Yellow Pills is the solo project of bandleader Ryan Miera who is the person behind Chicago’s surf soul indie project The Limbos. However in recent years Yellow Pills his side project has taken on a life of it’s own. Doing well across the country on indie radio starting in 2021 with 2 LP’s: Space Age Inferno and Machines That Go Beep. As if that wasn’t enough Miera followed it up with 2022’s Too Many Metrics, 2023's Death By Elvis and his newest in the summer of 2023 Psycho Neon Ballroom. We caught up with one of Chicago's most prolific songwriters to chat about his newest release.
What are the essential qualities that make a good musician?
I definitely think just ultimately having it in your blood. It’s more simple than not. You just kinda have it or you don’t. It’s almost like a good actor or a comedian. You either have the timing and the understanding or you don’t.
What is the basis for writing music that stands out in the year 2023?
Hmmm.I think and probably just hope…. But I think people are more quick to notice stuff that doesn’t sound like it was made today. Not even with genres but just production. Things sound pretty repetitive after a while which is fine but it makes it difficult to tell it all apart. Especially when ANY dipshit can record anything and put it online in moments.
What is like working with an indie record label as opposed to working on your own?
It’s honestly been really really helpful. They simply have relationships with outfits that I don’t already have. Especially in Chicago where it can really start to seem built on nepotism more often than not.
What would you say are specific songs and songwriters that changed the way you write music?
Definitely Isaac Brock, Miles Davis, Kim Deal, Charles Thompson (Black Francis), Daniel Johnston, Mike Patton.
Do you find it hard to be inspired by artists that are younger than you or do you find instances of their energy being helpful motivation? Can you name any new artists you find inspiring?
Oh, it’s not hard at all. If somebody is doing something that I find great, then it’s great. An instance that definitely sticks out to me was my old band were on a short tour and doing a show in Minneapolis. There was a solo act before us called Idiots on Fire. It was just this fellow who had an acoustic guitar, wrapped christmas lights around himself and performed these outstanding songs. His sound reminded me of the stuff Simon Joyner recorded in the early 90’s. It was really impressive and inspiring.
For your current release what was some of the lyrical content, title of the album and overall vibe inspired by?
It was admittedly just a lot of stuff I had sitting around and wanted to get if off my computer. I had ignored so much of it for a few years. Then I listened to it and realized that it wasn’t as bad as I assumed. So I sent it to Mint 400 and they thankfully put it out.
Do you find you pine over writing songs and hold on to them a long time before including them on a record or do you prefer to write them, get them out and then be done with them? Do you ever re-visit old material to do a re-write or once it's done it's done?
That’s sort of what I did with this current release. But to answer your question, ultimately no. I usually prefer to do them, get them out. Then move on. Having them sit around is pretty out of the ordinary for me. That’s why with this current release, I just got them ALL out to have a clean slate.
For your future endeavors do you plan to take anything, like lessons learned whether it be in the songwriting or recording process from this current record into the next project?
No. I’m pretty satisfied with how I operate. It’s at the speed I’d like to go.
FROM ‘PSYCHO NEON BALLROOM’ BY YELLOW PILLS “R IS FOR RAD”
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