Better Days, And Plenty More Ahead With SEAN MACKIN From YELLOWCARD

Interview by Mizzie Maxx
Alt rock icons Yellowcard have released a new version of their track Bedroom Posters which features current touring partners Good Charlotte. The original version of Bedroom Posters can be found on their 2025 album, Better Days.
“GC and Yellowcard finally have a song together and it feels so right”, Good Charlotte lead vocalist Joel Madden says. "I love this band and this song and I’m so happy we got the GCXYC collab. And now we are going on tour! This is our love language and I hope everyone that listens feels the love that both our bands have for each other, our fans, and for the music. I can’t wait for tour!”
Better Days is Yellowcard’s first new album in almost a decade and first with executive producer Travis Barker, with Barker also playing drums on every song including Bedroom Posters, Better Days, honestly I and Take What you Want.
Yellowcard join Good Charlotte in Australia on their Motel Du Cap World Tour, GC's first shows down under in eight years! The tour hits Australia & New Zealand, starting on February 17. HEAVY's Mizzie Maxx spoke with Yellowcard violinist Sean Mackin to find out more.
"We were just here celebrating 20 years of Ocean Avenue, so we're going to mix up the set a little bit," Mackin began. "We have this new batch of songs from the album Better Days with Travis Barker producing, and hopefully everyone in Australia is aware of those songs and we can play a couple off of that. It's a small milestone for us, we've never had a number one song before with Better Days reaching number one on the charts in the United States."
In the full interview, Sean spoke more about Yellowcard's visit to Australia, their upcoming live-show plans, and creative work around the new album Better Days. He said the Australian performances will blend Ocean Avenue anniversary material with tracks from Better Days.
Sean highlighted the single Bedroom Posters, which features Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, revealing that collaboration grew out of long-standing Warped Tour relationships and a backstage conversation that led Joel to agree to contribute quickly. Conversation then turned to songwriting and production choices for Better Days, including collaborative sessions with songwriter Nick Long and producer Travis Barker, who invited the band to his studio and helped write multiple songs.
He group discussed the album's emotional content, Sean’s violin contributions—traced to his mother's influence—and practical advice for emerging bands to stay genuine and outwork competitors plus more.


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