Yea-Ming Chen of Oakland-based band Yea-Ming and The Rumours dropped by Funemployment today to talk to BFF.fm DJ Suldrew about the bands’ new singles, their upcoming record, Yea-Ming's influences, and her fave nonalcoholic beverages. Listen in to the full episode, and enjoy some conversational clips below:
Can you tell us what your new single, “Somebody’s Daughter,” is about?
The song is basically about a real life experience of me on a plane. I was really depressed, and I saw a mom and her, like, toddler daughter. She was really, really innocent and cute, and she looked out the window and said, “Look, we're in the clouds!” At that moment, I was just really affected because I was feeling depressed and like I wasn't good enough for this world and the way she said that was like this perspective that I haven't felt in a long time. So that's pretty much what the song is about.
I Can’t Have It All is the name of your new album and a song on the album. Can you tell me a little bit about “I Can’t Have It All,” the song and the album?
The song is really a response song to Yo La Tango’s cover of “You Can Have It All,” the original artist was George McCrae, which is also a very beautiful version of that song. But it's a response, and it’s about basically realizing that I can't have it all. It was written after a tough breakup when I didn't get what I wanted.
Sorry to hear that.
That's okay. It happens to everyone.
It does, and breakup songs are a great theme.
That’s true, they’re my favorite theme. The record has 12 songs on it, and about eight out of 12 of those songs are probably breakup songs.
Speaking of rumors, I heard a rumor that we can see you in Oakland soon. There's a show coming up called Oakland Weekender. Tell me about that!
Yeah, Oakland Weekender is a three day indie pop festival that happens annually in Oakland. There's always a bunch of great bands, usually a lot of Slumberland bands. It’s June 6-8 this year, and we're playing on Saturday, June 8 at Thee Stork Club.
How’d you get into indie pop and what are some of your influences?
Well, I grew up listening to Live 105 alternative radio. I also got into Lookout Records in my teens, so I really got introduced to alternative and punk that way. Then I started working at Rasputin Music in my 20s, and I sort of discovered indie pop through that and through the punk world. My big influences…definitely Yo La Tengo and Camera Obscura, Teenage Fanclub…a lot of 90s stuff. I loved Weezer when I was a kid.
You must do an amazing Weezer cover.
I should! My password…my OLD password was based on an old Weezer song. [Laughs]
I hope you changed it. Nobody try to break into Yea-Ming’s stuff with old Weezer song passwords!
Yeah, don't do that!
So today's theme on Funemployment is “NA.” We were thinking about some of the amazing new nonalcoholic beverages. What's your favorite nonalcoholic beverage?
Wow…I love oat milk in my cereal. [Laughs] I love coffee. Oat milk lattes. I just found out they’re making a NA White Claw. [Laughs] Which is crazy…
What! What is that? Isn’t that LaCroix?
It’s not LaCroix! That’s the thing. Bobby, who runs Dandy Boy Records, is very adamant that it is not LaCroix; it’s not just soda water. It tastes like White Claw. I don’t know. It’s a thing, but I'm not the one to explain it to you. [Laughs]
Listen to the full Funemployment episode for more songs and musings about NA bevvies! See Yea-Ming and The Rumours at Oakland Weekender on June 8; tickets and details here. Can’t wait a whole month? Yea-Ming and her band are playing at the Little Hill Lounge in El Cerrito tomorrow, May 11!
I Can’t Have It All drops May 24 via Dandy Boy Records.Long-time fan of community radio and music writer/appreciator, now a proud Bestie, BFF.fm Board Member, and Chair of the station's Content Marketing Sub-Committee ✨
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