Jennifer Mullins from Musaholic Magazine had the chance to sit down with Yam Haus before their Atlanta show on October 19, 2023.
Photo Credit Of Jennifer Mullins
From the moment I walked into the greenroom, I felt welcomed and at ease with this group. Before the interview officially started, we talked about Halloween and horror movies where they complimented my pop socket (Jack Skellington) and asked my favorite scary movie (Terrifier 2).
The band is comprised of Lars Pruitt (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Zach Beinlich (bass, guitar, backup vocals), and Jake Felstow (drums), and was technically formed in 2017. 2019 saw tremendous growth for the band with the release of their album Stargazer. This eventually led them to appear on NBC's American Song Contest, as well as a record deal with Big Loud Records. They are currently on tour and released their latest EP, Stupid & Famous, on October 11, 2023.
When I first heard of this band, I pronounced the name completely wrong, using the more German pronunciation for "haus." It is in fact pronounced "Yam," like the vegetable and house. However, if you get it wrong like I did, the band won't be offended and will accept either way. This led into the question of how they came up with the name. Lead vocalist Lars stated they tried on several names before the final iteration we know today. The name is based off a house the lived in that they named Yam house. The Yam stands for "You Are Me" and is about being kind and a good person. Lars stated it's really not that deep, but I love the meaning behind it. Fun fact: Lars' guitar has a sticker that says "You Are Me!"
One word that kept popping up throughout the interview was the word "authentic." When asked why there was a move from a pop rock sound to an alt-rock sound with their latest EP, Lars stated it felt more authentic to the band. The writing process is also authentic to each band member and is a collaborative process. They want to make music that feels like them, and that means that each band member has input into the music.
Being on the road is tough, which is one thing they wish fans knew about touring. It's not always as glamourous as it seems. While the band is super appreciative of being able to do what they love, what we see on social media isn't always an accurate picture of what's going on behind the scenes. On the topic of touring, I asked what they do to relax/decompress during tour. All of them said they exercise, and Lars and Jake pray/meditate. Lars is also into ice baths as a way to relax! Check out their Instagram post here to see their self-care in action.
Photo credit Of Jennifer Mullins
They also have a cool ritual to get ready to go on stage: peppermint essential oil. Before each show, they like to put a few drops of peppermint essential oil in water to breathe it in. Unfortunately, Zach left their oil at a previous stop, so they weren't able to do that for this show. In addition to the breathing, while Zach doesn't do anything special other than this, Lars and Jake each have one other thing they do. Lars likes to take a minute to breathe and get into a headspace of appreciation for being able to perform. Jake does a few hand stretches, especially since he broke a finger once!
Towards the end of the interview, I asked if there was a bucket list venue they'd want to play. In unison, they all answered Red Rocks enthusiastically. Jake also mentioned he'd love to play Madison Square Garden, which they all agreed on. One last thing we discussed was tour food. They all eat healthy while on the road, but one thing they all enjoy as a tour food are French fries. Lars mentioned McDonald's fries, where he said when they're fresh and hot, they're the best, but once they're cold, they're the worst. I one thousand percent agree with Lars!
One thing I can say about this band is that they are all extremely talented. Not only that, but they are also all humble and appreciative of this journey, even on the hardest touring days. This is one band you need to check out and keep on your radar because I anticipate big things to come!
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