Young Man

Young Man is an alternative rock musician by the name of Colin Caulfield from Chicago. 

“I’ve always listened to and analyzed music, so once I picked up piano and guitar, it wasn’t too difficult to pick it up,” Caulfield said. “I play guitar, piano, drums, and sing. Rather than any one instrument being a favorite, I seem to vibe most with the combination of voice and piano. I write a song nearly every time I sit down at a piano.”

Caulfield started his band when he was in college.

“Young Man is a concept project I started working on when I was a sophomore in college,” Caulfield said. “At that point (as well as right now) things were constantly hanging - my life was dominated by a transition from young to old. I briefly considered using my own name, but that made everything too specific - there’s an intentional universality within each Young Man song, whether or not it’s about a specific experience of mine.”

Being a solo artist has been an enjoyable experience for Caulfield, but he hopes to do more things with a band.

“’Boy’ and ‘Ideas of Distance’ are definitely solo records, but the next two LPs will be considerably more of a group effort,” Caulfield said. “I liked being the dominant creative force for a while because it made me progress quickly, but I don’t know if I’m cut out to do that forever. I enjoy being in a band and seeing how ideas can grow with the help of other people.”

The debut album, “Ideas of Distance” is based on a long distance relationship Caulfield has been in.

“When I wrote the record, that relationship was being tested not only by distance, but by my looming graduation from college, which signified a significantly new phase of my life,” Caulfield said. “I was attempting to juggle career plans and being in love constantly caught in thinking about the future. Having said that, the album functions on two levels…On one hand, it’s my argument for why being in a long distance is terrible. On the other hand, it’s a more general discussion of love that everyone feels. The recording process was more or less concurrent with the writing process. I did all of it in my room, except for additional production done by my good friend, Phil Tortoroli, who lives in New York City.”

Young Man has toured throughout Europe, the East Coast and Midwest and it looking forward to the West Coast and opening for Cold War Kids on Nov. 1.

In the future, Caulfield hopes to release more albums and be part of a band again.

“I’m really anxious and impatient when it comes to my creative future,” Caulfield said. “There are two Young Man albums in addition to ‘Ideas of Distance’ in the next year, which will conclude the project, but I’m already writing more and thinking about what I’d like to focus on afterward. It’d be great to play drums in a band again, but I have an open mind.”

 

Where are you from and how did you get your start in music?

I was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota but I live in Chicago now.  I've always listened to and analyzed music, so once I picked up piano and guitar it wasn't too difficult to pick it up.  I'm lucky in that way.

How much education and formal music training have you had?

I took Music Theory I and II as well as a semester of choir while in college, but am otherwise self-taught.

What instruments do you play and what is your favorite?

I play guitar, piano, drums, and sing.  Rather than any one instrument being a favorite, I seem to vibe most with the combination of voice and piano.  I write a song nearly every time I sit down at a piano.  However, that's probably because I don't own one - guitar and voice is just as enjoyable, but a little more of a challenge.

How did you come up with your name, Young Man?

Young Man is a concept project I started working on when I was a sophomore in college.  At that point (as well as right now) things were constantly changing - my life was dominated by a transition from young to old.  As I started to write songs more and more, I noticed they were all reflecting that subject matter.  Young Man is therefore the most logical name.  I briefly considered using my own name, but that made everything too specific - there's an intentional universality within each Young Man song, whether or not it's about a specific experience of mine.

Who are some of your influences? Have you been able to contact or perform with these artists?

I generally become obsessed with a band for chunks of time and then move on to the next.  I've had those phases with The Beatles, Yes, Rufus Wainwright, The Fiery Furnaces, Animal Collective, Pink Floyd, Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Deerhoof, Women, Wolfgang Voigt, Panda Bear, Brian Eno, The Kinks, and Deerhunter.  I haven't really had any contact with them, no, but hopefully someday a show (if possible) could happen.

What is it like being a solo artist? How did you find the members of your support band?

Boy and Ideas of Distance are definitely solo records, but the next two LPs will be considerably more of a group effort.  I liked being the dominant creative force for a while because it made me progress quickly, but I don't know if I'm cut out to do that forever.  I enjoy being in a band and seeing how ideas can grow with the help of other people.  As far as finding the dudes, we all went to Loyola University Chicago.

What artists are you currently listening to?

I'm not listening all too much, but recently I've been into the new St. Vincent record, R. Kelly, and Girls.

How do you come up with the songs you write?

I usually write when I'm walking around or while doing something mundane, elaborating on a melody I came up with earlier. 

What is your favorite song to perform?

I like doing "Then and Now" from Ideas of Distance and "School", which will be on the final Young Man record.  Both songs get pretty noisy and technical, while still being melodic, which is more or less the goal for the live set.

How did you create the music video for “Enough” and what’s its story?

Ideas of Distance was conceived as a score for a film I was intending to make (and still am).  The songs are all very filmic in structure - repetition is used different than it is in most pop music with recurring motifs and melodic ideas rather than repetition of entire choruses or verses.  The album therefore unfolds as a film does, scene by scene, all the while attempting to maintain cohesion and continuity.  The idea of Enough specifically was to present a a series of vignettes that abstractly represented the intensely personal content of the song.  Each scene is intended to evoke certain emotions, but remain inconsequential after they have passed.  I didn't want people to focus on any given character or object and hoped to kind of overwhelm the audience with a mixture of imagery that ultimately made sense in one way or another.

How did you come across The Black Cab Sessions and what was it like to perform on their show? Did you travel far to do this?

Chris and the rest of the guys that run the site contacted me prior to going to Europe for a tour.  It was pretty unreal to do something that, for me, really sticks out amongst a slew of music blogs.  It's a great concept and they do it well.

What is the story behind your debut album, “Ideas of Distance” and how did you come about its recording process?

I've been in a long distance relationship on and off for about four years.  When I wrote the record, that relationship was being tested not only by distance, but by my looming graduation from college, which signified a significantly new phase of my life.  I was attempting to juggle career plans and being in love, constantly caught in thinking about the future.  Having said that, the album functions on two levels...  On one hand, it's my argument for why being in a long distance is f****** terrible, impractical, and ultimately futile.  While writing and recording, I was trying to convince myself of this, despite still being deeply in love.  On the other hand, it's a more general discussion of love that everyone feels.  My experience in long distance is not so common, but everyone that loves deals with distance in one form or another.  People "grow apart" for example.  But more than that, it's about being this age and having to make decisions about one's distant future, a decision that often involves another person.

The recording process was more or less concurrent with the writing process.  I did all of it in my room, except for additional production done by my good friend Phil Tortoroli who lives in New York City.  Being alone in the place where a lot of us are most comfortable is great for fostering honesty and commitment.  At the same time, it really sucks you in - the record is pretty much all I thought about and did for those six months (homework was largely neglected).

Where have you been able to tour and where do you hope to go?

We've done shows on the east coast and midwest a good amount and will be going to the west coast in a couple weeks, which I'm really excited about.  We've done some short tours in Europe and I'd love to do some more continental touring, but am happy to be focusing on the states for the next couple months.  There's so much to see!

How do you feel about opening for Cold War Kids on November 1st?

I feel great!  Everyone has such good things to say about those guys and we're playing some really great rooms.

What are your future plans?

I'm really anxious and impatient when it comes to my creative future.  There are two Young Man albums in addition to Ideas of Distance in the next year, which will conclude the project, but I'm already writing more and thinking about what I'd like to focus on afterward.  It'd be great to play drums in a band again, but I have an open mind.