Young Culture uplifts listeners and is making waves around the world

Photo credit: Dan Cohen.

Daily Reggae caught up with Richie Blake and Stevie Young from the amazing UK-based reggae band, Young Culture to learn about the band’s new EP, touring with icons like UB40, and the band’s passion creating and performing music.

It’s so great to connect with you. We are absolutely loving your new single, “All My Days”. It has such an incredible groove and I love your band’s sound! How did this song come together and what does it mean to you?

Richie Blake: Stevie and John put together the foundations of the song, and then my writing process - which is usually listening to an arrangement for a long time before laying lyrics down - the chorus just sang out to me, came about pretty quickly.

Like the EP the writing of ‘All My Days’ has been slightly different to before, in that we all came up with our parts separately, over some time.

The first verse is about telling people to wise up, while the second verse describes who I am as a Rasta with praise to His Imperial Majesty. This song means a great deal to me. Since 2013, the deeper and deeper I’ve got into Rastafarianism. So the tune reflects my thoughts and the message I want to send - not just for now but all my life. I have to believe in what I’m saying, or the song wouldn’t be written.

Stevie Young: In terms of writing, originally we followed the same formula where I think of a chord pattern and drum beat and thinking of a bassline. But on the day we went in with uptempo and major keys.

The demo is different to the final track now. Angus and John added the chord change in the bridge which is a nice touch, and Richie does his thing on lyrics and melodies.

Speaking of new music, it’s so cool that your new EP, “Hard Times” is soon to release! Tell us about a fun memory that stands out during the recording process!

Stevie Young: We had a good time recording at Birimingham’s Summerfield Studios and then finished it off at UB40’s old Coventry studio...a good memory was that I took my son with me when we laid keys and guitar down there.

My son loves dancing and our music, so when we were recording he was really getting in to it, and still loves the song.

Young Culture has such a powerful sound! How do you keep your eight-piece band in cohesion and where is band practice held these days?

Richie Blake: First and foremost we give thanks for the kind words, it means a lot hearing what people think and feel about our sound.

We’re a family before we are a band. It’s hard for us to be separated, we’re all linked up in a certain way - some of us have allotments together, and there are longstanding friendships and relatives in Young Culture.

We don’t get that much time to rehearse together but when we do, it’s magical thanks to the calibre of musicians in the band.

We’re lucky that we’re a group of musicians who are quite militant in that when we get together we get the job done!

It’s amazing that you’ll be touring with the legendary UB40 this winter! How has your band’s live sound evolved and grown over the years?

Richie Blake: Our sound has grown tremendously over the years, with multiple line-ups - I was on the drums at the start, and we’ve had multiple guest and backing singers.

Our Aunty Kate and Robbie Melody - a music teacher and touring musician, - along with Stevie, they’re solid and bring confidence. Pat’s lead lines on guitar kill it too, which elevated us a step to reach roots rock reggae.

We’ve been able to play unreleased songs out raw, record it live, and play it again - taking it up a level each time.

My rehearsals are usually at live performances! There was a time in my life when I was a little shy and so quite happy to DJ or drum, but that moment has passed me and I’m on a spiritual road - this was written for me so I’ve stepped into it, and stepped up.

I’ve come to the realisation that when I’m standing on stage it’s not about me, or even the band, but the vibrations, how we uplift people and through what message. Thats humbling, and there’s no going back.

Stevie Young: Watching artists like Protoje or Steel Pulse over the years, you see how those acts are always changing their style, bringing new sounds in.

We try the same, through samples and electronic drums. But you never know what influences are going to take you where - we just keep pushing forward.

Who are some reggae artists that the band are jamming to these days and any dream collaborations that you’d like to see through in the future?

Richie Blake: We’re an eight-piece band so everyone has their influences! Aunty Cate listens to Country and Western, Stevie and I still love Protoje, Chronixx, Sizzla, Capleton, and Jesse Royal - he is a big artist for me, and I’d love to collaborate with him.

Stevie Young: Samurai has really good vibes going on, Mortimer, Protoje, Lila Ike - anything coming out of the Jamaican modern roots scene.

Plus here in the UK, Solo Banton and YT - who we will hopefully be collaborating with soon.

We’ll keep making our own waves and catching attention and seeing if people want to jump on with us on our journey!