In an exclusive interview, singer/songwriter Nick Howard talks about New York City, songwriting and success.
[indiessance]
You are definitely having a successful run in recent years, starting with your freshman EP 6-pack Contradicted which received kudos from critics. I read your bio; what a big year 2008 became, being featured on "MTV, Fox, Comcast, TLC, CBS, ABC, the BBC, Vogue Magazine, Bloomingdale's and Lifetime"! Did this all hit like a ton of bricks - leaving you a bit mesmerized? Even early on, I imagine the world got bigger and brighter after you hopped from Brighton to New York City. A long leap across the pond can affect an artist's mode of living in a big way, where everyday habits, overall attitude - even their tastes in music, food, etc. can be affected. Can you share how your lifestyle has changed after taking a bite of the Big Apple? Are there any food and entertainment discoveries you've made that you really liked?
[nick howard]
Well it sounds very glamorous when you list it like that but between the lines there is so much work that has gone into landing these achievements that it definitely doesn't feel like a ton of bricks...more like one brick at a time :) Sometimes you work so hard to nail these things that you forget to take a minute and actually reflect on what you've done. When I read it in a sentence like that it is a bit mesmerizing so thank you for pointing them out...you've made my day :)
Moving to New York was definitely a massive change in pace, I had eased my way here by having smaller stints here and there leading up to 2004, so that helped a bit...but living this city is a lot different from visiting it. I can't stress how important this city has been and continues to be for me and this life/musical journey. It is an incredible place that picks you up when you are down and gives you a kick in the balls when you are lazy. There is nowhere else on earth like it, the huge mix of different people, cultures, music/arts, food etc etc has done nothing but educate me and cause me to look at life in a different way as well as to enjoy it more.
I was a complete wimp before I came here as far as food was concerned but soon learned that I wasn't going to have much of a social life if I didn't bite the bullet and try a few crazy dishes here and there...now you can find me eating sea urchin on a regular basis (well maybe not that extreme but definitely more raw fish than I'd consumed prior to moving here - which would be zero). As far as entertainment goes, there aren't many places that you could visit a transgender karaoke bar, a burlesque club, a singer/songwriter club, a jazz club, a rock club, several art galleries and then polish it off with a McDonalds within a two block radius :) To say this place hasn't opened my eyes to a lot of great art would be a lie. I'm blessed to be among a group of fantastic singer/songwriters currently doing the rounds in New York, its inspiring and I feel we're part of something really special.
[indiessance]
Some artists talk about the self-indulgent aspect of songwriting, whereas they are writing songs to entertain themselves as well. Are there any particular songs off your latest LP Something to Talk About that you really enjoyed writing, and also enjoy performing more than your other songs? A fan might guess - A Better Man. But sometimes an obscure, seemingly unassuming song can carry a special meaning for the songwriter himself - which the listener does not know anything about. Can you share a deeper - more detailed - look into one of your songs that might enhance its meaning for listeners?
[nick howard]
This is a very good reflection on the songwriting process. The largest part of the writing process is self-indulgent, I know for me its my way of dealing with life's emotions, experiences and observations as well as my own personal thought and feelings. That said, when you are writing a song, particularly a melody, you aren't going to come up with a good hook if it doesn't entertain you. A Better Man is a fun song to play, and I think that a large part of that is the melody however the lyrical aspect is important as well, especially given that I have found that the song has taken on a much larger meaning past its original context (which is about a relationship gone wrong and a guys desperation to make it right) and now just feels like a much bigger and more important statement about how I want to live my life...music is awesome like that.
Another interesting song is The Pressure. I got to a point half way through Something To Talk About where I was completely stuck, I had to re-record all of the track's I had recorded with another producer, was struggling financially to keep the process going and was really struggling to come up with the next song. The Pressure is basically my feelings and emotions through that time period put to music and lyrics and came out of a really low point for me...it ended up being the song that would end up on The Hills and open up so many doors for me...just another ironic notch on this crazy journey.
[indiessance]
When it comes to film and television, music plays such an important role when it helps carry the theme of the screenplay, and sets the mood for viewers. You have had tracks featured in the soundtracks for The Hills, Army Wives, [and] LA Ink. Most people seem to spend more time watching TV than they do listening specifically to music. What thoughts were going through your mind the first time you heard one of your tracks playing in a TV show you were watching? Imagining millions of people all watching/listening at the same time, that's a lot of ears! Do you set out to write songs to catch the ears of many listeners, or does your music simply have a natural appeal? What aspects of your music reveal its entertainment power?
[nick howard]
My thoughts surrounding that placement in The Hills was that there had been a mistake and that I was about to suffer a major embarrassment. I had blasted my mailing list and all of the other social networking outfits, told friends and family to tune in to the show, my sister even bought me a 'congratulations' cake but I was prepared for the worst. Fortunately for me, my career and my pride, about five minutes into the show there it was - my song, the background music to Lauren Conrad getting asked out by a model...soon to be ruined by a scene change and the introduction of Spencer whining 'Heiiiiidiiiii'...still, I'd had my moment of glory so was happy for him to ruin it :)
The response from that one placement was immediate, that's the great thing about the information age, I could track the increased mySpace hits (about 10,000 that night) and thousands more over the next few days. The placement was aided by an Entertainment Weekly blog which mentioned the song and drove more people to my website. I don't write songs to appeal to others, they have to appeal to me first. I will write a particular theme or genre, but I need to behind the music, otherwise it just won't sound right. I think you have a choice when it comes to production about the 'sound' you want to get. I want my songs to be produced in the best light, and that's what I did with this album...the fact that the songs are licensable is a bonus and I'm really fortunate to have had some success in that arena. I've had some odd licenses too - for instance two of my songs have appeared in the show LA Ink on TLC, a show about tattoo artists. It's pretty ironic that I don't have any tattoos and probably never will...it's also ironic that one of the two songs used is called My Mistake :)
[indiessance]
Songwriters can receive inspiration from a variety of sources. I know of one artist who gets her song ideas from news stories. Perhaps a movie inspires, or a novel. Do you typically come up with a catchy chorus hook first? Or maybe you write a set of lyrics first, and then put that to music. While you are writing songs, can you give us a view into the gears that are turning in your mind and heart? I understand how songwriting can be an esoteric activity, whereas an artist taps into their emotions and pours them out onto a page. And sometimes even the songwriter can be surprised by the creativity that flows off the tips of their fingers.
[nick howard]
The ideas can come from any of those, but I think the catalyst that gels it altogether is the spark. It is an often elusive, never readily available and uncontrollable event that needs to happen at some point during the writing process in order to take music and lyrics and turn them into a song. I find that music sparks (chords, notes etc) come much more easily as they are usually the product of a mistake or accident than the lyrical melody spark, that is something that can take years to happen for a certain song, but can also come out of nowhere and you can end up with your best song in five minutes. I know some people have a better ability to control it and switch it on whenever they feel like it...I wish that were the case for me, that way I wouldn't constantly find myself rummaging for a pen and paper in the darkness at 3am :)
Thanks for having me :)
