“YACHT has absolutely nothing to do with yacht-rock,” explains Jona Bechtolt.
“The name actually came from an old building in Portland called Y.A.C.H.T.: Young Americans Challenging High Technology. It’s since been bulldozed and there’s no trace of it, physical or digital. Maybe some day I’ll meet someone that has been involved with that Y.A.C.H.T.; until then, our YACHT is bigger than internet memes, kitsch, or ourselves.”
Bechtolt has been recording as YACHT since 2001: “I play drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and anything else I can find around the house. I’ve never recorded anything proper in a studio or with a producer – in this modern age of hacked ProTools, Ableton Live, etc., I personally don’t see the point.” YACHT has released three LPs to date: Super Warren MMIV (2004), Mega (2005) and the criminally ignored I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real (2007), with Bechtolt welcoming Claire L. Evans as a permanent crew-member along the way.
“If I’m the soul of the project, Claire is the new holy spirit. Wait, that’s a bad analogy. If I’m the Jesus Christ of YACHT, Claire is the Christian God of YACHT, Fuck, no, also stupid. Claire is like a Jew and I’m Seth Rogen?”
Last year, the duo filled in at the last minute as support act on an LCD Soundsystem tour. “Claire and I recorded ‘Summer Song’ during a day off and put it up on the YACHT website for free. James [Murphy] and I shot e-mails back and forth, and all of a sudden YACHT is on DFA.”
They’re set to release their fourth album, See Mystery Lights, on the New York label, as well as the aforementioned ‘Summer Song’ – a virtual parody of the DFA sound with its rhythmic chanting, rubbery bassline and liberal deployment of handclaps and cowbell. Check the video: a homage to the ‘Baby Doll’ scene from 80s VHS classic Tapeheads, it was put together “on spec” by director Judah Switzer with the help of friends and interns recruited via Flickr. Indeed, YACHT are all about inclusivity and DIY derring-do – forever taking it to the people through regular blogging, “souvenir-making” and, er, free music-giving (visit their myspace to download remixes of Ratatat and Stereolab now, replete with special artwork).
“I hope we can do something to empower some kid that is feeling stuck in some fucked-up town in the world,” Jona concludes. “But it’s a heavy order.”
Kiran Sande
