The gig on Dec 6 is being billed as your album launch. What can you tell us about your first full-length release?
Pang: We really want it to be, but we’re not sure that we’ll make it in time. The album’s coming along, though. As of now, we’re calling it The Greatest, as it will compile all the tracks we’ve got, re-recorded, with a few new songs. Many songs have taken quite a lot of time to finish. The songs may fit in well together, but some were written several years apart.
From your first EP Yuk Keaw (2008) to now; how much has changed?
Pang: I think our songs now are not really that different from when we started. But, yes, there’s quite a difference in sound. We’ve been experimenting a lot with reverb and mixing effects. For example, in “Unreal” we wanted a natural reverb sound, so we recorded it in a reverberation room, and a few other tracks were re-recorded like this, too.
Pym: There are a lot more choruses now, too. Serious choruses.
How has the music scene changed?
Pang: When we were starting out there were lots of indie rock parties, even on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, like Coco Night and Club Culture. It was the Myspace era, too. The likes of Sqweez Animal and Slur were part of the scene, too. There were a lot of venues for bands, and record labels didn’t matter so much. Now, Fat Radio is gone from the radio. It’s still broadcasted online, but we used to listen to it more in the car. There are many new bands now, but most are doing a folkish sound, or, I don’t know how to put it, maybe pop, with better taste and more diversity.
Many bands that came on the scene at the same time as you have disappeared. What’s kept you going?
Pang: I think back then most bands shared this idea of just having fun while doing what they like; they never thought of it as a life commitment. Yellow Fang is lucky in many ways as we’ve got to do many things and got to play continually. Maybe if we weren’t booked for a long time, we might also have given up.
Pym: Also, it’s just three of us, and we’re friends. There might be more headaches with bands of five men. For us, it’s easier to organize things. We used to meet almost every weekend when the old Rod Fai market was still there. Now it’s once or twice a week, but not to rehearse, just for gigs or shopping.
Pang: Yes, lately, we only rehearse like once or twice a month.
You often describe yourselves as music lovers more than musicians.
Pang: We’re definitely not professional musicians. We don’t play all day long or make a living from our music. It’d be nice to work full-time on music, though.
Pym: We’re no guitar heroes. I don’t slap the bass. It’s more about having fun and doing what we like.
