The dynamic musical duo of Andy Platts and Shawn Lee return as Young Gun Silver Fox with their latest album ‘Pleasure’ taking their listeners on a journey into a fantasy world of sunshine and relaxation.

Andy Platts and Shawn Lee need no introduction, having each clocked up a life time of musical brownie points, whether through Andy’s career as a world-renowned composer and singer/songwriter/guitarist with British soul sensations Mamas Gun or through Shawn’s esteemed work as a producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer which has placed him at the forefront of the global soul and funk community.
 

Aside from their own projects they are both very much sought after songwriters for superstar acts such as Take That, where they both wrote and co-produced the title track on the last Take That album‘This Life’, which reached number one, as well as writing and producing a number of songs for the forthcoming James Morrison album. Andy also has been working with rising UK star MT Jones, writing songs for his debut album, whilst Shawn has been around the world drumming and being amusical director for the legendary Asha Pulthi. 

The duo’s fifth studio album ‘Pleasure’ showcases a band at the very top of their game, fine-tuning their potent brew of sun-kissed pop-soul, west coast AOR and natural groove with a skill for composition and production that sees them forging ahead down a musical highway blessed with blue skies and positive vibrations. The most significant factor for the duo is to always focus on the songs, trying to be as concise as possible, drawing influences from Steely Dan, Earth Wind & Fire, Bobby Cauldwell and Paul McCartney.

In a world of uncertainty and swift change it’s no surprise that YGSF fanbase have significantly grown over the last few years, when people look for comfort in familiar sounds of the past; however,it isn’t just the older generation who are buying into the sun kissed yacht rock sound, there is an ever-growing fanbase amongst the younger generation, which the band have significantly noticed at their live shows.

Yacht Rock provides a glimpse into a world of carefree extravagance, where people spend their days sailing, sipping cocktails, and enjoying good company. It’s a world that seems a million miles away from the challenges these younger generations face today, providing an imaginary world of escapism from the day-to-day anxiety of everyday life.

For both participants, the chance to make a new record together is always a liberating experience, as Andy explains; “I always come back to Young Gun Silver Fox like taking a drive to the coast and I just smell the ocean and the air and it’s like ‘wicked I’m back here again’ and I can just kick back and enjoy it.”

“We have a sound and a language that we’ve cultivated that sounds like Young Gun Silver Fox, and these things are great but they can be a double-edged sword because you think ‘well nobody wants to make the same thing over and over’, so you need to find ways to move forward and do something you haven’t done before”, explains Shawn

‘Pleasure’ took on a different and more personable recording process, after four albums with both musicians laying down ideas in their own studios and sending files back and across via email. Shawn in London and Andy in Norfolk, this album Shawn travelled to Andy’s studio The Prairie for four days in December 2024 and back again in January 2025. The duo commenced furiously writing & recording ideas from a completely blank slate. Over half of the album's 10 songs were birthed from these in-person sessions. This was a real game changer and evolution of the game for Andy and Shawn.

Songs like ‘Burning Daylight’ came together really quickly “I was channelling Al McKay from EWF who is one of my all-time rhythm guitarists” explains Shawn. Whilst ‘Born To Dream’ was Andy channelling pure Yacht Rock bounce and trying to sail as close to the wind pop-wise as he dared. “The result is a positive, bright and shiny tune for all the dreamers, anyone who treads the path less travelled and spends their time with their heads in the clouds will relate to the lyrics” clarifies Andy 

‘Late Night , Last Train’  is another favourite of the duos, “ this was the second track we wrote at Andy’s before Xmas. We discussed doing something at this tempo/feel. Again, the music was effortless and practically appeared out of the ether. I am really proud of my guitar solo on this one.The melody just flowed through me and played itself. I’m grateful…The song really captures that dreamy late-night atmosphere and Andy plays some really tasty parts and sings a killer vocal as always. He’s a beast! “Shawn explains.

Stevie & Sly is the first single from the album “ This was the very first idea we did together at Andy’s just before Xmas. We had got back a few days earlier from our Dutch tour. We knew we had to deliver this album by January 31st so the pressure was on!” , Explains Shawn . “Musically this came about jamming on the rhodes and bass and came together very quickly. The lyrics I wrote with Conner Reeves - we were trying to convey the feeling of being an old soul born out of time and to capture it with some name heavy name dropping in the chorus. Stevie & Sly are two of the GOATs - Sly especially is one of my all-time heroes” Andy explains

The only additional musicians on the album are the horn players. Nichol Thomson trombone & arrangements, Tom Walsh on trumpet & Graeme Blevins on sax and flute. The rest is handled by Andy and Shawn. Andy engineered these sessions and the album was later mixed & finished at Shawn’s London studio with Pierre Duplan, helping engineer and mix it.

Dropping on May 2nd ‘Pleasure’ will transport the listener to a magical, mythical world of sunshine and positive vibes, a musical and spiritual ethos born from the minds of two gifted musicians who are on a mission to provide a dose of escapism and remind people of a time when life appeared to be less challenging.