Words by Jonathan Stout
Wild Yaks of Rockaway Beach are celebrating 20 years of existence! Never heard of them? That’s ok. Generally speaking, the world is split into two kinds of people – those who haven’t heard Wild Yaks and those who have, and those who have tend to love them. If only more people could know them! Although they’ve conquered NYC multiple times, they haven’t gained enough national coverage to take the plunge into extensive touring, and with the economy making it harder and harder for independent bands to make a profit from touring, their future may hang in the balance.
Nonetheless, they press on. Their newest release Monumental Deeds (Ernest Jenning Recording Co.) celebrates everything the band does well – from earnest but humorous (and sometimes self-deprecating) lyrics, tight musicianship and a chill but excitable vibe – this collection of songs is simply a lot of fun. There’s a lot for fans of anti-folk or the likes of Jeff Rosenstock or early Against Me!, albeit with more of a focus on the personal rather than the political. But the main unifying thread is a genuineness and a clear intent for good times.
Off Shelf: The name Wild Yaks was coined during your brief time spent in L.A., of which you said you weren’t “seduced in for a second.” What was it that you disliked about L.A., and conversely, what keeps you in New York?
Rob Bryn: Did I really say that? Did I really mean it? My friends Jeremy Konner, who would go on to make Drunk History, and Jason Ritter, who’s made a ton of shit, were in the first version of the band. We were all young men at the start of our careers I guess. Jeremy was Jack Black’s assistant and Jack Black was off making a movie so we would rehearse in the movie theater inside his house in Beverly Hills. We played two shows in LA, the second one was mobbed with people. Casting agents were coming up to me and handing me their cards. When I told my friends I was moving back to New York everybody told me I was crazy. Mainly I didn’t want to have a car and didn’t want to drive drunk. I wanted to ride my bike and use the 24-hour subway system. I could feel truly independent in New York and I wanted authenticity. I wanted to play the warehouses in Brooklyn. Many times in my obscurity and poverty I wondered what the fuck I was thinking! If you can make it here you can make it anywhere! I did it my way! [laughs]
OS: Jairo Barsallo Rubio’s lead guitar work really helps to give this record more of a psychedelic lean. It helps the songs stretch out a bit. How was the decision made to make him a Yak?
RB: Oh god, being in a band with four or five other people for years and years is the most complicated romantic relationship you could ever imagine. Two of the guys had kids during COVID and Jose got in a nearly fatal bike accident. People’s relationship to life and mortality changed! I handled an intractable situation poorly, I chickened out and couldn’t tell somebody the truth to their face and I lost a friend.
Years before, when Jose was touring with Las Rosas, he met Jairo in Denver because their bands played a show together. When we needed a new guitar player Jose found out that Jairo had recently moved to New York city for love and you know, to find himself I guess? He didn’t know anybody and was looking to play music. He came out to Rockaway in the winter to meet me and try out for the band. We walked to the beach and looked at the ocean. He’s a western man from Colorado. Of course he’s seen the ocean before but he was new to NYC and I don’t think realized this vast nothingness was so close to the city. Then we went to my house and jammed and he’s been a Wild Yak ever since
OS: You recorded Monumental Deeds over the course of a few days spread out between Fall of 2022 and the end of 2023. What did this process look like? Did you book studio time or were the recordings done DIY?
RB: We set out to make a 7”. Just do something, record something, put it out, keep the band alive. Partially because of poor communication with the engineer. It’s taken me years and many projects to finally be able to talk to a recording engineer. You don’t get to practice unless you spend time in that world, but I was still figuring it out and – partially because we kicked out the lead guitarist after we had started tracking – we went way over budget and the label said they couldn’t recoup on a seven inch. It wasn’t worth it.
So then we didn’t do anything for a while for a couple months. Practiced and played some shows with Jairo. I also daydreamed a lot. Eventually we came back to it because I had enough good songs from COVID. New songs I’d been writing about the stupid and painful, but ultimately creatively fruitful Rockaway Beach 3-way situationship I had been involved for a lot of 2022 and 23. I convinced Pete [of Ernest Jenning Recording Co.] to put a little more money in and call it a full length. We came back to the studio and tracked like five or six songs in one day. And then figured out Desperado on the spot and did the overdubs in short order with Jairo on guitar and the vocals. Then it was done!
OS: As you mentioned, much of the content from Monumental Deeds was composed during the doldrums of the pandemic. Besides the writing of these songs, what else helped get you through that difficult time?
RB: COVID was easy for me. I was used to being bored and alone. I rarely ever had a girlfriend or a full-time job. I’ve spent most of my adult life laying around stoned and daydreaming, fucking around with my phone or a computer or a book, occasionally playing guitar. During COVID I was getting paid to do that.
OS: I love the album art – I think it captures the spirit of the music really well. How did you connect with Roy Miranda for the art on the last couple records?
RB: Roy has been a “member” of the band forever. He and Martin, the Yaks’ drummer, were wildmen together in Philly before they moved to Brooklyn forever ago. Roy has seen us play a million times and he’s done all our illustrated covers and a ton of show flyers. He gets the vibe.
OS: Even though your songs often deal with loveloss, longing and regret, there’s still an underlying positivity that ultimately wins out. For any heartbreak expressed, there’s also a lot of celebration of life. How do you remain positive even in the darker times of your life?
RB: I kinda first started adjacent to the anti-folk thing that was happening twenty years ago or whenever. I started being invited to the apartment parties for singer-songwriters. Which was super flattering because I was like a Neanderthal and there would be super talented people some of whom have gone on to have huge careers, like Sharon Van Etten. But I couldn’t stand most people’s delivery. I decided right there and then, although I would probably always write “woe is me” songs, the delivery would always be “Fuck that shit! Who cares?” Life is so beautiful and strange, more fun to wonder at it and laugh at it than to cry.
OS: Why do you feel like this is the best Wild Yaks record of your discography?
RB: Because of countless heartbreak and disappointment and hubris I’ve had to get over myself so many times. And yet I still keep coming! [laughs] I still believe I can do or say something or stand a certain way and it will be beautiful and true and it will make me feel good and other people too. I’m getting old and my desire is running out. I don’t care about anything and I don’t need any reward other than the continued opportunities to try and do the beautiful thing. What could be better than that?
OS: That’s a really good point! As the Wild Yaks reach 20 years of existence – what do you think has been the secret of your longevity thus far?
RB: See my previous answer, I guess. Also, because Martin and Jose keep coming back and want to keep trying. I’m ride or die and, why the hell not?! What else is there to do? I like experiences, adventures and intense relationships.
OS: What are some of the biggest highlights/milestones that automatically come to mind when thinking back on the Yaks’ first 20 years?
RB: When Teresa Farrell brought us to London and we played in an alleyway to like two hundred people that had never heard us before and they loved it and they bought every single piece of merch we brought. I knew what we did was good. It’s a nice feeling.
OS: You’ve referred to Monumental Deeds as the bands’ “last chance.” I hope that isn’t as grave as it sounds! What does the future of the Wild Yaks look like?
RB: How are we ever gonna become a touring band? We’re not on tiktok. Almost everybody in the band is married and some have kids and all have bills. I can’t wait around for ‘em! If something doesn’t give, if some door isn’t cracked open for us I don’t know how much more I can ask from them. Some of these songs have got to find traction with some people somewhere so they invite us. It’s the same impossible-sounding dream I’ve always had! How many more times can we try?! I wouldn’t do Wild Yaks without Jose and Martin. I’d record a solo record. I still want to see the world before it burns up! And I want to make a feature-length movie in Rockaway.