Conversations with Caleb Brown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caleb Brown.

Hi Caleb, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Caleb Brown and I will be sharing the story of my musical journey.

My story began in the Northwest, born and raised in Portland Oregon. I had a passion for music in all forms from a very young age, and it did not take long before I knew I wanted to pursue music. My first concert was Metallica in 2008 at the Rose Garden in Portland. They were touring for their Death Magnetic album. I still remember the opening bands, The Sword, and Down tearing up the stage that night before the mighty Metallica. The electrifying energy of that night changed my life and instilled in me a passion for live music. From then on, I spent all of my money on festivals and concerts all through my teenage years.

I took a trip to Denver Colorado at the age of 14, to visit family in the state. During this trip, my uncle Weston Spears told me about his time being in a band in the Denver scene in the 80s and 90s, in the bands Idiots and First Class Chokers. My uncle decided to give me one of his beautiful Washburn guitars for my birthday that year, starting me down the path of learning guitar. The first things he taught me were songs from Iron Maiden and Metallica. I would spend hours and hours on my guitar after school, teaching myself how to play through tabs and improvisation.

I moved to Phoenix Arizona at the age of 17, and this is where I finally discovered my desire to be a vocalist. I started my first voice lessons when I was 20, and had my first ever performance at a recital in the year 2015, where I sang the song Hallelujah. I was honored after the performance, when a professional musician came up to me, acknowledging me as a musician and complimenting my “beautiful” performance. This led me to drive out to Vegas at the age of 21, to try out for the show The Voice. The day was hot, and the line was long, waiting through thousands of people for my chance to sing. It was an inspiring experience, talking to all sorts of fellow singers and musicians, and while this opportunity did not take me anywhere, it was an experience I look back very fondly on.

I was called to Denver to go to school and live close to some family at the age of 23. I spent years in school, pursuing a career in X-ray and honing my craft as a vocalist and guitarist. I would take vocal lessons and take everything that I learned to the karaoke stage, challenging myself with various vocal performances. At 26, after having completed school, I pushed myself to get back on stage and performed at my first open mic. Everything took off from there. I stumbled upon an open mic at Tavern on 26th in Lakewood, where the host came up to me saying I sounded like Chris Cornell, one of my favorite vocalists. That night, I met the band Powerhouse, a touring band from Boise Idaho, and had a blast hearing them play and hanging out with them late into the night. I told them as we parted ways, that the next time they came to Denver, I would have a band.

Shortly after this I met a couple in that same open mic bar, because they were holding onto a kangaroo in a little pouch. Of all the animals to meet in a bar… As I walked over to introduce myself, they let me hold their pet wallaby and feed him sweet potatoes, it truly felt like a magical experience. I found out that the owner was a drummer and they were looking for a vocalist for their new project. Not even a week later I was trying out for my first band. And sure enough, the next time Powerhouse came to Denver, I had a band, and we played together at the open mic where we met. We became quick friends.

My band Airam, played our first big show at The Venue outside of Denver. and we continued playing all over the Denver scene. We played our way into the late Herman’s Hideaway, where we had our first show with Powerhouse, sharing the stage with members from the band Saving Abel. It was a special night.

After playing with Airam for two years, the time came to move on, and I was introduced to my current group, CodeFlawed, where I joined as lead vocals and guitar. My long time friend Robbie from Portland was a drummer, and joined the band with me. A heavy progressive metal group, with clashing clean and screaming vocals, melodic guitars, and electric energy. We hit the ground running and played at venues throughout Denver and Colorado Springs at notable venues like The Roxy Theatre, Lost Lake, Globe Hall, Moes BBQ, and Sunshine Studios. We released our first single “Mr. Orange” on Spotify in 2024, a song about perseverance in the face of tragedy and adversity.

Currently we have 5 songs released onto all streaming platforms, with our most recent(and my favorite) song being “Eclipse.” We are gearing up for our next release, and first music video, for our song “Venumb,” to be released in late 2025.

We are currently working alongside the metal band Clem Rockz, networking together, and planning out a west coast tour, set currently to be in fall of 2025. Our next show will be at the Rickhouse in Denver on 8/22 alongside Clem Rockz.

I have big goals as a musician, longing to play the iconic venue Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and forge our way through the national and international scene.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has had its ups and downs. And I met a lot of frustration in my journey as a singer. Learning to sing sustainably has been a challenge and I am very grateful for the various vocal coaches I have had throughout the years.

Playing as a local musician has had its challenges as well. Fighting to get music into peoples ears and gain new followers at our shows throughout Denver. It is a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll, and we have only just begun.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a vocalist and guitarist. My passion is for singing, being influenced primarily by the grunge vocalists of the 90’s, Chris Cornell, Layne Staley, and Kurt Cobain. I specialize in high octane vocals, with powerful belts, and gritty phrases, as well as melodic leads on guitar. We are known for our high energy performances and meaningful lyrics.

I am most proud of my journey as a musician and all the work that I have put in to get myself to this point. And I have only just begun to scratch the surface of what I want to accomplish.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Believe in yourself. The foundation begins with the knowing that you can accomplish anything that you set your mind to in this life. It is easy to fall into the familiar patterns of not being good enough, or thinking something is not for you. But I am here to tell you that it is.

Trust yourself. Intuition is key, the world will carve a path for you when you put the intention out there. It’s up to you to find out the right path of the fork in the road.

Love yourself. Be humble, and fill your own cup, so that you are ready to pour out love into the world around you. Network, lift people up, and rise to the top together. Dreams upon Dreams.

Live the journey. Feel it, enjoy it, the lessons that you go through will shape who you are striving to become. And only you can give the world the energy that you are here to create.

Face fears. Take the risk. This is part of learning to trust yourself and the universe. The weight of the fear of having lived a life that you never truly lived, is heavier than the weight of fear in facing the moment.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codeflawed/ and https://www.instagram.com/cjoel_music/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/CodeFlawed/61558101307291/ and https://www.facebook.com/caleb.brown.16121
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKZjDiacZrJgR4ztEQrnY5Q
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7yDSiOaePxLfertnIsqieH

Image Credits
Katy Todd Photography
Blake Unger Photography
Robin Schneider Professional Portraits