Nik is one of the best singers I have ever had the pleasure to watch perform. He is also a killer front-man and one of the last true rock & roll performers. Check out both of his band's at The Bangkok Five and Breaking Arrows. He is a legend in my eyes and gigantic influence to me vocally. Enjoy the interview.
Patrick Houtz (PH)---First of all Nik you are in my top 10 vocalist of all
time. What
bands and singers have really influenced you personally?
Nik Frost (NF)---Wow, thanks for that! James Brown as a front man and genuine performer blew me away. I'd sit on YouTube for hours watching footage of him. So
serious and committed. He was doing something beyond noble up there,
changing the world with his music and his inability to "jive" to the
man. James Brown was a "danger" to society and he knew it and took it
very seriously. I got to play the HOB before him and meet him right
before he passed. He was "73 Years Young" and still had it, no
apologies, no excuses. Guy was the penultimate Rockstar. Then there
are the obvious Punk influences like Iggy and David Johansen.
Obviously Ian has a big part of my heart but if you follow Rock and
Roll, Iggy credits Jim Morrison, Bowie credits Iggy, Ian is a huge
Morrison fan and did an amazing job fronting the last incarnation of
The Doors while Ray was still around. I also love Elliot Smith and
Morrisy which a lot of people would never imagine. I'm actually doing
a new, kind of mellow, electronic thing called Elevator Music with a
couple rad dudes (soon to be revealed) which showcases the softer,
more eloquent side of my talent.
bands and singers have really influenced you personally?
Nik Frost (NF)---Wow, thanks for that! James Brown as a front man and genuine performer blew me away. I'd sit on YouTube for hours watching footage of him. So
serious and committed. He was doing something beyond noble up there,
changing the world with his music and his inability to "jive" to the
man. James Brown was a "danger" to society and he knew it and took it
very seriously. I got to play the HOB before him and meet him right
before he passed. He was "73 Years Young" and still had it, no
apologies, no excuses. Guy was the penultimate Rockstar. Then there
are the obvious Punk influences like Iggy and David Johansen.
Obviously Ian has a big part of my heart but if you follow Rock and
Roll, Iggy credits Jim Morrison, Bowie credits Iggy, Ian is a huge
Morrison fan and did an amazing job fronting the last incarnation of
The Doors while Ray was still around. I also love Elliot Smith and
Morrisy which a lot of people would never imagine. I'm actually doing
a new, kind of mellow, electronic thing called Elevator Music with a
couple rad dudes (soon to be revealed) which showcases the softer,
more eloquent side of my talent.
(PH)---You are honestly one of the few true "front-men" out there right
now. It is also really obviously you truly love playing music when
watching you live. What do you think of the current state of rock &
roll?
(NF)---Thanks for the compliment. Rock and Roll is pretty much dead fiscally
right now. It is hibernating and has been for the last 10 years. There
are a lot of great acts but as long as people and corporations
dis-honor the tradition by stealing music, streaming it for pennies,
insisting on licensing it for free, it will just kind of languish
where it is. I'm pretty flexible so I manage to thrive as I can write
and sing in any genre so it hasn't affected me personally. I laugh
when A&R guys who passed on my band 10 years ago are working for
Internet companies and shit. I'm still making music for a living,
never had a "real" job, have always had a record deal and will remain
prospering in this business until I die. I've kind of figured out the
nooks and crannies and have been fortunate to work with some rad music
houses, agents, publishers, etc.
now. It is also really obviously you truly love playing music when
watching you live. What do you think of the current state of rock &
roll?
(NF)---Thanks for the compliment. Rock and Roll is pretty much dead fiscally
right now. It is hibernating and has been for the last 10 years. There
are a lot of great acts but as long as people and corporations
dis-honor the tradition by stealing music, streaming it for pennies,
insisting on licensing it for free, it will just kind of languish
where it is. I'm pretty flexible so I manage to thrive as I can write
and sing in any genre so it hasn't affected me personally. I laugh
when A&R guys who passed on my band 10 years ago are working for
Internet companies and shit. I'm still making music for a living,
never had a "real" job, have always had a record deal and will remain
prospering in this business until I die. I've kind of figured out the
nooks and crannies and have been fortunate to work with some rad music
houses, agents, publishers, etc.
(PH)---What are some of your best memories from touring with The Cult
when The Bangkok Five opened up? What was it like for you personally
interacting with Ian Astbury?
(NF)---Best memory: We'd been following their bus in a converted Airport
Shuttle Van and were wiped out from driving, not sleeping, etc. Billy
Duffy saw me stumbling to sound check one afternoon and sent me to his
personal dressing room to get cleaned up, telling me that if "anyone
tried to stop to me, to ignore them and hold up my middle finger". I
did, created a bunch of drama which Billy happily ironed out
accordingly. Great dudes... Ian is a great guy. He worked very closely
as well with Chris Goss (My first US deal was produced by Goss out at
Rancho De La Luna where a lot of that Desert stuff is recorded). Goss
kind of "co-created" QotSA with Josh Homme so I had a lot to talk with
Ian about other than sucking his Rock star dick with compliments. He
treated me as a peer and a professional which was nice. It was a blast
watching him rock the stage every night. Important to say that they've
all remained friends of mine and that Billy Duffy and Chris Wyse are
some of the sweetest guys I've ever known.
(PH)---Breaking Arrows is a newer band you are in. How did that band come
about? The material is incredible are you planning on touring in the
US anytime soon?
