Blogs > Indie Outing (the secret jambands roots of indie rockers)

Indie Outing: Yeasayer

Name: Ira Wolf Tuton

Band: Yeasayer

Indie-Jam connection: The Ally was one of the more promising bands to emerge from Philadelphia’s burgeoning jam-scene in the late ‘90s. Mixing elements of electronic music, reggae, pop and jam with tight song-craft, the band was a mainstay on the Northeast club circuit and toured nationally through the 2003. The band also developed a close friendship with fellow University of Pennsylvania alums the Disco Biscuits and shared the several with the band at several shows and festivals, including an early Camp Bisco. Violinist John Kim and drummer Mike Greenfield both sat in with the band several times while Greenfield and bassist Ira Wolf Tuton spent time in some Disco Biscuits side projects. Though the Ally hasn’t performed together for several years, at least three of the band’s core members still perform professionally: Tuton plays in the psych-leaning indie band Yeasayer, Greenfield drums for Lotus and guitarist Eric Zeiler leads the successful indie pop band Xylos.

Notable jam moments:

Tuton played in several side projects associated with the jamband world, including the Cookie Dusters with Greenfield, Disco Biscuits guitarist Jon Gutwillig and Duo/Furthur drummer Joe Russo. Adding to the band’s indie cred, before Williamsburg, NY was the busting metropolis it is today, the group actual played an early gig at the original Galapagos club (here’s a Jambands.com review of the show ) . Tuton and Greenfield also backed Gutwillig in his short-lived club Amoeba

Lot Talk: “We weren’t worried about being a hip-hop group or a metal or a jamband,” Ira Tuton says of Yeasayer’s recording process, Relix.