Born from the ashes of Cyann & Ben, Yeti Lane is a French trio with roots in the English Folk scene and the new school US psychedelic rock (Animal Coolective, Akron/Family, Deerhoof). Signed on the well respected Clapping Music, their first album is just out and you could listen to it entirely on Fairtilizer!

What are you up to at the moment?
Charlie : I’m trying to answer your questions, then I’ll watch a movie.
LoAc : It’s so quiet at home, night has fallen down, i hear voices coming from the TV but I can’t see the screen from where I’m sitting, I can’t say what’s going on, just try to answer those questions

What are your main musical influences?
Charlie : The late 60’s/early 70’s english psychedelic scene (Soft Machine, Syd Barret …), 70’s German Rock (Neu!, Can …), late 90’s post-rock bands (Tortoise, Godspeed…), and 2K’s New York weird pop (The Fiery Furnaces, Animal Collective …). I’m sorry I can’t see any 80’s stuff right now …
LoAc : We are all listening to different kind of things so i don’t know if we can speak of shared influences. Unfortunately, I don’t really have time to listen to music… It’s been ages since I put a record in my stereo and listen to it from the first to the last note ! I’ve been raised with music from the sixties, thanks to my elder brother, so I think here are the roots of my influences
But nowadays, i’m listening to old african music.

Do you think your music should ‘belong’ or ‘fit in’ to a particular musical family or genre?
Charlie : I really don’t know. I would probably say “Indie Rock” but those words have no sense actually … We are a three piece band and Yeti Lane’s music is the result of the mix of the influences of each one of us, so it’s not really fitting a particular genre.
LoAc : Not really. That’s not the purpose and … why should it be ? Musical families, genres or influences are sometimes better for mags than studios…

Why should we buy/listen to your album?
Charlie : Because it deserves to be listened to or bought. At least you should listen to it, just to make your own opinion. Then if you like it, just buy it.
LoAc : Will you buy it if we say you should? I’d like to know the answer to this question : “what can make people buy a record”? For the music? The cover? To be “in”???

Any plans for a proper tour? When, with whom, how?
Charlie : Not a proper tour, but some series of shows, yes. When = from now to mid 2010, with whom = some shows as headliners, some other supporting Shannon Wright, Clues among others. And how = in a van ; driving, playing, meeting people, sleeping, driving …
LoAc : We have few gigs during autumn but, for the moment, we can’t talk about a proper tour

You are releasing records in a difficult time for the music industry: how do you see the future for it?
Charlie : No one can tell how the music industry will look like in the future. I’m not pessimistic, but I thought about that a lot of time and I still can’t see the answer.
LoAc : Today anyone can make a record at home and be listened by other people. Isn’t it a good thing? For sure it is … but it becomes harder when you talk about industry and business : if my neighbour can write, record and broadcast a better song than me, am I legitimate as an artist? Can a major company be usefull in this case?
And I’m not talking about downloading or music-on line… Everything has changed in 15 years, some rules must be redefined and a lot of artists are working on it. Labels also but not for the same reasons…

Could you you tell us what is the most important source of income today ? Records, syncs, tours, merch…?
Charlie : As far as we are concerned, that’s definitely not the records sales. Not yet. Syncs are the most important when it happens, then the merch and tours … But honestly our main incomes are our day-jobs !
LoAc : Income? Are you talking about money? I think it’s probably syncs

As an artist, how do you use & see the web today? How important is it for you and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?
Charlie : Well, I use the web to keep me informed, that’s great because you can pick the informations you need, follow some links, watch some movies, listen to audio. I’ve almost stopped reading the traditional musical press. I’m not into downloading a lot of stuff, as an artist I know how it cost to make an album for instance, and illegal download is a real problem.
LoAc : I must admit I am quite a good user of music-on-line websites (like yours) : It can make you discover new stuff but it’s also like a huge library, choosing your music in one click ! I’m sometimes too lazy to change records. Maybe it’s the same laziness that sometimes makes me buy music on the web.

You have some buzz in an emerging country but no way to monetize it, would you give away your music for free to keep growing it ?
Charlie : Yes, probably. If it can allows us to tour their that would be a good thing at least.
LoAc : Is this emerging country called internetland? I’m not sure what happened to the arctic monkeys can happen again… Lucky monkeys (but I don’t deny them at all)

How do you deal with / prevent / use an (un)official leak?
Charlie : We don’t really deal with that. Our labels offer a free track to blogs for instance, but as for the album leak, how would we prevent it ..;
LoAc : If there is a leak, it means that people are interested in our music… It’s a good thing, no?

What would be your dream online music service?
Charlie : A direct interface between musicians/labels, journalists and customers.
LoAc : A transparent service between the user and the people for whom music is a job.

Is there any feature / service we could build for you ?
Charlie : Yeti Lane on your homepage.
LoAc : Can you change the selector on Ben’s guitar? I’d like to use it for our next gig

What do you expect from a label in 2009?


Charlie : The relationship has moved from a boss/employee to a real partneship. We’re expecting the label to support us, to make our music available, and to promote it.
LoAc : To give us the freedom of recording stuff that we feel like beeing good. A matter of trust in fact.

What’s your favourite: digital and physical format and why?
Charlie : I use both formats. I actually prefer vinyl, the sound, the artwork everything is better. But to be honest I’m spending more time listening to music on my iPod rather than in my living room. And sometimes when I don’t want to wait or when an album is hard to find, I buy the mp3 online. So, vinyl + download is fine !
LoAc : I’ve allready talk about my laziness.

Recommended music sites?
Charlie : I won’t be original … Pitchfork, Stereogum, Amiestreet …
LoAc : Pitchfork, Myspace, Deezer, I’ve been to yours recently

How’s the scene in Paris? Any good bands around?
Charlie : The scene is good. It’s getting more difficult to find a venue to play, but there is a bunch of good bands, as Zombie-Zombie, Friction, The Berg Sans Nipple, Centenaire, Team Ghost, Herman Dune …
LoAc : You should come and see. The good thing is that in france, since one year or two, it’s not a shame anymore to sing in english. Maybe it has gave bands new energy to make music

Places of interest in your neighbourhood?
Charlie : A venue called La Maroquinerie, very close to my place, with a nice bar and a very exciting programming these days.
LoAc : Mains d’oeuvres, really not far away from here. A squat for artists (painters, dancers, musicians, sculptor…). That’s where our studio is… almost home

Best thing that happened to you recently?
Charlie : I received an unexpected cheque last week.
LoAc : Holidays !!

Number one junk food?
Charlie : Kebab …
LoAc : Well, I would say kebab

Best venue?
Charlie : La Maroquinerie.
LoAc : Le nouveau casino

A movie you would like to watch now, right now?
Charlie : The Fury (Brian De Palma). I was actually watching it but my DSL connection just fucked and I couldn’t watch the last 15 minutes. Rather Frustrating …
LoAc : Village of the damned

Best place to live?
Charlie : elsewhere
LoAc : In a studio

Last album you enjoyed listening?
Charlie : Bromst by Dan Deacon. And more recently Bitte Orca by The Dirty Projectors.
LoAc : It’s an old thing… A band we’ve met on tour, “Get the people”

Best TV shows (current and ever)?
Charlie : American Dad.
LoAc : The muppet show… Playing music seemed so cool !

Last book you enjoyed reading?
Charlie : Lullaby, by Chuck Palahniuk
LoAc : “Le chemin des âmes” de Joseph Boyden

Fave night drink and morning beverage?
Charlie : Mojito and tea
LoAc : Every day begins by a black coffee, for the night, it depends on how I feel… But I just love white russians

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