About Us
The Blue Yellows;
“This will get in your head” – BBC Introducing.
“Vaudevillian garage-rock” – Here Comes the Flood.
“Joyous” – The Musician Magazine.
“A pronounced but un-histrionic soulfulness… commendably uninterested in fashion.. songs are passionate, humorous, communal sounding expressions, engaging”- Oliver Arditi.
The Blue Yellows are an original alternative rock band of both intensity and tenderness with influences ranging from folk to grunge. They have performed many a venue and festival including the Words and Music Festival, The Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, Nantwich Jazz Festival and many more.
New release ‘A Minute in the Sun’, finely produced by Manu Arteaga is a richly felt and executed EP considered by the band to be by far their best recorded work yet, the fact that it was recorded one-by-one when Covid lockdown conditions allowed does not seem to have diminished it’s tenderness or richness of spirit. The EP is described by The Musician Magazine as comprising of “busy, fractious compositions with sixties tinges... a good old fashioned wigout!"
This followed Kitchen Sessions which focused on live and session tracks recorded in a variety of locations often rehearsed and even mixed on one occasion in Keyboardist Em's kitchen, this being the follow up to their debut EP All These Things Right Now described by Here Comes the Flood as 'quirky rock from the UK with powerful voice and good-time backing vocals' and Radicals Rising as being 'stamped with affection and originality'.
Compared to artists as diverse at The Dandy Warhols, Bombay Bicycle Club, Neil Young's Crazy Horse, The The, The Cardigans, Low and more.
The first album 'All These Things Right Now' included the infamous earmarm 'No Tobacco, No Jesus' which was declared the 'Sound of the Summer' at Six Towns Radio.
UK edgy folk-rock. Jaunty melodies, acerbic lyrics, earthy and organic music with influences from World, U.S. West-coast rock, Blues & Grunge. Critically well acclaimed debut EP. Jonathan Tarplee has written music used by the BBC and the SAS (Surfers Against Sewerage!). He has supported the likes of Nick Harper & Atila the Stockbroker and played key festivals all over the UK.
What others have said; "Rare vocal tone, melodies performed tenderly by the whole group" - Radicals Rising. "Powerful voice, good-time backing vocals" Here Comes The Flood. "Beautifully crafted songs with bite and edge"- Mind, Body & Boogie festival. "Great guitar work" - Chronicle Newspapers. "Powerful lyrics and absorbing melodies" - Nigel Stonier. "In all honesty the closest I've seen in recent times to a passionate vocal like this (John Martyn) was Jonathan Tarplee and The BlueYellows", "Great..passionate vocals, live music goodness!;- The Hop Pole. "Fine, powerful and melodic guitaring" - F. Scott Corrigan. “I recently saw you perform live and was really inspired” (email). fantastic guitar playing!" (facebook comment).
Interesting facts;
Jonathan lives on a boat, was a zoo-keeper at one time & also met the Dalai Lama unexpectedly.
Emma ran away to join the circus for a few years (no, really).
Simon's house is like a lab, he is working on perpetual motion & alchemy among other things.
Dave is officially described as a 'Ranger, author, druid & Rock God'!
“Intense”, “Melodic”, “Quirky”, just some of the words in regular use to describe The BlueYellows since they played their first gig. Their sound is a blend of styles containing influences from The Blues, Folk, Rock and with an edge that hints at 90s grunge. The diversity in their songs has elicited comparisons with artists as different various as The The, Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers and The Dandy Warhols.
Singer/Guitarist Jonathan Tarplee fronts the band (he has previously supported Nick Harper and written music used by the BBC and Surfers Against Sewerage amongst other things), ethereal keyboards, backing vocals and occasional accordion are supplied by the classically trained Emma Alcock, elastic, walking bass strings emanate from Simon Taylor and the pounding rhythm's of Dave 'The Groove' Coomer on drums combine to form a set comprised of everything from quirky, acoustic ditties to full on post-apocalyptic rock-outs. Whether it’s major rock venue or an intimate corner of a folk club, they always play live with a passion, emotion and intensity, as if it were the last thing they do on Earth.
Jonathan Tarplee-Guitar/Vocals
Emma Alcock- Keyboards/Accordion/Backing vocals
Simon Taylor- Bass
Dave Coomer - Drums.
Former Drummer/Backing Vocalist Hayley Worsdale has provided the artwork for the album due early 2019!
Contact info;
email; blueyellows@live.co.uk
Phone/txt - Jonathan Tarplee on (+44)7806 874235
Jonathan Tarplee - Short Biog;
Songs described by The Musician Magazine as containing idiosyncratic yet highly articulate lyrics married with welcoming guitar melodies. Jonathan Tarplee is perhaps the alternative-universe stem-cell product of Neil Young & Jonathan Richman. An intense artist of emotional, memorable and sometimes quirky songs. Jonathan has released critically acclaimed music and had his tunes used by the BBC and the SAS (Surfers Again Sewerage) among others.
Jonathan had initial success when a BBC Horizon show used some of his work for incidental music and shortly afterwards the S.A.S (Surfers Against Sewerage not the other one!) utilized a song for a video soundtrack. He went on to perform in bands and solo shows supporting the likes of Nick Harper and Attila the Stockbroker and playing venues mainly around the North including The Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival, The Greystones, Liverpool International Festival, The International Eisteddfod (Folk-Friday), The Lomax, The Nantwich Words & Music Festival, Manchester's Northern Quarter and so on.
His song No Tobacco, No Jesus, an infectious earworm with his band The Blue Yellows, became the summer anthem of 6 Towns Radio before Jonathan re-emerged with his solo album as a contemporary, edgy folk-troubadour with a soulful intensity.
Sounds like (according to others); Jonathan Richman, The Dandy Warhols, John Martyn, Neil Young, The The.
Email; BYs Management at blueyellows@live.co.uk
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