(NF)---Breaking Arrows is the brainchild of a pretty successful Japanese
guitarist named Daita who broke records with the incredible attendance
(Selling out Budokan 3 nights in a row) of his live shows in the 90's.
I worked with Marti Fredriksen on a tribute record to his big Japanese
band, Daita heard it and drafted me into the project. We recorded a
sick record for Sony did some big shows in Japan, got a lot of support
from the label and are planning on playing some shows out here in
February as well as continuing our writing collaboration.
when The Bangkok Five opened up? What was it like for you personally
interacting with Ian Astbury?
(NF)---Best memory: We'd been following their bus in a converted Airport
Shuttle Van and were wiped out from driving, not sleeping, etc. Billy
Duffy saw me stumbling to sound check one afternoon and sent me to his
personal dressing room to get cleaned up, telling me that if "anyone
tried to stop to me, to ignore them and hold up my middle finger". I
did, created a bunch of drama which Billy happily ironed out
accordingly. Great dudes... Ian is a great guy. He worked very closely
as well with Chris Goss (My first US deal was produced by Goss out at
Rancho De La Luna where a lot of that Desert stuff is recorded). Goss
kind of "co-created" QotSA with Josh Homme so I had a lot to talk with
Ian about other than sucking his Rock star dick with compliments. He
treated me as a peer and a professional which was nice. It was a blast
watching him rock the stage every night. Important to say that they've
all remained friends of mine and that Billy Duffy and Chris Wyse are
some of the sweetest guys I've ever known.
(PH)---Breaking Arrows is a newer band you are in. How did that band come
about? The material is incredible are you planning on touring in the
US anytime soon?
(NF)---Breaking Arrows is the brainchild of a pretty successful Japanese
guitarist named Daita who broke records with the incredible attendance
(Selling out Budokan 3 nights in a row) of his live shows in the 90's.
I worked with Marti Fredriksen on a tribute record to his big Japanese
band, Daita heard it and drafted me into the project. We recorded a
sick record for Sony did some big shows in Japan, got a lot of support
from the label and are planning on playing some shows out here in
February as well as continuing our writing collaboration.
(PH)---Tell me about recording last year at Dave Catching's studio? You
guys had some killer players with you in the studio for that session.
Ive been fortunate enough to chill with Dave and Wino both before,
what was it like recording with Dave and writing with Wino?
(NF)---I've known Dave for years, he actually found my first guitar player,
Brian Murphy, for my Rock and Roll band The Bangkok Five. He also
religiously cooked for us when we recorded out there with Goss. He's
an amazing human being a great guitar player and pretty much a
culinary genius. He's very casual about everything and there's NEVER
bad or weird shit in the studio when he's around, just love and good
vibes. The studio was founded 1993 by Fred Drake who passed in 2003.
Catching became his partner in 1994 and has carried the torch since.
Some of my favorite records have been made there so it was an obvious
choice when we decided to do our project Black Bird Die. It really was
magical: We had Wino on lead guitar, Catching on lap steel, fucking
Greg Hetson (Bad Religion, Circle Jerks) on rhythm guitar, Brian
"Brane" Klemke (The Knives) played acoustic and produced the whole
thing as well as other notables such as, Chris Sorem engineering and
arranging, Scott Clowes on keys and Hoss Wright (Mondo Generator,
BL'AST) on drums. Even had the legendary bass vocalist, Torrance
Jackson from the Burgundy Room sing the last chorus! We all stayed at
Brian "Big Hands" (EoDM) place nearby and even got some hang time with
the legendary "Hutch" who lives up the road.
guys had some killer players with you in the studio for that session.
Ive been fortunate enough to chill with Dave and Wino both before,
what was it like recording with Dave and writing with Wino?
(NF)---I've known Dave for years, he actually found my first guitar player,
Brian Murphy, for my Rock and Roll band The Bangkok Five. He also
religiously cooked for us when we recorded out there with Goss. He's
an amazing human being a great guitar player and pretty much a
culinary genius. He's very casual about everything and there's NEVER
bad or weird shit in the studio when he's around, just love and good
vibes. The studio was founded 1993 by Fred Drake who passed in 2003.
Catching became his partner in 1994 and has carried the torch since.
Some of my favorite records have been made there so it was an obvious
choice when we decided to do our project Black Bird Die. It really was
magical: We had Wino on lead guitar, Catching on lap steel, fucking
Greg Hetson (Bad Religion, Circle Jerks) on rhythm guitar, Brian
"Brane" Klemke (The Knives) played acoustic and produced the whole
thing as well as other notables such as, Chris Sorem engineering and
arranging, Scott Clowes on keys and Hoss Wright (Mondo Generator,
BL'AST) on drums. Even had the legendary bass vocalist, Torrance
Jackson from the Burgundy Room sing the last chorus! We all stayed at
Brian "Big Hands" (EoDM) place nearby and even got some hang time with
the legendary "Hutch" who lives up the road.
(PH)---What are the plans for you personally in the music world for 2014?
(NF)---Keep rocking and keep making music. The Bangkok Five has a new, full
length studio album in the can called White Witch, Elevator Music is
in the middle of finishing a record, Breaking Arrows will start
writing some new stuff in mid February. We keep the torch burning,
white hot and hold it high above are heads as we continue the fight...
Thanks for the time buddy ;)
(NF)---Keep rocking and keep making music. The Bangkok Five has a new, full
length studio album in the can called White Witch, Elevator Music is
in the middle of finishing a record, Breaking Arrows will start
writing some new stuff in mid February. We keep the torch burning,
white hot and hold it high above are heads as we continue the fight...
Thanks for the time buddy ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment