Indie rock pioneers Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are celebrating 20 years with a special reissue. But what's the real story behind their unconventional rise to fame? In this episode of LaunchLeft, host Rain Phoenix and CYHSY frontman Alec Ounsworth, meet at Licorice Pizza in Studio City to unpack the band's journey from DIY darlings to indie rock icons. They touch on CYHSY's decision to remain unsigned. It wasn't just about rebellion, it was a commitment to artistic integrity that shaped their entire career. Ounsworth candidly discusses how his stubborn streak both helped and hindered the band's trajectory. Twenty years on, Alec reflects on how his views on collaboration and the music industry have matured. Alec then launches the up-and-coming Philly band Knifeplay, who'll be supporting CYHSY on tour. The generational exchange offers a fascinating glimpse into how the indie landscape has shifted. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolution of indie music and the challenges of maintaining artistic authenticity in a changing industry.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

(00:00) Intro: LaunchLeft podcast with Rain Phoenix

(05:03) Early 2000s indie music scene and industry changes

(10:27) Alec's approach to independence and a discussion about self-sabotage

(15:00) CHYSY’s approach to music videos

(20:55) Alec's songwriting process and lyrical influences

(31:40) Knifeplay is launched and TJ joins the conversation

(34:58) TJ's musical influences and background

(37:37) Using social media as musicians in a digital landscape

(43:24) TJ's balanced approach to using social media

(48:40) Authenticity and sustainability in music careers

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

Maintaining artistic integrity can be challenging but is crucial for genuine connection with audiences.

The music industry has seen significant changes, making it harder for new artists to break through. Collaboration can be a way for artists to promote each other and expand their audience.

Social media presents both opportunities and challenges for musicians striving to balance authenticity with promotion.

RESOURCE LINKS: 

LaunchLeft Podcast Smart Link

CYHSY LINKS:

https://www.cyhsy.com/

https://www.facebook.com/clapyourhandssayyeah

https://www.instagram.com/clapyourhandssayyeah/

https://www.youtube.com/clapyourhandssayyeah

Knifeplay Links:

http://instagram.com/knifeplay_music/

BIOGRAPHIES: 

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah celebrate the 20th anniversary of their landmark self-titled debut album throughout 2025 with a worldwide tour performing the album in its entirety alongside other surprises, and an exclusive new reissue.

A heady blend of leftfield pop and melodic, exuberant indie rock, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is unquestionably among the finest and most influential independent releases of the 2000s. The celebration officially gets underway with the premiere of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s original 2004 version of the fan favorite, “Heavy Metal”. The newly remixed and mastered track was recently discovered among the original project files and captures what Clap Your Hands Say Yeah founder and frontman Alec Ounsworth calls “a special moment in time – a young group of guys all piling into one hotel room to wake up and go to a real studio (!) to try to come up with something special just for the fun of it.” 

In addition to the digital anniversary release featuring the original version of “Heavy Metal,” a special deluxe reissue will arrive on limited edition vinyl LP in early 2025, released on CYHSY’s own label via Secretly Distribution, the defiantly independent home to over two decades of Alec Ounsworth’s music.

Knifeplay is a band that eludes definition, existing somewhere between the nihilistic detachment of shoegaze and the emotional honesty of folk songwriting. Originally a solo bedroom recording project of Tj Strohmer’s, they’ve made a slow and careful shift into a collaborative, production focused, studio recorded band. Through their ever-expanding genre palette, range of fidelities, and long list of collaborators runs a unique current that ties everything together.

Informed by his experiences living in Philadelphia and their contrast with his rural southern Maryland upbringing, Strohmer’s sometimes straightforward, sometimes dreamlike, but always philosophical lyrics feature scenes of darkness from many different aspects of life. He deals with themes of death, drugs, heartbreak, abuse, and self-destruction, all expressed through a delicate vocal style, which, combined with the band’s lush orchestral instrumentation gives a beautiful lightness to the heavy subject matter.

Since their 2017 debut of home-recorded EPs, Knifeplay have earned a dedicated cult following through acclaimed debut album Pearlty (2019) and a lengthy B-Sides Compilation (2020), all either self-released or through small run tape labels. In 2021 they entered the studio with producer Jeff Zeigler, known for his work with Kurt Vile, Nothing, The War on Drugs, and more, first producing the Hurt Someone EP (Born Losers Records) before recording their upcoming sophomore full-length, Animal Drowning, to be released via Topshelf Records on October 19, 2022.