Yellowcard violinist Sean Mackin shines through a tough time and steps back into music with The Vans Warped Tour and Southern Air.
Pop-punk band Yellowcard has been providing what violinist Sean Mackin describes as “that summer and sunshine feeling” for over a decade with hits like “Ocean Avenue” and “Light Up the Sky.”
The five-member group from Jacksonville, Florida has been writing and recording songs since 1997, but during preparation for their eighth studio album, Southern Air, devastating news hit when Sean was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in December 2011. With the help of family and friends, after an invasive neck surgery and months of treatment, Sean didn’t hesitate to jump back into the music scene once recovered.
“I love playing music and our music has helped so many people as therapy; whether they’re dealing with similar things or something even greater or more scary,” he says. “If I can be some type of ray of light and say, ‘Hey I also know what it’s like to go through with it,’ and get to share my story with other people…I would absolutely do that.”
Staying true to his word, Sean was there to support and perform with his fellow band members and longtime friends at this year’s Vans Warped Tour.
“Our first run was in 2002, so [this year] marks 10 years with our band on the tour,” says Sean, during their stop in Toronto on July 15.
After wrapping up their main stage duties at Warped Tour, Yellowcard, along with their fans, are highly anticipating the release of Southern Air. “Everyone around the world has been tweeting us, so the excitement is really building.”
From the sound of “Always Summer”–which is their first song of the album–fans can expect yet another record that embodies Yellowcard’s original sound and passion.
The album is full of great tracks and listeners will be delighted to hear guest vocals from fellow Vans Warped Tour performers Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low and Tay Jardine from We Are In The Crowd. Powerful female vocals will also be included in the album, courtesy of Hey Monday’s Cassadee Pope.
So be sure to check out Yellowcard’s album Southern Air which will be released in stores and on iTunes on August 14 through Hopeless Records.
Sean Mackin of Yellowcard with Faze reporter Naomi Leanage
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