Name: YĪN YĪN
Members: Kees Berkers (drums), Remy Scheren (bass), Robbert Verwijlen (keys), Erik Bandt (guitar)
Interviewee: Erik Bandt
Nationality: Dutch
Current release: YĪN YĪN's new album Mount Matsu is out via Glitterbeat.
Recommendations: Shogun Assassin (movie) - a film (and soundtrack) we all really enjoy and inspired us while making Mount Matsu
Testimony, biography by Robbie Robertson - a book which I really enjoyed reading by the late Robbie Robertson who passed away this year. A cool little insight in the career of The Band.

If you enjoyed this YĪN YĪN interview and would like to find out more about the band and their music, visit them on Instagram, Facebook, and tiktok. We also recommend our Kees Berkers interview about drumming.



For a while, it seemed as though the model of the bed room producer would replace bands altogether. Why do you like playing in a band rather than making music on your own?

Making music with other people is something that I think will never disappear. Making music by yourself is nice because you have all the artistic freedom to make the choices you personally think are best. But when you’re making music with others you will automatically make stuff that you could never make by yourself.

Everybody experiences music in a different way and therefore will make different choices while writing music. This is something that can lead to magical results.
 
What, to you, are some of the greatest bands, and what makes them great?

There are a lot of amazing bands in the Netherlands right now that we all really love. For instance, Mauskovic Danceband, Nusantara Beat and Altin Gün.



They are bands that really that really caused a fresh wave of sounds in the global scene.
 
Before you started making music together, did you in any form exchange concrete ideas, goals, or strategies? Generally speaking, what are your preferences when it comes to planning vs spontaneity in a collaboration?

I think a mix between being spontaneous and having a plan is perfect. For instance before making our new record Mount Matsu, we knew we wanted to make an album inspired by Japanese culture and music because we all got really into that the year prior.

But apart from that general idea we let our creativity flow freely and discover all places we could within that spectrum.

There are many potential models for creativity, from live performances and jamming/producing in the same room together up to file sharing. Which of these do you prefer – and why?  

I love both creating new music and playing live. They are two very different things although both models of creativity have some overlap.

Making new music is something magical because when you start there is just a blank canvas and it can become anything you want. And at the end of the day you can have a whole song finished and have made something that wasn’t there before. That’s truly one of the coolest things about making music for me.

On the other hand, to play those songs for a crowd of people and having them really involved in the show is something I wouldn’t want to miss for the world as well. It feels really rewarding.

Is there a group consciousness, do you feel? How does it express itself?
 
I think there is, and as with a lot of the others things, it is a sum of all of our own personal consciousnesses.

For example when we are on tour and one of us is having a bad day, we all feel that when we interact with each other and that reflects on the way we play with together as well.

Tell me about a piece or album which shows the different aspects you each contribute to the process particularly clearly, please.

I think the perfect example of us as a band really adding our own personal flavors to a piece is the song ‘White Storm’ on our new album Mount Matsu.

I remember that it started as a jam where Robbert Verwijlen started on keys with this psychedelic pattern with which the song still starts. After that Kees Berkers added his very cool 6/8 drumbeat over it which really pushed the song in a totally different direction. After that Remy and I came up with the chord progression after which I started playing melodies over it.

We really all contributed in our own way to that song.

What tend to be the best songs in your opinion – those where you had a lot in common as a band or those where you had more differences? What happens when another musician take you outside of your comfort zone?

I think that really depends. Some songs are best in their purest form, where the core idea is already really strong and not much needs to be added after that, and usually then the majority of the band will already really like it. But some core ideas of songs need a little more carving before the true diamond that holds within will show itself.

And usually it’s someone else that will maybe show a different perspective on a song idea that will break you out of your own thinking.
 
What are your thoughts on the need for compromise vs standing by one's convictions? How did you resolve potential disagreements?

I think this also really depends on the situation. Usually when we don’t agree on certain ideas we’ll just try out all the different ideas. In most cases the ‘best’ choice will be made clear by that.

If we still don’t agree after that than usually we give the initiator of the song the choice what he likes best.
 
Do any of the band's members also have solo projects? If so, how do these feeds into the band's creative process?
 
Yes. Kees Berkers had his solo project called ‘Boydelay’. Which is more electronically focused and all self produced. I think kees really developed himself as a producer while working on this. Check it out on Spotify!



I, (Erik Bandt), also play in another instrumental band called ‘Cocobolo’. Which is a little more indie and soul influenced than Yin Yin.



Apart from that I also write and play guitar with a variety of producers like house duo Anotr. I think working with different people is also really inspiring for Yin Yin because working with different people can always inspire you.

In a live situation, decisions between band members often work without words. From your experience and the performances of your current tour, what does this process feel like and how does it work?

After playing for quite some time and doing a lot of shows together you start to become familiar with everyone own unique musical vocabulary. And by getting to know each others language you can anticipate on what the other is gonna do in a jam for instance.

But the most important thing in this is listening to what everyone is playing. Then your musical instinct will take over.

Have you worked with outside contributors - from sessions musicians via producers to other songwriters? How did this change, improve or challenge the established dynamic and how do you look back on that?

Not yet, but we’re really excited to collaborate with other producers / artists in the future!
 
Most bands eventually break up. What makes you stay together? What are essentials for a successful band?

By listening to each other and having a good time.