A quick word with… The Young Republic
It’s been a good eight months since there’s been any mention of The Young Republic on here, which must be some sort of record. So it’s time for an update. They’ve been busy - trying to crack their home country, recording not one, but two albums, changing line-ups (bye Nate and Bob, hello Wes) and moving to somewhere called Sky Mountain in Tennessee. If that all sounds a bit Oh Brother Where Art Thou, just wait till you hear their new ol’ time country and bluegrass album, naturally called Music From Sky Mountain. It’s all good stuff. The other album is Hipster Blues and British Birds and contains the Panda Bear-baiting Hipster Blues and a song all about Abi from the Zutons.
Anyway, enough waffle from me. I’ll leave it to frontman Julian Saporiti himself to fill us in on some more of the happenings in camp YR.
I last saw you on the last night of your UK tour in November. There seems to have been a lot happening since then - what’s been going on?
I suppose that was less than a year ago but it seems ages longer. We’ve really taken the time to make a home up on Sky Mountain here in Tennessee. When we’re not on the road, we’re constantly recording new records for ourselves or other bands in our studio.
How have you been going down across your homeland?
After spending a couple of years mostly concentrating on the UK, we’ve made an effort to try and tour around the states more. We’re starting to see the fruits of our labor pay off I suppose, but like with all things YOUNG REPUBLIC, it’s a slow and steady climb. It sure is good time though.
Two new albums this year - have you hit a purple patch of songwriting and recording form?
No purple patches, just the same ol’, same ol’. I reckon having our own studio and micro-label allows us to record a record (or two or three) when we feel like it and then press it up and sell it online or at shows without waiting three months or a year to time the release. That’s nice.










