Young the Giant

Young the Giant

Young the Giant performing at Sasquatch 2011
Background information
Also known as The Jakes
Origin Irvine, California, U.S.
Genres Alternative rock, indie rock
Years active 2004–present
Labels Roadrunner
Associated acts The Jakes
Website www.youngthegiant.com
Members
Sameer Gadhia
Jacob Tilley
Eric Cannata
Payam Doostzadeh
Francois Comtois
Past members
Ehson Hashemian
Jason Burger
Sean Fischer

Young the Giant is an American alternative rock band that formed in Irvine, California, in 2004. The band's line-up is Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass guitar), and François Comtois (drums). Formerly known as The Jakes, Young the Giant was signed by Roadrunner Records in 2009 and released its eponymous debut album in 2010.

Contents

History

Formation (2004-2009)

The Jakes formed in 2004 in Irvine, California.[1] After several personnel changes, the group's lineup by 2008 consisted of Sameer Gadhia, Jacob Tilley, Ehson Hashemian, Eric Cannata, François Comtois, and Jason Burger. While two members were still in high school and the rest were attending different colleges, the band recorded the EP, "Shake My Hand," with producer Ian Kirkpatrick , and shortly thereafter decided to put their schooling on hold to focus on music. Jason Burger left the band to pursue a career as a freelance musician in New York City, and François Comtois took over as the drummer. Shortly after, longtime friend and collaborator, Payam Doostzadeh, joined as bassist.[2] In 2009 the band played four shows at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.[3] The band's song "Texas Tea" was played during an episode of MTV's The Real World: Brooklyn, and "Paid the Piper" was featured on A&E's The Beast.[3] Another song, "Cough Syrup", received airplay on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ.[4] Shortly before signing to Roadrunner Records in August, keyboardist Ehson Hashemian departed the band.[5][6] In December, the band announced they had changed their name to Young the Giant.[5]

Young the Giant (2010-present)

Young the Giant spent 2010 touring with Minus the Bear and Steel Train while working on its debut album with producer Joe Chicarelli.[4] After the band finished recording in early June,[7] they played additional shows with Marina and the Diamonds, The Futureheads, Neon Trees and New Politics.[8][9][10] Several songs—including "My Body", "I Got", and "Strings"—were leaked online in advance of the album's release.[4][11][12] On October 26, Roadrunner Records digitally released the eponymous Young the Giant album,[13] which Amazon.com hailed the third best rock album of 2010.[14] The album received a physical U.S. release on January 25, 2011.[15] The album was released in the UK on May 2.[16]

The band's first single "My Body" was released to U.S. radio in January and went on to peak at number five on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.[17] The song was offered as a free download on iTunes for the week beginning January 9, and was featured on an episode of American Idol. The band performed the song that month on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Fuel TV's The Daily Habit.[15][18] The official video for the single, which features actor Bryan James, was directed by Justin Francis.[18]

In March, Young the Giant headlined the Billboard Showcase at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.[19][20] In May, the band played the Sasquatch! Music Festival, the BBC's Later... with Jools Holland and The Great Escape Festival in Brighton.[21][22] English singer Morrissey, on the fansite True to You, declared Young The Giant as one of his favourite new bands.[23] The music video for the group's second single, "Cough Syrup", premiered in June.[24] The band was named MTV's PUSH Artist of the Week on July 4.[25]

An extended play (EP) featuring remixes by such artists as Two Door Cinema Club, Tokyo Police Club and Ra Ra Riot was made available in September for free through Young the Giant's Facebook page. Fans were invited to create their own remixes with the opportunity for their entry to be featured on the EP.[26] In August, the band played on the main stage at Lollapalooza.[27]

Young the Giant performed during the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28. The band began a tour with Incubus two days later.[28] The exposure from the VMA performance propelled Young the Giant onto the Billboard 200 albums chart, where it eventually peaked at number 42.[29] Sales for "My Body" climbed 220 percent on iTunes, helping the single reach number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[30][31] Young the Giant played at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in September, and a month later performed songs from their debut album for an episode of MTV Unplugged which will debut online in November.[32][33]

Band members

Current members
Former members (The Jakes)

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[17]		 US
Heat
[17]		 NLD
[34]		 UK
Young the Giant 42 2 29 83

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[17]		 US
Alt
[17]		 US
Rock
[17]		 CAN
[17]		 CAN
Alt
[35]		 CAN
Rock
[36]		 NLD
[34]
"My Body" 2011 65 5 16 54 2 3 56 Young the Giant
"Apartment"[37] — — — — — — —
"Cough Syrup" 124 3 10 — 5 26 —
"—" denotes release that has not charted.

