Timeline: April 1992 Location: Bobby Brown’s, Mansfield Road, Nottingham
As legendary Nottingham band The Yons trooped off the stage leaving the audience exhausted and exhilarated after another blistering set, few could have predicted (who would have wanted to?) that this would be the last anyone saw of the band. Few, that is, except the band themselves. Yes they had never sounded better, tighter. Yes the new number, Get Me Into Country, had seen the crowd explode in a frenzy. Yes the rhythm guitarist’s inability to tune a sodding guitar properly made the thing I just wrote about them never sounding better a bit wide of the mark. But pressures within the group were pulling the members apart, calling them in different directions….
Timeline: Today
25 years on and much has changed. Where Bobby Brown’s once stood, beckoning thrill hungry music lovers in through its doors, there is now a board game/trading card cafe. Offering an range of Chad Valley type experiences, it’s a one-stop shop for all your cake and board game needs and they can tailor your consumer experience to your requirements. They might even have Totopoly. But I digress…
The world may have turned many thousands of times since that night at Bobby Brown’s, but The Yons never really went away. To the band members The Yons always felt like unfinished business. Rumours of reunions occasionally surfaced over the years but nothing concrete emerged. In the background, however, guitarist Vinnie had been harnessing 21st century technology to revisit and revamp old tunes and craft new ones encouraged and aided by bassist Al. When vocalist Jon and drummer Paul heard the results they knew that they had to be on board. The team was nearly complete. Nearly, but not quite.
Old college friend, Yons fan and legend in his own right Chris Morgan (of The Deddingtons, Saltbox and Reporters fame) wanted in and the rest of the band knew that he would complete the picture, so in he was, both feet. Now work could commence in earnest.
So The Yons are back in the rehearsal room, soon to be back in the recording studio and, most importantly, soon to be back on stage. It’s been 25 years but it’s like they’ve never been away.
lyrics
TWELFTHS
(Verse 1)
There's a light from your open door
That shines out beyond the shore
Safe harbour this Christmas night
From the storm
Who journeyed far over sea
Returns now on bended knee
Unyoked from sorry
And bidden by joy
When I saw your star call
(Chorus)
So tell me your dreams for the Twelfths
Tell me your hopes for the Twelfths will come true
The gifts that I bring are promises too
Back from the brink
So tell me your dreams for the Twelfths
Tell me your hopes for the Twelfths will come true
The gifts that you bring
Uncover the thing that true lovers do
(Verse 2)
I barely escaped from the net
Entangled, an unholy mess
But you held out for passion
And I took your hand
When I saw your star land
(Chorus)
So tell me your dreams for the Twelfths
Tell me your dreams for the Twelfths will come true
The gifts that I bring are promises too
Back from the brink
Oh tell me your dreams for the Twelfths
Tell me your dreams for the Twelfths will come true
The gifts that you bring uncover the thing
That true lovers do
(Repeat Chorus)
credits
from Unknown Presents,
released December 13, 2017
Reformed after a 25 Year hiatus, The Yons are a Nottingham tour de force. Alt-Country, Alt-everything. This is the essence of the festive season.
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