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 With a career that dates back to 1974, it's hard to find many in rock and roll circles that won't know the name Y&T.
More than thirty years on, and the band are preparing to return to the UK for the fifth time in the last six years with nine dates in September, concluding with a performance at London's Astoria 2 on September 27th.
Dave Meniketti has led the band since their formation on lead guitar, and Komodo Rock's Paul Sinclair caught up with the Californian native to find out more about what UK fans can expect on the bands upcoming tour, a little from the past, and where Meniketti sees the band going in years to come.
Komodo Rock: The UK leg of your tour kicks off at Oxford Carling Academy on 16th September. What can the fans expect?
Dave Meniketti: Over 2 hours of tunes with a pick of Y&T songs throughout our career.
KR: You often ask the audience what they want to hear. Do their requests sometimes surprise you?
DM: Yes, I am occasionally surprised by the audience requests, but I always try to accommodate the request, no matter how bizarre. We’ll make fools of ourselves at times trying to remember how to play certain tunes that are requested on the spot. But it’s all in fun and the fans appreciate the effort.
KR: Some bands like to put on huge stage productions, but Y&T always seem to let the music do the talking. Have you ever been tempted to do the whole laser beams, fire breathing dragons and giant pyrotechnics thing?
DM: We’ve done stuff like that in the past, in small doses, but it’s just not as important to us as a well crafted set list. Plus it simply costs so much to tour nowadays that we can’t imagine being able to afford an elaborate stage set to go with us.
KR: You play nine dates in the UK during this tour. Why do you think the band are still so popular here?
DM: I think it goes back to the fact that very early on in our touring career we came to the UK to play for the fans, rather than, like many other bands, waiting to make it big in the US first before coming over. I believe that was a very important step in developing trust with the UK fans. We’re very proud and humbled by the way the people in the UK respect the band and we honestly feel this place is like a second home, outside of the San Francisco bay area.
It killed me that we stayed away so long after 1985, but now we feel like we’re back in the groove again. I’m proud to say that this will be our 5th tour in the last 6 years.
KR: Do you remember playing Reading in 1982 ? Many people regard this as one of the greatest sets of all time.
DM: Yes, that was an amazing gig and the memories of that show are still very clear in my mind. I think that show contributed quite a bit to Y&T making an impact in the market over here. It was also responsible for impressing AC/DC management enough to ask us to support their UK and European tours later that year. That AC/DC tour is still my favorite tour I’ve ever been associated with. Amazing.
KR: Is there any substance to the rumours about a new album being in the pipeline?
DM: Yes, we will be writing seriously for a new release in the early part of next year, with hopes for a release in the fall of 09.
KR: Some of Y&T's albums are quite hard to find - especially the first two. Are they going to be available to buy at gigs, or possibly set for reissue soon?
DM: We will be re-releasing the Yesterday & Today CDs early next year if all goes as planned. Along with the already available Earthshaker, Black Tiger, Mean Streak, In Rock we Trust, Musically Incorrect and Endangered Species CDs, we expect to eventually re-release our entire back catalog.
KR: Many people regard 'Earthshaker', 'Black Tiger' and 'Mean Streak' as Y&T's holy trinity. Do you think they are an albatross around your necks?
DM: I think every band has that same albatross hanging about them. Most bands have to deal with new product releases being compared to their popular earlier works, so it’s nothing too frustrating or unexpected. But I can only hope that new releases from bands that have been around as long as Y&T are always going to be judged slightly differently now than product that was released over 20 years ago, but we expect the comparisons will always be thrown back at us no matter what happens.
To me, the key to a successful release is to do what we feel and not try to recreate an earlier work. This way you know it comes from the heart and not just some fake attempt at trying to copy past success.
KR: Do you think the Y&T sound has moved on since those days, and how have John Nymann and Mike Vanderhule contributed to this?
DM: Yes, though I believe the core ideal and sound of the band is always there, I know that we have grown exponentially since the mid 80s. Musicianship is more refined, my singing is worlds better than 25 years ago, and the spirit of the band is stronger than ever. Also, at this time in our career I feel like we’re really in touch with ourselves and the relationship to our fans. This is helped by the internet and the fact that we can relax and focus on the show only, instead of the distraction of being caught up in the game of constantly trying to please record labels and such other crap.
