Young Kato are an indie six-piece from Cheltenham, who are soaring right now. Just last week they announced a headlining tour for November, which is their biggest tour yet, so it’s looking very good for these guys. Currently in the process of recording and putting their début album together, and on the brink of dropping a new EP also, called the Drink, Dance, Play EP, out 14th October. They are all go right now and it couldn’t be happening to a better band, they are just the burst of fun and energy that makes the music industry so exciting and I can’t wait to hear more from these guys.
I caught up with the band’s guitarist and songwriter, Joe Green, to discuss everything from who they’d love to collaborate with and the juicy details about their upcoming début album, read on to hear what he said.
Can you give us a brief history of how you came together as a band?
It was a joining of two friendship groups connected by a pair of step brothers.
Describe Young Kato in three words or less.
It sounds so cheesy but it’s got to be drink, dance, play.
You just recently filmed a new music video for your next single that currently remains a mystery. Could you let us in on the name of the new single?
It’s actually a re-release of a song we put out nearly two years ago. A lots changed for us since then and being given the opportunities we’ve had we felt it was right to give it the platform it deserved. So, we’re re-releasing Drink, Dance, Play.
In the space of two short years, you have not only released your début EP, 2 brilliant singles and gone on two successful headlining tours across the UK. It must have been quite a whirlwind for you guys to achieve so much, so fast?
Yeah we’ve been incredibly lucky. It sounds cliché but every now and then I have to step back and remind myself how far we’ve come as a band.
You’ve been working away in the studio over the past month or so, starting the recording process for your début album. How’s that been going? How’s it sounding? Has your sound changed much since the Young Kato EP came out?
Personally, it was a bit daunting at first, going into the studio to start our début album with a producer who was top of our wish list. It’s sounding even better than I thought it would and we’ve already established a relationship with Dan (our producer) where he just gets what we’re trying to achieve. The first session was an incredibly harmonious process and I’m so excited about the next time we’re in the studio. I don’t think the sound has changed massively since our E.P came out last year. However, I think our song writing craft has improved and we’ve matured more as musicians. We’re not as stubborn and can take influences further afield than the music we were listening to a year and a half ago.
When can we be expecting to hear it?
Hopefully, early next year sometime.
How many songs have you currently wrote for the album?
We have around 13/14 songs we want on the album but we’re always writing. I’m always paranoid that we’ll finish it and then write something better straight away and not be able to put it on.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would that be and why?
You haven’t limited me to dead or alive so I’ll give you both. An artist I’d like to collaborate with who’s dead has got to be John Lennon. Ever since I properly got into music, specifically writing music, he’s someone I’ve looked up to massively. Alive I would say Rae Morris, her voice is incredible and I’ve been a fan of hers for quite a while. I think her voice would sound really cool on a track of ours.
We’re big supporters of new music here at Bitter Sweet Symphonies. Having said that, are there any new artists that have caught your attention recently that you’d like to share with us?
We played a local festival called Barn on the Farm, which we love and is an amazing small intimate festival. Before we played I managed to catch James Bay. I think he’s hugely talented.
You’ve been storming the festival circuit this summer. Do you have a favourite festival that you’ve played this year? Any crowds that have stood out the most?
I think Y Not festival was pretty special. It was the one I was looking forward to the most this summer due to the line up. Not only that, but the amount of people who came to see us was unreal. I really didn’t expect it at all and we packed the tent out.
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A special thanks to Young Kato for this interview and for more info on the band, check out the following links below.
