Hi Nick. You're not the first artist to cross over from rock ‘n' roll, punk or psychobilly. What's the secret to a smooth transition between rock n'roll on one side and country on the other? And what are the pitfalls?
I don’t know if I’m qualified to give advice on the subject, but I think it’s important to have real passion for, and knowledge of the genre you’re pursuing. If you have this it shows and you need everything you can get when you’re going out on a limb as many will be predisposed to reject it, often without hearing it. It helped in my case that I’ve been a fan of this music for many years and that Tiger Army had explored it in bits and pieces, so it wasn’t a complete departure. I suppose that’s a long way of saying you need dedication. In mainstream country it seems like everyone wishes to be a rocker these days – it’s convenient for me as I’m quite happy to play country. The pitfalls are that it’s become somewhat of a cliché to move to roots from rock. There are the rock fans who might not accept it and the roots fans who might not give it a chance because of what they think it will sound like. It takes commitment to get the music out there to the point where it will be judged on its own merits!
After having fronted the band Tiger Army, was there a defining moment that made you decide to write and record country music? Had it always been a part of you?
There was a defining moment actually – it was in Nashville during January 2008 while Tiger Army was on tour. Between the show day, a day off and some extra waiting to fix to our van I spent about two and half days there. The music, sights and history I took in during that time made me realize that I had to move forward on making a country solo album, which had been a desire for many years. Of course, I had a year of touring ahead of me at that time, so I didn’t begin work on the album in earnest until spring 2009; actual tracking started a year after that. I discovered honky-tonk through rockabilly music in my teens and fell in love with it, starting with songs like “Defrost Your Heart” by Charlie Feathers or “Sure To Fall” by Carl Perkins. I checked out Bill Monroe because of Elvis, things like that. It wasn’t long before hillbilly, honky-tonk and bluegrass were interests separate from rockabilly. My Dad’s always been a big Merle Haggard fan and I heard that a lot as a kid, so I suppose it was there before that as well.
When I listen to this record, I'm actually amazed by how you made the kind of album I had least expected from you. Instead of pursuing the straight-forward, early 70's-era Nashville outlaw sound with a lot of ringing Telecasters and songs about burning down Music Row, you've made a heartfelt, intimate and, in lack of a better word, organic record that could easily leave your old fans thinking that you've gone soft on them. Please explain!
The state of mainstream country has been summed up many times and I don’t have anything in particular to add to the conversation beyond what’s been said. I’d rather promote the legacy that’s important to me – real country music. There are plenty of classic artists making great records currently that should get more airplay like Merle Haggard or Connie Smith. There are amazing records being made by people like Marty Stuart and Dwight Yoakam, and people like James Intveld and Dale Watson who should be huge country stars. But when it comes to my record, it was never my intention to protest the ways of the world. That’s the place for me to show what country music is to me, the positive side, the side that moves my soul. I’d rather play people music that I love than talk about music that I don’t like. The process of researching and writing music went farther than I initially imagined, until it basically took over my life – it hasn’t stopped, so even I’m surprised!
A song like Nashville Winter has a classic Bakersfield-sound to it, without sounding deliberately retro. What part of country music history do you find yourself the most comfortable with, musically as well as personally?
For me, it starts with Jimmie Rodgers… I love many of the variants of country from the 30s like bluegrass and western swing, but honky-tonk is definitely one of my favorites. I’m not opposed to the early Nashville sound, it would be fun to try a lush arrangement here or there, but I tend to prefer hard country. California country is one of my absolute favorites, whether out of Bakersfield or Hollywood in the 50s and 60s. As you mention, it’s not my intention to try and recreate any of this stuff note for note, it’s already been done. I sometimes find my inspiration in the past, but I want to make records that are relevant today as well and to do that there have to be elements that are strictly my own.
There are a lot of good people saying some very nice things about you, yet you're not exactly country radio material, I would suspect. Did you ever consider the possibility of just doing things the Nashville-way? You'd probably be rich and on the CMAs if you did?
