History

* July 1998 - August 2001

Stephen and Eric continued to write and occasionally perform together. However the band was on a break that appeared to be it's last. Slowly over time, and after a great deal of soul searching and brainstorming by all, Eric, Stephen and Craig began writing again. Finally, a newly reformed Ya-Ne-Zniyoo began performing once again in November 1999.

A conscious decision was made to change their basic concept of Ya-Ne-Zniyoo from an open minded "band" to an open minded "project". This freed them from the usual constraints inherent in the definition of a band and allowed them to perform using any orchestration they feel could work from one night to the next. Opening up a whole new area of creative expression.

Joining Eric, Stephen and Craig was Mark Pawlowski on Guitar and Backing Vocals. Mark has worked with the band before as an engineer on several recordings. His addition marks the first time that Ya-Ne-Zniyoo has had two full time guitarists.

What? No Drummer? Well, during this time.no. Though a fine drummer named Joe Massuci sat in from time to time, the foursome were writing material and performing mainly with mix of acoustic and electric guitars with varying degrees of effects. Plus, with Eric playing more acoustic guitar and Craig breaking out the old mandolin, this led to an interesting new collection of songs full of unconventional themes and more room for harmonic experimentation.

Ya-Ne-Zniyoo returned to the studio to record their drummer-less EP "Paid Platycake". They worked in the house of guitarist/engineer Stephen Massuci of the bands The Lost Patrol and Miss Crabtree.

This release contained 2 more tunes that would become favorites among bar patrons - Razor Dog and Skies of Gold. Also included was a new soundscape called Mental Breakdown Ala Mode.

Soon after the release of Paid Platycake, drummer Doug Hammond decided to return to the Garden State from Deep-in-the-Hearta-Texas. With a new outlook on sound and songwriting, the reintroduction of percussion to Ya-Ne-Zniyoo would prove to be quite interesting. Doug began working on creating percussive moods to fit the band's new outlook on sound and songrwriting. He began incorporating more exotic instruments and some electronics into the mix as well.

Doug's return was celebrated at a gig with Soulfist at the Boogie Box in Secaucus, NJ on 5/12/00. It was Ya-Ne-Zniyoo's first truly full out electric assault in almost 2 years and first show as a 5 piece ever. Unfortunately, soon after that show, Mark Pawlowski left the band citing creative and scheduling differences.

Eric and Stephen brought the acoustic Ya-Ne-Zniyoo sound to WE Fest (5/30/00) in beautiful Wilmington, NC. After a last minute cancelation, they were asked to do a set and no questions needed to be asked other than when and where to play. Having experienced this unique independent festival on several occasions, Stephen felt that it was an honor to be asked and it was a blast to perform. Jim Testa of Jersey Beat described the set as "...dark, harmonic, minor key folk rock with an edge"

Ya-Ne-Zniyoo continued to work primarily as an acoustic act during the latter part of 2000 into 2001. Not for lack of members though, this was by choice. They had decided that much of the new material was actually suffering from their old school balls-to-the-wall noise onslaught. So they continued to focus on this new sound they had been developing. The group became a regular attraction on the newly blossoming original acoustic music scene in the NY/NJ area.

Of course old habits are hard to break. Ya-Ne-Zniyoo members are all old school hard rockin' punks by nature. So, not wanting to completely abandon their cacophonic past, the group began to carefully combine the acoustic present and the electric past bringing about yet another twist to their sound. This new sound was publicly baptized late summer/early autumn at several art/music events at the Space in Bloomfield, NJ.