| Featured Interview In The Rochester Insider (Gannett Publications) |
Nick Young admits that he's the worst musician in his band. He can barely read sheet music, and
without his bandmates behind him, the alt-rock Avon trio Burning Daylight "wouldn't sound half as
good," he says.
Yet, Young does excel in the thing that drives his band's catchy Americana sound — songwriting.
"I just play the guitar, sing and write the songs," says the modest 31-year-old.
He started Burning Daylight in 2003, but the band didn't hit its stride until four years later when
Young decided to put up his own money to record its first CD.
After the band's original lineup fell apart because of some members' work and family obligations,
Young sought out full-time musicians who were ready for the long hall. Enter bassist Tim Mroz,
33, and drummer Jesse Sprinkle, 32.
The trio then began putting together songs for Whiskey & Romances with producer Dan
McLoughlin, who's worked with Dinosaur Jr. and Weezer. The album (also funded by Mroz and
Sprinkle) was released in April 2007, rooted in Young's folksy lyrics but with an alternative rock
twist. Catchy singles like "City Lights" and "Wait That Long" are reminiscent of bands like Soul
Asylum and Counting Crows.
Whiskey & Romances (on which Burning Daylight wound up spending $5,000) caught the ear of
Nashville singer/songwriter Jim Reilley, who has invited the band down to Nashville tomeet and
potentially work with some of his songwriter and producer contacts.
Young says he already has close to 30 songs written for a new album and hopes the trip to
Nashville (in early April) will help solidify the direction of the next Burning Daylight album, due out
this summer. Young says he'd like to give the record a more alt-country vibe, comparable to the
bands he grew up on such as Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and Old 97's.
"We're basically just going to keep it kind of simple," Young says. "The songwriting comes first.
We don't want to put in too many bells and whistles."
Young and his bandmates will, again, pay for the entire production and distribution of the album,
just like with Whiskey & Romances. "You know, it's funny," Young says. "I didn't get serious
about music until Whiskey & Romances. Part of that was the money I was spending, but also
when the finished product came out we had quite a few sales in other parts of the world. I was
getting autograph requests from people in Spain, in broken English. It doesn't give you a big head
or anything, but it does show that although I might be a schmuck, at least some guy in Spain
thinks of me as a star."
-Troy L. Smith
April 3, 2009
without his bandmates behind him, the alt-rock Avon trio Burning Daylight "wouldn't sound half as
good," he says.
Yet, Young does excel in the thing that drives his band's catchy Americana sound — songwriting.
"I just play the guitar, sing and write the songs," says the modest 31-year-old.
He started Burning Daylight in 2003, but the band didn't hit its stride until four years later when
Young decided to put up his own money to record its first CD.
After the band's original lineup fell apart because of some members' work and family obligations,
Young sought out full-time musicians who were ready for the long hall. Enter bassist Tim Mroz,
33, and drummer Jesse Sprinkle, 32.
The trio then began putting together songs for Whiskey & Romances with producer Dan
McLoughlin, who's worked with Dinosaur Jr. and Weezer. The album (also funded by Mroz and
Sprinkle) was released in April 2007, rooted in Young's folksy lyrics but with an alternative rock
twist. Catchy singles like "City Lights" and "Wait That Long" are reminiscent of bands like Soul
Asylum and Counting Crows.
Whiskey & Romances (on which Burning Daylight wound up spending $5,000) caught the ear of
Nashville singer/songwriter Jim Reilley, who has invited the band down to Nashville tomeet and
potentially work with some of his songwriter and producer contacts.
Young says he already has close to 30 songs written for a new album and hopes the trip to
Nashville (in early April) will help solidify the direction of the next Burning Daylight album, due out
this summer. Young says he'd like to give the record a more alt-country vibe, comparable to the
bands he grew up on such as Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and Old 97's.
"We're basically just going to keep it kind of simple," Young says. "The songwriting comes first.
We don't want to put in too many bells and whistles."
Young and his bandmates will, again, pay for the entire production and distribution of the album,
just like with Whiskey & Romances. "You know, it's funny," Young says. "I didn't get serious
about music until Whiskey & Romances. Part of that was the money I was spending, but also
when the finished product came out we had quite a few sales in other parts of the world. I was
getting autograph requests from people in Spain, in broken English. It doesn't give you a big head
or anything, but it does show that although I might be a schmuck, at least some guy in Spain
thinks of me as a star."
-Troy L. Smith
April 3, 2009