I’ve always wanted to do things my own way. While Tiger Army has accomplished some things I never thought we would, it was on our own terms. I’m not against the mainstream, but I’m not interested in tailoring what I do to fit it. That’s true for all my music. At the end of the day, I’d rather be a modestly successful artist and still believe in what I do than a hugely successful artist who cannot. It was always my intention to find a label that had credibility and was releasing records that I’d want to listen to, and Sugar Hill fit the bill perfectly. Tiger Army got a fair amount of airplay when our last record was released on an independent label, which I never expected, so you never know – I just make the music I want to make in an environment where I won’t be interfered with and when that’s done, I work as hard as I can to get it out there.
What's the story behind your name, if you don't mind me asking?
My first band in my teens was a punk band called Influence 13. Friends started calling me “Nick 13” and it really stuck after a few of us moved to the East Bay (California Bay Area) where there was another Nick who people often confused me with in conversation.
You've got Greg Leisz and Jim Scott working on this record. Jim Scott is one of the absolute finest producers and mixers of our time, so what was it like having him mix the songs?
I was incredibly lucky to be able to able to work with Greg, Jim, James Intveld, Lloyd Green, Josh Grange, basically all of the musicians on the record. Jim Scott was great – very musical, he has a lot of instinct as a mixer which made the overall process quite fast, in addition to an incredible amount of knowledge when it comes to mixing on an analog board (a custom Neve) which is sadly becoming more and more of a lost art these days. His studio is great – instruments everywhere, it’s almost like a large artist’s installation, except you can use everything. The atmosphere at his studio made mixing feel like an extension of the musical process, which it absolutely should be.
Here's one for the fans. What are your three favorite albums?
This is always a tough one for me – a lot of times my favorite music is from before the late 50s and 60s when the album started to become the dominant packaging form. With some artists, Bill Monroe for example, I started with box sets. I’ll give it a shot though, here goes:
Louvin Brothers, Tragic Songs of Life: The Louvins were one of the artists who really, really made me fall in love with country. Their harmonies are so incredible, even their covers have great melodic vocal twists. Their performances on this album of songs like “Knoxville Girl”, “Mary Of The Wild Moor” and “In The Pines” made me aware of just how dark and haunting country music can be.
Marty Robbins, Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs: Speaking of haunting, anyone who’s ever heard a Tiger Army record can tell you that I love minor chords. They’re a primary part of this record, which is what pulled me into Western music. The singing, the lyrics, the arrangements –
all incredible.
Johnny Cash, Live At Folsom Prison: I believe this is the first country album I ever purchased (at a garage sale when I was a kid) and it’s still one of the best. The taut, stripped down arrangements that crackle with tension and energy captured my young imagination and made playing country seem more accessible to me somehow. Citing Johnny Cash as an influence is de rigueur these days but there’s a reason he’s so widely hailed and it’s all on display right here.
Being on Sugar Hill Records, you share your label with a lot of very fine and very legendary musicians. I imagine the office Christmas parties must be a hoot?!
I haven’t been to one yet, I’ll have to let you know! I was able to meet Marty Stuart and Connie Smith as a result of being on Sugar Hill when I went to Nashville recently to shoot a video for “All Alone”, that doesn’t just happen on any label! I met Jim Lauderdale the next night, I’m definitely proud to be a part of their roster.
Final question. And it might be a weird one. If all of this was to end tomorrow, if this was to be your only country album, what would you want people to think about you as a country artist? What would you want your own legacy to be?
‘Tis sweet to be remembered… I’m happy anytime people take the music on its own terms – I’d just like everyone to hear it free from preconceptions and when they do listen, I hope they’ll find a country singer with a unique voice both writing-wise and literally, worthy of participating in this great tradition. I’ve followed my gut and taken big chances to do this – ultimately I’d just like to be remembered as someone with a unique style who was true to themselves and their music.
Nick 13 is out now on Sugar Hill. For more on Nick 13 and his amazing solo debut, go to one of these sites - or download the free Nick 13 iPhone app!
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