Nick Nicholson is a country singer, who recently released his debut album “Stronger Than Whiskey”. He also appeared in the documentary “Off the Boulevard” directed by Jeff Santo. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Nick about his album and what his love for music.
Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the release of your debut album “Stronger Than Whiskey”
Nick Nicholson: We put that song out a year before the release of the entitled Cd and it did well on the Music Row Charts hitting 103 Nationwide for around 16 weeks total. I believe it could of done a lot better if it were promoted properly but again…..Indie pockets aren’t deep and you wanna believe in your promotions team but in the end it fell into yet another statistic of this business……MONEY…. Aint that a bitch.
MG: Now that “Stronger Than Whiskey” is released, what is the next step for you?
NN: Right now I am just kicking back collecting my thoughts [laughs]! I really can’t answer that one.
MG: What do you enjoy most about getting up on stage and performing?
NN: Having people believe what I’m saying.
MG: If you can perform like with any musician on stage, who would it be and why?
NN: It used to be Elvis Presley but he has faded out of this generation’s eye. Since I have performed with a lot of people already including singing Whiskey Girl with Toby Keith himself. (Wow) I would enjoy doing a song or two with Keith Urban. Mainly because I re-recorded Freedom’s Finally Mine on my 1st CD in Nashville around 2005. I really dig his alternative bluesy take on Country Music. He isn’t standard and neither am I [laughs]!
MG: What do you have to say to other struggling independent artists?
NN: Try not to fall into the standard money traps in this business. Go straight for the “gate keeper” not for the middle man. Ass kissing is part of it. Believe none of what you hear and only ½ of what you actually see. Stay true to who you are, don’t fall short and sell your soul, because one day when or if you succeed you will have done it your way. If you don’t get what your after well…you still did it your way. Most importantly, just Have fun because a recording contract isn’t everything.
MG: Tell us how you got involved with documentary “Off the Boulevard”?
NN: I met Jeff Santo about 5 or 6 years ago while he was in post production of “Jakes Corner” and promoted the movie at my shows because we hit it off from the start. He contacted me a year or so later and said he was filming a documentary on Indie artist of
all genres and wanted to include my struggles as an indie musician in the movie. So he started shooting my footage two years prior to the release. We really got to be great friends throughout the filming process. He hit the road with me and the band gathering footage and interacting with the process of dragging your ass from town to town selling units outta the back of your car.
MG: What do you have planned for the rest of 2012?
NN: Acoustic shows promoting Stronger than Whiskey “Grass Roots” style. Keeping the overhead low as well as the stress. Being happy and falling in love with music all over again with the bullshit buffer on 11! I have been cast as 8 ball in an awesome film called “Dead In 5 Heartbeats” (due out later this year) from the book written by Sonny Barger. Not a real big role in this movie but hey maybe I’m on to something with this acting stuff. It will also feature my song “Can’t Get Here From There” (Co-written with CJ Watson and David Norris) on the soundtrack to the film. So keep an eye out for this release from Santo Films!