Rocker Tim Young sees his music as a means of communication, as he reveals stories and experiences from his life. Raised on American top 40 radio in the sixties, Young claims that "those melodies and beats set the tone in my brain to be unleashed later once I realized I was a musician." Young's influences go even further than musicians, as he has commented that the attitudes and philosophies of Beat writers Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassidy and Allan Ginsberg have also played a valuable role in shaping his music.
Not only did Young find himself immensely influenced by music and poetry, he also gained invaluable wisdom and experience "growing up" in Manhattan's famed Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Young has stated, "Rock 'n roll is something that has to be 'soaked' into oneself. It can not be plastered on or 'learned' in any traditional sense. However, if it is absorbed and finds a place in the individual to grow and mature, then there develops the chance to create exciting music. So Tim Young gives one hundred percent; playing his guitar hard, and singing loud so that the music performs it's magic.
Young is a veteran to the New York music scene for nearly two decades. Following the release of NO STRANGER in 2002 he began a string of over 80 shows at the Electric Banana Bar on west 50th street. At the Banana Tim was able to solidify a great fan base, record a live CD, and continue to produce new material. Once the Banana Bar closed in April of 2005, Tim was invited to perform weekly at the nearby Bellevue Bar where the act evolved into a duo with the addition of drummer Sand Edwards. Following the stint at Bellevue Bar, Tim Young Band was installed as the house band at Club Siberia.
Young began releasing CDs in 2002 with NO STRANGER, a collection of nine original instrumentals self-produced and recorded at his home studio. For his second release RED, his debut as a solo singer/songwriter, he recorded sixteen original songs that explore the emotional landscape of an artist dealing with the way of life in twenty-first-century NYC. Tim Young's third CD THE COST features twelve new songs and a brand new version of his own tune "Renegade" from RED. THE COST takes some similar themes but develops them in a more complex way with the addition of a full band. Tim likes to call this record rock 'n roll. He takes guitar, bass and drums and puts them together in a classy classic kind of way to create music that envelopes not only rock, but also country and folk influences woven into the fabric of rock 'n roll.
Currently, Tim Young Band performs once a month at Vintage Bar & Restaurant located at 51st Street and 9th Ave. in Manhattan.
"Just when I despaired of ever again hearing tight, passionate, honest, slam-bang ROCK, along comes... Tim Young... You just don't get this kind of stuff every day. It comes from a talent that has worked out in the "gym" to develop itself, and a maturity that reminds you just what personal rock and poetry are all about. Tim Young is the real thing." - Eliot Camaren, The Clinton Chronicle
"Young's unschooled, urgent vocal delivery and lo-fi aesthetic combined with his solid and energetic guitar playing and fertile creativity places his music at the intersection between urban folk, heartland rock and outsider music." - Jon Sobel, Blogcritics Magazine
'The Cost' is about dealing with loss and the processes one might use to help get things back to a better balance in life. Loss can cover a lot of ground but 'The Cost' is focused on two areas in particular: love and freedom -- how each are tied together and how each must maintain their autonomy in order to flourish. Grim realities will always be a part of the landscape but the opposite side of that coin is hope and how a strong individual outlook can help, and if not win the war, at least win the day.
1) The Cost: Imagining the worst case scenario of losing the one true soul mate. The giver of light and happiness. Seemingly no one could understand a loss such as this.
2) What To Do: The never ending search. Why am I here? What the hell am I doing? I'm not sure.
3) Kerouac: If I could Get Back to where I once belonged, maybe it would be riding with Jack Writing on one long, long scroll of paper.
4) Outta Town: Sometimes the love/hate relationship with this town is too much and the love side just loses out.
5) Drifting Cowboy: The loss of Hank Williams. Ouch. Not even thirty years old and the songs he would have written were cut off. Thank goodness we have what we have.
6) Wishing: The age old strive for something better. The grass actually is greener if I could only get there.
7) Just For You: If one is lucky then there is a person in life that brings these feelings into reality and man it feels great.
8) Johnny Makes Me: An older tune, but more or less the same idea as "man it feels great."
9) Remember: Life not only exists is the present. There are many layers of time. The mind supports these layers and helps give them continued life.
10) Hangin' In: Literally. Let's go! Let's continue. It may be tough but any other way is not on the menu.
11) Movin' On: The logical follow up to Hangin' In. If one is gonna hang in then one will have to move on to remain sane.
12) Cold Wind: For a nation based on Freedom, the termites are seriously at work gnawing at our foundations. This song isn't about why but about, let's make sure we see this. We must know before we can act.
