Yard Act frontman James Smith has revealed that he once told Sir Elton John his piano playing wasn't the right vibe, after the music legend offered his services as a session musician to the Leeds band in 2022. 'He said, “You’ve hired me as a session player. I’ll do whatever you want,”' Smith recalled of Elton's visit to their studio. Despite the audacity of the feedback, Elton took it well. 'Yeah, he loved it. He said that it was amazing. He was, like, “I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve never wanted to stop learning. I don’t know how your band does what you do, but I want to learn.”'
Elton John's Unexpected Collaboration with Yard Act
Bassist Ryan Needham described the surreal moment of seeing Elton John in the studio: 'It was Elton John, dripping in Prada.' Yet he noted that the superstar 'wasn’t a daunting presence' at all. The collaboration resulted in a version of the track 100% Endurance, showcasing Elton's admiration for the band.
Yard Act, known for their socially conscious and witty spoken-singing style, emerged from lockdown with tracks like Fixer Upper, about a myopic second-home owner. Their Mercury-nominated debut album The Overload blended post-punk funk with influences from The Fall, Gang of Four, Pulp, and Ian Dury, filled with character sketches of a crumbling Britain.
From Post-Punk to Disco: Yard Act's Evolution
Uncomfortable with the post-punk label, Yard Act's 2024 second album Where’s My Utopia? embraced disco, baggy, and electronica. Their upcoming third album, You’re Gonna Need a Little Music, marks another shift. Needham called it 'our best work,' pointing fans to the new record.
The album opens with Empty Pledges, which shares the creeping menace of Massive Attack’s Angel, and features the tense lead single Redeemer. Smith described Redeemer as a deliberate 'spanner-in-the-works move,' chosen as the opposite of Where’s My Utopia’s upbeat lead single Dream Job. He initially wanted to release no singles at all, like Led Zeppelin, but quickly realized that wouldn't work.
Lyrical Honesty and Musical Growth
Lyrically, Smith admits to feeling less certain and more careworn. 'By now you’re either with us or you’re not/ So you can sit down, shut up and listen… or switch this shit off,' he sings on Empty Pledges. 'I’m more comfortable with admitting that I’m not really sure of myself… I don’t really trust people who think they know it all,' Smith explained.
Despite its brooding moments, You’re Gonna Need a Little Music also offers buoyancy with tracks like Over the Barrel and New Beginnings. Smith said he gets 'unnerved when people think they’ve got me pegged,' explaining the band's stylistic evolution. Needham noted that the first two albums gave them 'quite a big playground,' and he believes a band's third album is when they outgrow their influences, citing Blur’s Parklife as an example. 'We finally stopped looking left and right,' he said.
Produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen
The album was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen, known for working with Beck, St Vincent, and Nine Inch Nails. Recorded half in Leeds and half in Los Angeles, it is the first Yard Act album recorded together in a studio. Previous albums were assembled via laptop and sound files. Meldal-Johnsen, a fan of goth music, enjoyed being in Leeds, which birthed the goth scene via bands like The Sisters of Mercy. He visited a goth club but chickened out of knocking on frontman Andrew Eldritch’s door. 'He wouldn’t do it,' Smith said, admiring that even veterans get nervous meeting heroes.
Yard Act's Philosophy on Art and Fame
Yard Act's shape-shifting nature is not deliberate wilfulness but a rejection of easily categorizable culture. Smith criticized modern culture's demand for instant grabs: 'It’s icing out a lot of interesting perspectives and a lot of interesting art because it’s not immediate. A slogan carries a lot faster than putting your hands up and spending 45 minutes saying, “I’m more confused about the world than I’ve ever been. I’ve got no answers, I’ve got questions.”' The band plays 'the long game,' believing that 'if you believe in what you do, it will grow and resonate with the audience.'
Smith and Needham first met at a house party around 2013, debating Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica versus The Longpigs' albums at 4am. 'There was an iPod dock. That sets the scene,' Smith recalled.
UK Tour and Manageable Fame
Yard Act play a 15-date UK tour in November, ending in London at Brixton Academy. Smith described their current fame as manageable: 'I was in Asda the other day. I felt this tap on my shoulder, I turned around and this guy held up his phone and he was listening to Where’s My Utopia? doing his shop. He didn’t say anything. He just nodded and walked off. And I was, like, “That’s amazing.”' If their new album boosts their fame, they'll adapt. As Smith noted, learning is important—just ask Elton.
