Cast your mind back to the summer of 2003. Arnold Schwarzenegger had entered the world of politics. Pauline Hanson had entered the world of prison. Over in sunny Jacksonville, an aspiring pop-punk band was set to release their major-label debut after a few years of trying to make a name for themselves.
That band was Yellowcard, and the album in question – Ocean Avenue – would go on to platinum sales and a legacy as one of the most beloved albums of the genre that decade. Fifteen years on, Yellowcard are no more – and their former frontman, William Ryan Key, still has no idea how it all happened.
“We had absolutely no idea,” the singer-songwriter confesses when queried on the album’s success on the eve of its 15th anniversary.
“Even while we were making the album, we were blown away by what was happening to our band. We had this huge budget, making an album at this amazing studio in Hollywood, getting it mixed by this guy [Tom Lord-Alge] who’d worked on all these records that we loved. It was the big time for us. We weren’t thinking about hit songs or anything like that, or being at the VMAs. Everything that happened after the album is a dream come true – that album is the reason I still get to do what I do.”
Since the end of Yellowcard last year, Key has moved into the realm of solo troubadour. His debut EP under his own name, entitled Thirteen, was released last month. It sees Key exploring a more restrained, focused and delicate side of his songwriting, stripping back to bare-bones arrangements and emotional-core lyricism.
“There’s a lot of freedom that comes with doing this,” Key says. “This doesn’t have to sound like Yellowcard, or anything like people expect it to. I think genre limits artists – there’s always an expectation there when you’re associated with one. I don’t care about it. I’m trying to develop a sound that’s my own, and if I’m going to keep creating music, then that’s something I have to do.”
The move into solo work was initially sparked thanks to Key’s work with old friends and fellow pop-punk cohorts New Found Glory. Key was asked to join the band as a touring guitarist and keyboardist for a run of shows across North America – and, at the same time, was also asked to serve double duty by opening the show each night playing solo.
“When I was asked to do that, I knew I didn’t want to just get up and play all the nostalgic hits every night,” Key says.
“That’s not to do with any ill will towards Yellowcard – I’m never going to get away with playing a show with ‘Ocean Avenue’ not on the setlist. The fact of the matter though, is that I’m not in Yellowcard anymore. Getting up every night and just playing old songs felt redundant to me. It was more exciting to me to use this opportunity to jump off that ledge and do something new.”
On the back of Thirteen, Key is now stepping out as a headlining act. This includes a visit to Australia next month, where he’ll play songs old and new for one of his most dedicated international audiences. He’s notably excited for his maiden voyage Down Under as a solo artist. “Australia has always been one of my strongholds,” he says.
“I’m really looking forward to building a new career there, even though I know it’s going to be a bit of a transition. Yellowcard shows were always big rock shows – you get together with your friends, get a few beers, have a conversation, yell out, have fun, all that sort of thing. It’s obviously an incredibly different environment when you’re going to a singer-songwriter show. A lot of Yellowcard fans won’t be used to that, and I totally get it. I just hope they can all make the crossover with me, and still be able to enjoy themselves.”