References

  1. ^ Fadroski, Kelli Skye (December 17, 2011). "A Body's Gotta Rest". The Orange County Register: pp. Show 1, 3. http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/12/13/behind-the-scenes-with-young-the-giant/88090/. Retrieved December 17, 2011. 
  2. ^ Fakorski, Kelly Skye (2009-02-19). "Orange Pop: The Jakes Await Their Big Break". The Orange County Register. http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/band-79448-says-gadhia.html. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  3. ^ a b Ching, Albert (2009-04-02). "The Jakes Rack Up Local Accolades and Seek National Fame". OC Weekly. http://www.ocweekly.com/2009-04-02/music/sound-guy/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  4. ^ a b c Ayers, Michael D. (2010-07-16). "Young the Giant, 'My Body' - Song Premiere". Spinner.com (AOL). http://www.spinner.com/2010/07/16/young-the-giant-my-body-song-premiere/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  5. ^ a b Owen-Turner, Arrissia (2009-12-09). "Newport Beach's the Jakes Change Their Name to...". OC Weekly. http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2009/12/the_jakes_go_big_1.php. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  6. ^ Owen-Turner, Arrissia (2010-01-07). "The Band Formerly Known as the Jakes Take the Stage as Young the Giant". OC Weekly. http://www.ocweekly.com/2010-01-07/music/the-jakes-young-the-giant-detroit-bar/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  7. ^ Hood, Lindsay (2010-10-26). "An Interview with Young the Giant". MTV. http://blog.mtvmusic.com/2010/10/26/an-interview-with-young-the-giant/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  8. ^ Binkert, Lisa. "Young the Giant Live: Billboard Tastemakers". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/features/young-the-giant-tastemakers-live-1004125419.story?tag=hpflash5#/features/young-the-giant-tastemakers-live-1004125419.story?tag=hpflash5. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  9. ^ Lester, Ryan (2010-10-26). "The Futureheads: 12 October 2010 - Austin, TX". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/132679-the-futureheads-12-october-2010-austin-tx/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  10. ^ Burke, David (2010-11-11). "Young the Giant Mixes Its Musical Cultures". Quad-City Times. http://qctimes.com/entertainment/music/article_88d63b52-ed21-11df-a770-001cc4c002e0.html. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  11. ^ "Young the Giant, 'I Got' - Filter Exclusive Premiere". Filter. 2010-08-27. http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/media/entry/young_the_giant_i_got_filter_exclusive_premiere. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  12. ^ Eisen, Benjy (2010-10-11). "Young the Giant, 'Strings' - Song Premiere". Spinner.com (AOL). http://www.spinner.com/2010/10/11/young-the-giant-strings-song-premiere/. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  13. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (2010-09-23). "Young the Giant's Sameer Gadhia Thinks OC's Living Through an Indie-Rock Reawakening". OC Weekly. http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2010/09/young_the_giants_sameer_gadhia.php. Retrieved 2010-11-21. 
  14. ^ "The 10 Best Rock CDs of 2010". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_354784762_61?ie=UTF8&docId=1000640931&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=0R23PZ9KCTZV4DBNSX1C&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1287810642&pf_rd_i=2448406011. Retrieved 2011-11-06. 
  15. ^ a b Greenwald, David. "Young the Giant Talk TV Debut on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'". Los Angeles Times. http://www.thisisbrandx.com/2011/01/young-the-giant-talk-tv-debut-on-jimmy-kimmel-live.html. Retrieved 2011-01-13. 
  16. ^ Conaton, Chris (2011-02-21). "Music Reviews - Young the Giant". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136751-young-the-giant-young-the-giant/. Retrieved 2011-03-02. 
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Young the Giant Album & Song Chart History". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/young-the-giant/chart-history/1595643. Retrieved 2011-01-13. 
