Kayhan Vaziri (Yautja)

Yautja plays lurching, uncomfortable music, so it is fitting that their new album is called "The Lurch." I first met Kayhan back in approximately 2010 when I was on tour with Weekend Nachos and we stayed at Kayhan's place in Birmingham, Alabama. At the time, Kayhan was in a band called Legion (funny enough), and since then has gone on to play in several excellent hardcore and metal projects like Coliseum, Die Young, and — of course — Yautja. Yautja's most recent record is fantastic, so I wanted to get Kayhan on the podcast to discuss how they write such weird but catchy songs. The conversation also took a detour into some of Kayhan's wild experiences working at his family's convenience store during a pandemic, so stick around for that as well. Learn more from Kayhan and Yautja here: Bandcamp: yautja.bandcamp.com Instagram: @yautjagram Facebook: @YautjaTN If you're enjoying the show, the best way to support it is by sharing with your friends. If you don't have any friends, why not a leave a review? It makes a difference in terms of other people finding the show. You can also subscribe to receive my e-mail newsletter at www.toddnief.com. Most of my writing never makes it to the blog, so get on that list. Show Notes: [01:29] The power of naming things "Legion" [06:50] Being viewed as an off-the-rails weirdo due to an interest in extreme music — and the differences between music, sci-fi, and fantasy fandoms [15:04] Getting into hardcore and punk, and the benefits of a mid-sized scene on creativity in Birmingham, Alabama [20:28] Straddling genre lines with Yautja and being the misfit band on most concert bills [29:17] The impacts of the country music industry on the Nashville underground music scene [35:07] Yautja's songwriting process — and the importance of rhythm, variations, and other subtleties in their compositions [47:17] Yautja plays difficult and weird riffs, but is not really a "technical" band [57:55] Yautja's plans as the US emerges from the pandemic [01:03:29] Kayhan's comical and frustrating experiences working in his family's convenience store during a pandemic [01:14:14] How to purchase "The Lurch" and support Yautja Links and Resources Mentioned: Weekend Nachos Legion Deicide "Legion" Integrity "Dawn of a new Apocalypse" Legion in popular culture Birmingham Legion FC The Home Despot Wish Machine Head "Burn My Eyes" Keep Staring I Might Do a Trick T-Shirt Doctor Who The Lord of the Rings Robert Jordan George R. R. Martin Darkman Virus (1999 film) In Defence Revocation Exhumed Rivers of Nihil Voivod "Dimension Hatröss" Morbid Angel "Formulas Fatal to the Flesh" Morbid Angel "Gateways to Annihilation" Hella Gnarwhal Mutilation Rites Alraune Steve Cloutier and Luc Lemay of Gorguts guitar lesson Gorguts "Obscura"