Y&T officially announces that Brad Lang will be joining the band on bass guitar. Those who have witnessed Brad's infectious energy on stages around the world during last year's Facemelter tour -- as he so graciously subbed for Phil Kennemore -- know how much he brings to the band. Original Y&T bassist Phil Kennemore passed away from lung cancer on January 7, 2011.
When contemplating the future of Y&T vocalist Dave Meniketti said, "I have been thinking a lot in the last 8 months as to how I would feel about Y&T and what might happen to this band when Phil were to pass. I've had so many feelings and scenarios that have gone on in my head, tearing at me in many different ways, but I always seemed to come back to the same conclusion. However, before I was prepared to make any hard and fast decisions I also wanted to know how Phil felt about this as well. So we talked about this exact thing, alone, during his last months of life on this planet. I suspected what he would have said, but I wanted to hear it from his lips and feel it from his heart. Put simply, Phil expressed to me with no uncertainty that he wished Y&T to go on, no matter what happened to him. I understood, because we are lifetime Y&T people and lifelong musicians. This is what we know and where we have received much of our joy throughout our lives. There is so much of us invested in Y&T, and I don't mean monetarily, but emotionally and spiritually. This band has always had a special life force that is hard to describe, but has had a hold on us for almost 4 decades. This relationship we have had with ourselves, the band members, and the fans is what everyone always hopes for in their lives - a job to be proud of and look forward to.
Now, having said that I also questioned any decision to continue, regardless of all of the above, simply because I know how I had felt about other bands that have continued to play with only 1 remaining original member and wondered if I wasn't going to be a hypocrite by holding this band to a different criteria. Well maybe I am, but the bottom line, as many of us have come to as a life lesson, is that many times you can't truly understand a situation until you actually experience it first hand.
So... with current experiences in hand, I have made my decision to continue with Y&T. As quickly as I say this, I am also a realist, and if the fans seem to lose interest in the band, so be it, I will move on and do something else. However, if we continue to go along how it has been without Phil so far, then I feel privileged to continue to bring the music to the people, along with John, Mike and Brad.
I know that some have already said and will continue to say "The band isn't the same any longer", etc, etc. I don't need to elaborate, you all know what folks will say and have said, in front of us and in private. I understand it because I've heard it all before - in fact on and off for the last 25 years, since we let Leonard, Joey, and others go throughout our long career. Though it's been a dagger thrown at us for many years, we learned to deal with it.
So come on out to the shows and let's share in some great moments together. Now, more than ever, we all need to have some happy and positive experiences in our lives and music is one of those things that has the ability to deliver that in spades, especially at a live performance. There's nothing that says it better than as Phil so eloquently coined on our new CD - On With The Show!"
When contemplating the future of Y&T vocalist Dave Meniketti said, "I have been thinking a lot in the last 8 months as to how I would feel about Y&T and what might happen to this band when Phil were to pass. I've had so many feelings and scenarios that have gone on in my head, tearing at me in many different ways, but I always seemed to come back to the same conclusion. However, before I was prepared to make any hard and fast decisions I also wanted to know how Phil felt about this as well. So we talked about this exact thing, alone, during his last months of life on this planet. I suspected what he would have said, but I wanted to hear it from his lips and feel it from his heart. Put simply, Phil expressed to me with no uncertainty that he wished Y&T to go on, no matter what happened to him. I understood, because we are lifetime Y&T people and lifelong musicians. This is what we know and where we have received much of our joy throughout our lives. There is so much of us invested in Y&T, and I don't mean monetarily, but emotionally and spiritually. This band has always had a special life force that is hard to describe, but has had a hold on us for almost 4 decades. This relationship we have had with ourselves, the band members, and the fans is what everyone always hopes for in their lives - a job to be proud of and look forward to.
So... with current experiences in hand, I have made my decision to continue with Y&T. As quickly as I say this, I am also a realist, and if the fans seem to lose interest in the band, so be it, I will move on and do something else. However, if we continue to go along how it has been without Phil so far, then I feel privileged to continue to bring the music to the people, along with John, Mike and Brad.
I know that some have already said and will continue to say "The band isn't the same any longer", etc, etc. I don't need to elaborate, you all know what folks will say and have said, in front of us and in private. I understand it because I've heard it all before - in fact on and off for the last 25 years, since we let Leonard, Joey, and others go throughout our long career. Though it's been a dagger thrown at us for many years, we learned to deal with it.
So come on out to the shows and let's share in some great moments together. Now, more than ever, we all need to have some happy and positive experiences in our lives and music is one of those things that has the ability to deliver that in spades, especially at a live performance. There's nothing that says it better than as Phil so eloquently coined on our new CD - On With The Show!"
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