If By Yes is the latest project from the multi-talented Petra Haden. The band’s debut, Salt On Sea Glass (Chimera), took almost a decade to make and features Haden collaborating with Yuka Honda (Cibo Matto) and Hirotaka “Shimmy” Shimizu and Yuko Araki (Cornelius), as well as guests such as David Byrne and Nels Cline (Wilco). Haden is the daughter of jazz legend Charlie Haden and the sibling of musicians Rachel, Tanya (the sisters are triplets) and Josh Haden. Though she has played with a who’s-who of alt-rock and jazz artists over the past 20 years, Haden is perhaps best known for her fantastic 2005 a cappella interpretation of The Who Sell Out. Haden will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Check out the mix tape she made us in 2008, and read our brand new Q&A with her.
Haden: While I was watching TV with my nephews one day, I noticed that they were rocking out to a show called Yo Gabba Gabba!. I thought the host, DJ Lance Rock, was hilarious and had so much positivity. I like the musical acts they choose, the messages they send to kids and the topics that are focused on. There is an episode called “New Friends” guest starring Jack Black. My sister Tanya wrote an animation video for the show about making new friends in a new environment. She put words to a song I wrote that originally never had words. We called the song “In A Safe Land.” It’s about being open to making friends with people who seem different than yourself. Yo Gabba Gabba! is a great show for kids. And adults!
