Yashin T up their bid for record deal

Aug 2 2007 By Caireen Kelly

FIVE-piece band Yashin were this week facing a gruelling schedule of gigs in their bid to clinch a record deal.

Yashin, who share a name with the Russian goalkeeping great, were one of just four bands chosen from 1200 to play T in the Park’s T Break stage last month.

Now they are hoping to capitalise on their Balado success.

Lead singer Michael Rice (24), from Uddingston, said: “T Break is the most famous unsigned bands competition in Scotland, producing people like Paulo Nutini and Travis.

“To perform at T in the Park was great. It was an incredible experience being put on the same bill as the acts that headline this festival. It was fantastic playing at an event that attracts 150,000 people.”

Michael describes the band’s music as “highly charged anthemic melodies with metal and ‘screamo’ influences.”

Yashin go into the studio next Friday to record a new EP with NS Productions in Aberdeen. This new material will form the basis of their set at T on the Fringe. The band play their showcase gig at Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms on August 18. This will be Yashin’s chance to prove their worth to record industry insiders, and many A&R people will be on the lookout to sign talented bands at this event.

It certainly seems a busy time for Yashin who are enjoying the recognition that is now beginning to come their way.

They recently supported the Lost Prophets at their sold-out gig at the Garage in Glasgow. Michael said: “The response was incredible; people really took to us and we gained a lot of fans from that performance.”

Yashin’s have a young and loyal fanbase. One had the group’s song title ‘So we’re named after Saints’ tattooed onto her back in a pledge of allegiance.

Michael said: “It is extremely surreal to see something like that being done especially as I wrote the lyrics. It is very rock-star even though we are a bunch of nobodies at the moment.”

Their grounded attitude is likely to take the band far. Unlike many young bands only interested in fame, Yashin are purely here for the music and their ambitions for the future seem only to echo that.

Michael added: “ We want to pick up a record label and make making music our full time job for a couple of years. We would love to play at the Download Festival in Donnington and release a great album.”

You can catch Yashin in action when they support Graduation Day at the Glasgow Barrowlands on Saturday.