5 Minutes with Years & Years

Up Close 5 Minutes with Years & Years

British electropop band Years & Years may not be as old as their name suggests, but they sure are wise. The group of young musicians, including frontman and keyboard player Olly Alexander, bass guitarist Mikey Goldsworthy, and keyboardist Emre Türkmen, blend invigorating synth sounds with refreshingly progressive lyrics, bringing a new beat into the electronic scene. We went backstage with the boys at their intimate show at W Chicago – City Center to talk travel, how to pack for a tour, and their bizarre run-in with a pig in Texas.

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FAVORITE STOP:

New York was so much fun because we have friends who live there and it’s always great to go out in the Big Apple.

 

BEHIND THE BAND NAME:

Emre just came up with it, it just popped into his head and nobody hated it. At one point we might have been called Parliament Of Owls. It’s a good thing that never happened.

 

PLAYING ON REPEAT:

Really into Nao, Kelela, and Mura Masa.

 

WHO THEY FOLLOW:

We love Peter Andre, Ariana Grande and Poorly Drawn Years who make really great drawings of us.

TRAVEL MUST-HAVES:

  1. Dirty laundry bag
  2. Frasier box set
  3. Nutribullet
  4. A picture of Stuwie the band mascot (Olly and Mikey’s cat)

 

MEMORY FROM THE ROAD:

When we were in Texas we saw a guy walking a pig across the street, that was pretty funny.

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