  18. ^ a b Pettibone, Bryan (2011-02-16). "Young The Giant Extends Tour; New Video". College Music Journal. http://www.cmj.com/the-feed/news/2011/02/young-the-giant-extends-tour-new-video/. Retrieved 2011-02-18. 
  19. ^ Comer, M. Tye (2011-03-17). "Young the Giant, Gregory Brothers Kick Off Billboard's SXSW Showcases". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/events/young-the-giant-gregory-brothers-kick-off-1005075502.story. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  20. ^ Alexandra, Vann (2011-02-24). "Hot SXSW Band -- Young the Giant". Spin. http://www.spin.com/articles/watch-hot-sxsw-band-young-giant. Retrieved 2011-03-02. 
  21. ^ Jacobson, Lynn (2011-02-06). "Sasquatch! Music Festival Lineup Announced". The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2014151524_sasquatch07.html. Retrieved 2011-02-18. 
  22. ^ "Young the Giant - "My Body" (Live at The Great Escape)". Clash. 2011-05-17. http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/young-the-giant-my-body-live-at-the-great-escape. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  23. ^ Murray, Robin (2011-07-12). "Morrissey Bitten by Dog". Clash. http://www.clashmusic.com/news/morrissey-bitten-by-dog. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  24. ^ Newman, Jason (2011-06-21). "Video Premiere: Young The Giant, 'Cough Syrup'". MTV. http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/06/21/young-the-giant-cough-syrup-video/. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  25. ^ Peck, Jamie (2011-07-04). "MTV PUSH Artist Of The Week: Young The Giant". MTV. http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/07/04/mtv-push-artist-young-the-giant/. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  26. ^ Patpatia, Sasha (2011-07-12). "Young The Giant Gets Remixed". College Music Journal. http://www.cmj.com/the-feed/news/2011/07/young-the-giant-gets-remixed/. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  27. ^ Smith, Brandon James (2011-07-29). "Lollapalooza 2011: Q&A with Young the Giant". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2011-07-29-lollapalooza-young-the-giant_n.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  28. ^ Gallo, Phil (2011-08-03). "Young the Giant Performing at MTV VMAs". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/#/news/young-the-giant-performing-at-mtv-vmas-1005301862.story. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  29. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (2011-09-17). "Young The Giant Ride Post-VMAs Momentum". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/#/news/young-the-giant-ride-post-vmas-momentum-1005356512.story. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  30. ^ Kaufman, Gil (2011-09-01). "Beyonce, Adele, Lil Wayne Get VMA Bump On iTunes". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1670009/beyonce-adele-lil-wayne-vma-itunes.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  31. ^ Barker, Andrew (2011-09-01). "Performers Get 'VMAs' Bump". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118042128. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  32. ^ Kaufman, Gil (2011-09-21). "Young The Giant Psyched About Their VMA Bump". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671140/young-the-giant-ep-vmas.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-11-01. 
  33. ^ Gallo, Phil (2011-10-17). "Exclusive: Young the Giant Going 'Unplugged' for MTV". Billboard (Nielsen Company). http://www.billboard.com/news/exclusive-young-the-giant-going-unplugged-1005413272.story. Retrieved 2011-11-01. 
  34. ^ a b "Discografie Young the Giant" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Young+The+Giant. Retrieved 2011-08-29. 
  35. ^ Peak positions for Young the Giant's singles on Canadian Alternative rock Chart:
  36. ^ Peak positions for Young the Giant's singles on Canadian Active rock Chart:
  37. ^ Darke, Brayden (2011-01-28). "Watch: Young the Giant First Australian Single 'Apartment'". Music Feeds. http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/watch-young-the-giant-first-australian-single-apartment/. Retrieved 2011-02-18. 

External links