Empty Silos Echo War. Good and bad times were had. Kids in Ann Arbor, MI are the sweetest. However, our five and half week tour got cut about two weeks short after our show in San Diego because real life thought it would ideal to rear its ugliest possible head. We came home one member short as Michael Parish quit the band leaving the bass position up for grabs once again. Thus beginning a new chapter.
Coming home from tour penniless, disenchanted, and short a member, we took a break for a month and then we started practicing with our long time buddy Andre Bermudez, best known from his days fronting Space Robot Scientists, and has since masterfully filled the bass position. Reinvigorated, we spent all of 2006 continuing to finish following up "We Who Transplant Sustain". Playing some stellar shows with our friends United States, BRRR, Rahim, and new friends Life at These Speeds, Bravo Fucking Bravo and Antelope it was safe to say that Yes Sensei was back in business. In August of 2006 we returned to The Hobo House to lay down the basic tracks for the new album and later took those tracks back to Andre's to do overdubs, vocals and mixing all on our own. At this point we felt since we took this much time to put the record together that we were going to take the time and make it sound exactly how we wanted to. Once again Davecat found his academic studies bringing him back to England and our friend Ryan Blecher was more than happy to pound the skins for us. We were hoping to continue on as a five piece but it didn't work out like that. As of late Angie Boylan has been helping us out live adding some extra percussion to a few songs. That has ruled and hopefully we'll do more of that. Finally, our new s/t album came out in December. Dave played a few songs with us which was awesome. This March we recorded six new songs, 3 of which appear on a 7inch coming out soon from Rok Lok Records and Russian Folk Stories. We have two songs coming out on a splt 7 inch w/ CMR this fall and 1 song coming out on a limited edition one sided lathe cut record. We have already starting to write some new songs for a fourth full length sometime next year.
rok lok
All new full-length CD from this amazing Long Island punk/folk band. When I first heard this CD it blew me away.. Imagine a punk & indie rock Phil Ochs/Bob Dylan, you gotta hear this for yourself!
Members of: Bridge & Tunnel, Yes Sensei, We Meet Under Tables...
Download 2 FREE MP3s here: MP3 PAGE!OUT NOW!!! Limited LP release to follow in summer!
hey this is andy - the english dude im moving to hawaii in june 2009, but im goin to have to stop off in NY for a cuple of nites perhaps so im on the cheapest possible flights any chance you cud get me details for cheap but good/ok hotels that id b able to stay in anywhere in new york (preferably close to jfk airport) ta cyaa
yea sure, thanks for the offer, another mate was gona do it bt hes gona b off in afghanistan in 8 months or so, now that ideas fuckd, so that wud be greatt gona b living in new hampshire, also staying with mates in new jersey 4 a cuple of weeks probs, and maybe a cuple of days in NY, bt it really is summat we have to do
yea i saw the band on friday, bt spoke 2 em b4 the gig, and they wer quite good actuali.. well the plans still up to liv in the us 4 a few months, so well ill drag ma mate 2 see ya wen wer sumwhere near NY, or New jersey/new england,
It was only natural to be chosen because of two fundamental rules of life: #1-Good music always gets played. #2-It is one of the greatest song titles evah.
Check out our review of LUCY GRAY by ENVY ON THE COAST. http://cluballey.com/local-artist-envy-coast
Also, read the column by Will James inspired by his trip to LOLLAPALOOZA. It includes a letter by TIM KINSELLA. http://cluballey.com/one-time-tim-kinsella-wrote-letter-long-island
Don't forget to read a review of ENVY ON THE COAST's performance at Looney Tunes. http://cluballey.com/new-set-list-envy-coast
