Nick Falcon
Encyclopedia
Nick Falcon is an American
musician
best known as guitarist
, composer
, lyricist
and singer of the band The Young Werewolves
.
, USA
. An early interest in design and comics led to a career in the then nascent graffiti
scene in Philadelphia. He grew up in the Overbrook
section of the city and graduated from Robert E. Lamberton High School
in 1986. As a teenager in the 1980s, Falcon was featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer
, The Philadelphia Daily News and retrospectively in Print Magazine
, Philadelphia Weekly
and Philadelphia City Paper
for his work as a noted graffiti writer. In 1984 his artwork was shown in an exclusive underground exhibit held at the defunct Kennel Club
. He influenced many young writers most notably by pioneering modern graffiti on Freight Train
s. A synopsis of Falcon’s graffiti experience has been documented in the book The Art of Getting Over. Upon graduating High School, Falcon attended Temple University
and studied communications and journalism which enabled him to launch his writing career under the pseudonym, Buford Youthward, for On the Go magazine published by Stephen Powers
. He maintains a monthly column under the pseudonym for the Art Crimes website and was also interviewed in Adbusters
under the assumed name. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 and served as a paratrooper
for four years.
. While sharpening his skills, he managed a nightclub
and worked as a retail promoter for Red Ant Records supporting diverse acts such as Cheap Trick
, Ozzy Osbourne
and Chick Corea
.
. Tryouts were held to fill in the rest of the group, which included lead singers, alto sax players and bassists, and several auditions later the duo met bassist Shewolf Dana Kain, completing the line up.
Falcon’s guitar style incorporates rockabilly
, swing, and traditional rock
while maintaining a clean sound with very limited use of effects, usually no more than reverb and vibrato. His main guitar is a 1988 Guild
X-170 custom fit with a Bigsby and he uses a 1975 Fender Twin
amplifier.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and singer of the band The Young Werewolves
The Young Werewolves
The Young Werewolves are a Philadelphia rock band formed in 2002. The trio have been labeled rockabilly, psychobilly, punk, garage, and surf by publications such as Allmusic, Fangoria, The Village Voice, Maximum RocknRoll, assorted Horror, Tattoo, Hot Rod magazines,several alternative weeklies and...
.
Early life
Falcon was born in Philadelphia, PAPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. An early interest in design and comics led to a career in the then nascent graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
scene in Philadelphia. He grew up in the Overbrook
Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Overbrook is a neighborhood northwest of West Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The area contains an assortment of housing from large, old homes to row homes to 3-4 story apartment buildings.-Physical setting:...
section of the city and graduated from Robert E. Lamberton High School
Robert E. Lamberton High School
Robert E. Lamberton High School is an American high school located in the Overbrook Park section of Philadelphia. Lamberton HS has 350 students...
in 1986. As a teenager in the 1980s, Falcon was featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, The Philadelphia Daily News and retrospectively in Print Magazine
Print (magazine)
The publication, Print, A Quarterly Journal of the Graphic Arts, was a limited edition quarterly periodical begun in 1940 and continued under different names up to the present day as Print, a bimonthly American magazine about visual culture and design.In its current format, Print documents and...
, Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly , is an award-winning alternative newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, published every Wednesday.The paper was founded in 1971 as a sister publication to the South Philadelphia Press. In 1995, the paper became Philadelphia Weekly...
and Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper
Philadelphia City Paper is a free alternative news weekly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in November 1981 as a spin-off of the now defunct WXPN Express newsletter. New issues are released every Thursday....
for his work as a noted graffiti writer. In 1984 his artwork was shown in an exclusive underground exhibit held at the defunct Kennel Club
Philadelphia hardcore
Philadelphia hardcore is hardcore punk created in Philadelphia, the associated subculture.Because of its location, Philadelphia was an easy place for bands from New York and Washington, DC to play concerts. Venues such as the Elk's Center, Love Hall, Long March, Community Education Center and...
. He influenced many young writers most notably by pioneering modern graffiti on Freight Train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s. A synopsis of Falcon’s graffiti experience has been documented in the book The Art of Getting Over. Upon graduating High School, Falcon attended Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and studied communications and journalism which enabled him to launch his writing career under the pseudonym, Buford Youthward, for On the Go magazine published by Stephen Powers
ESPO (artist)
Stephen J. Powers is a New York City artist who at one time wrote graffiti in Philadelphia and New York under the name ESPO .-Background:...
. He maintains a monthly column under the pseudonym for the Art Crimes website and was also interviewed in Adbusters
AdBusters
The Adbusters Media Foundation is a Canadian-based not-for-profit, anti-consumerist, pro-environment organization founded in 1989 by Kalle Lasn and Bill Schmalz in Vancouver, British Columbia...
under the assumed name. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 and served as a paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
for four years.
Music career
From an early age, Falcon had an interest in playing the guitar and after developing an affinity for rock and blues, moved on to swing and bebop, ultimately studying under Billy BauerBilly Bauer
Billy Bauer was an American cool jazz guitarist.-Life:Bauer was born in New York City. He played banjo as a child before switching to guitar...
. While sharpening his skills, he managed a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
and worked as a retail promoter for Red Ant Records supporting diverse acts such as Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
and Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
.
Young Werewolves
Falcon formed the band in 2002 after meeting drummer Jonny Wolf and bonding over a mutual respect for the Flat Duo JetsFlat Duo Jets
Flat Duo Jets was a rockabilly band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Athens, Georgia. They were a major influence on several bands of the 1990s and 2000s, including The White Stripes. In interviews, Jack White has often acknowledged Dexter Romweber's influence...
. Tryouts were held to fill in the rest of the group, which included lead singers, alto sax players and bassists, and several auditions later the duo met bassist Shewolf Dana Kain, completing the line up.
Falcon’s guitar style incorporates rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, swing, and traditional rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
while maintaining a clean sound with very limited use of effects, usually no more than reverb and vibrato. His main guitar is a 1988 Guild
Guild Guitar Company
The Guild Guitar Company is a USA-based guitar manufacturer founded in 1952 by Alfred Dronge, a guitarist and music-store owner, and George Mann, a former executive with the Epiphone Guitar Company...
X-170 custom fit with a Bigsby and he uses a 1975 Fender Twin
Fender Twin
The Fender Twin is a guitar amplifier made by Fender. It was introduced in 1952, two years before Fender began selling Stratocaster electric guitars. The amps are known for their characteristically clean tone....
amplifier.