KR: After all this time, you and Phil Kennmore are still working together - that says a lot. Is it true he still plays the same bass he bought on lay-away as a kid?
DM: Yes that’s true, as do I still play my old ’68 Les Paul. We’re very traditional players and feel we’ve still got the life and spirit we had when we first started out. We know what works and we’re not interested in chasing our tails for the latest thing, though we have our eyes open. The relationship between us is special indeed and I know that fans can feel that at the shows. It’s part of what makes this band strong in present day.
KR: To what extent do you use personal experience to inspire your song writing? Are any of your songs autobiographical?
DM: It’s a big part of our songwriting. There are bits of us in most Y&T tunes, especially the last 20 years.
KR: What was the first song you wrote and what was it about?
DM: It was called “Rock & Roll Whore” and Leonard and I wrote it to talk about the crap we had to go through on a daily basis, at that time, just to get our heads above the muck of obscurity. As it turned out we never recorded that song as it was written originally, but instead incorporated the main lick into a song that we recorded for the Black Tiger record, but never made the record. Years later we found the tape of the rough mix of that song and Phil wrote new lyrics and we released it on the new re-release of the Mean Streak CD. It’s now called “I’m Not Sorry”.
KR: You have recorded many tracks over the years, all of which have a certain unmistakable feel that makes them instantly recognizable. Are there any secrets you are willing to reveal on how to get that trademark Meniketti sound?
DM: I haven’t a clue to tell you what the secret is, if there is any. If you find it, let me know!
KR: A friend of mine became a guitarist because a schoolmate who played was always surrounded by girls. What first made you want to pick up an axe?
DM: It was because I always had this deep love for music since I was a kid and was always captivated by the way the music could make me feel inside and how it was able to take me away to another place. When that was added to the magic and impact of the way I felt the first time I saw a live band, that was all it took to convince me that being a musician was in my soul and I could do nothing else.
KR: Which is your favorite guitar that you own and why?
DM: I have 3 favorite guitars I love playing. My old 1968 Les Paul, my Blue Stratocaster and my white Kramer Baretta. They each have something different as far as the sound, plus the feel of the neck makes me play slightly differently when playing each.
KR: You are widely regarded as one of the greatest players in rock, but is there anyone playing today that inspires you?
DM: That’s very nice of you to say, but if I were to list all the players that inspire me it would be too long of a list. I have great respect for anyone that plays from the heart and there are some amazing folks out there that have inspired me and continue to do so over the last 40 years.
KR: You're one of a growing number of artists who actively communicate with fans over the internet. Do you think this is the way forward for the music business as a whole?
DM: Yes, I think this is a very important part of any current musician’s activities is to be more involved and connected with their fans. How cool is it that an artist can directly hear the feelings and ideas straight from their fans and communicate back to them in real time? Amazing stuff! We felt so isolated in the early days and this just makes for a much tighter family feel to the whole experience. It has been part of what has enriched our careers the last decade. We have met so many people that has expanded our reach and made it that much more exciting to go on the road and connect with these people in person.
KR: You've been doing this for over 30 years now. After all this time, do you still have any unfulfilled ambitions?
DM: Yes, I would like to be more active in releasing new product. I feel like there is so much more inside of me and now that I have the years of experience to add to it, I feel like I’m bursting with unfulfilled inspiration. Believe me I’m trying to get back into the groove of songwriting on a regular basis again.
KR: Have you ever been caught playing air guitar?
DM: I’m sure plenty of people have seen me do it many times. It’s just what you have to do when you hear something that turns you on!
KR: Many thanks for granting us this interview. Have you any message for the fans ahead of the upcoming tour?
DM: Yes, Show up to the gigs – there are still many amazing times and great music to be shared together. Cheers!
A big thank you to Dave for taking the time to talk with us.
Y&T hit the UK in September to play nine dates. The bands full schedule shapes up as follows:
September:
16th Carling Academy, Oxford
18th Cathouse, Glasgow
19th Carling Academy, Newcastle
20th The Corporation, Sheffield
21st JB's, Dudley
23rd Carling Academy, Liverpool
24th The Point, Cardiff
26th The Brook, Southampton
27th Astoria 2, London
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