We knew when we booked Young Gun Silver Fox that this would not be a run-of-the-mill SoCal Sound session. We were ready for a full yacht-soul experience — and they delivered — performing three standout tracks: “Mojo Rising,” “The Greatest Loser,” and “Stevie & Sly.”
They also sat down with middays host — and our senior yacht-rock correspondent — Julie Slater to discuss their new album, Pleasure.
A Sound Rooted in Collaboration
The London-based band Young Gun Silver Fox is a duo comprised of Andy Platts (Young Gun) and Shawn Lee (Silver Fox). The pair share a deep love of the golden era of ’70s West Coast music — bands like Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and The Doobie Brothers.
While some artists shy away from the term “yacht rock,” Young Gun Silver Fox embrace it, treating it as a sophisticated musical tradition rich with harmony, groove, and craft.
As they put it, this isn’t pastiche — it’s reverence. They aren’t parodying the era; they’re picking up the baton.
Producing Pleasure
Pulling back the curtain on the production of Pleasure, the duo emphasized just how hands-on they are with their records. Between the two of them, they handle roughly 90% of the playing, recording, engineering, and mixing — essentially self-producing the bulk of the album.
That said, they were quick to acknowledge the key collaborators who helped shape the final sound — including horn arranger Nicole Thompson and his “crack team of horn players,” whose brass work has become one of the defining textures of Young Gun Silver Fox. They also highlighted engineer Pierre Duplan, who mixed side by side with Shawn to bring the tracks across the finish line.
Rather than relying on a traditional outside producer, the band brings in trusted collaborators to elevate specific elements. The result is a hybrid production approach — deeply DIY at its core, but strengthened by strategic collaboration — keeping the record cohesive, polished, and unmistakably Young Gun Silver Fox.
Chill Music — Ruthless Touring + What’s Next
With nearly 100 shows in 2025 and a rapidly growing international audience, Young Gun Silver Fox are riding an organic wave of momentum — fueled by both relentless touring and a strong social media presence.
They also celebrated 10 years as a band with the release of a live album in January, featuring performances recorded in part at the Troubadour in West Hollywood — a quintessential West Coast club that helped define the very genre they so lovingly channel.
Pleasure is currently available on streaming platforms as well as CD and vinyl.
Live from the Troubadour & Paradiso is available via Blue Élan Records and at:
https://candelionmusic.myshopify.com/collections/yg-shop-all
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- · Filmed & Edited & Photographed by Matt Blake
- · Audio by Tristan Dolce
- · Host: Julie Slater
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