New Nathan Video

Directed by Sean Wainsteim. Shot in Cuba. I present to you, "North American Dream".

First Look: Nathan Wiley Video Shoot

Last week Nathan returned from shooting his new video in Cuba. I got my hands on some of the stills and it looks like it is going to turn out really cool. Here's a sneak peak!

Sonic Podcast: Is This Thing On? Ep. 03

I finally got around to getting another one of these finished. There were many in the works, but I threw this one together in record time. In honor of Summer driving, I give you, Is This Thing On, Episode 3. Featuring:

The Flaming Lips - Fight Test
Yo La Tengo - Little Eyes
The Got to Get Got - Blood Test
Matt Mays - Under My Senses
The Roots - Baby
Jay-Z - Encore
Rick White - Strange To Be Alive
Sloan - I Can Feel It
Nathan Wiley - Getaway

Youtube Monday

This kid is awesome.



I like this kid too...

The City Destroyed Nathan Wiley

PSST: Click the photo above for a link to a flash player which will stream Nathan's entire new album, The City Destroyed Me (out May 29). To celebrate finally being able to put the album out there, I decided to conduct my own little Nathan interview just to prep him for the months to come.

1.) If you had to be one character on Lost, who would you be and why?
Probably John. I don't know why, I just relate to him more than the others. I mean, my father never threw me out a window or stole a kidney from me or anything, more just his laid backness.

2.) What exactly do you DO all day?
Stuff. I try and write all the time. And I'm always in the middle of recording friends and stuff...I had to cut up a tree last week that fell in the yard over the winter, and I have to get up on the roof and take some storm windows down...pretty EXCITING STUFF!

3.) What’s your favourite Poison album?
I honestly don't know any Poison record by name...that's probably a good thing.

4.) What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen while on the road?
Oh. That's a hard one. There's a bunch of stuff that's not funny at the time, but is later. Mike Farrington once got the flu and a hangover at the same time. We had a long drive (out west somewhere) and since none of the windows in a 15 passenger van go down except the ones in the front, he kept passing me shopping bags full of hot, brown, heavy vomit for me to toss out the passenger window into the new fresh fallen snow. And...I was trying to eat my soup from Tim Hortons.

5.) What’s the worst prank you’ve ever pulled on someone?
Most of them I can't tell the stories, and some of them are still ongoing, so therefore can't be revealed. I put a bunch of rock from a rock garden in Phil Zwicker's bag once at a hotel. We had thought he had gotten rid of them all until he tried to fly home and a couple of pretty substantial stones showed up on the x-ray in security. They were confused...he was too.

6.) Does Uncle Tom still speak to you since you posted his drunken rant about the new record… and then it was posted on chartattack.com?
Of course he does. He finds it funny too. He should have know if he was going to give me such "A" material, it would be against my nature to not use it somehow. And we're laughing "with' him, not "at" him. Mostly anyway...

7.) Aren’t you happy that “Fistful of Throttle” was added to the record at the last minute?
I am so glad we waited. I don't remember who's idea that was (they should get some kind of medal...don't cha think?) but it was genius. Brilliant...

8.) Is it true you record in a closet? Are you ever planning to come out?
I used to record in kind of a walk-in closet years ago. It was the only part in the little apartment I had where there was any room to setup my recording junk. And even after all that...I still like girls.

9.) Tell me a joke.
Most of my jokes are more offensive than funny...
Ed. note - this is true. I don't know why I even asked...

10.) Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes I have

11.) Facebook or Myspace?
Facebook I think...

12.) What’s your own favourite song?
Probably the one I'm working on at the moment. Until it's done, then it's the next one I'm working on at the moment.

Fill in the blanks:

If I could win an award for anything, it would be for: being awesome.

I *hate* Nickleback. I tried to come up with a stronger word, but hate is so to the point and direct.

If I won the lottery, the first thing I would buy is: a house maybe? Or a really good sandwich.

Do you have any questions you’d like to ask me? How come you don't watch Lost anymore?

The reason I don’t watch Lost anymore is because you are just so great at typing out the summary on Thursday. I don’t have to put up with annoying characters and ridiculous ‘oh look, there’s a polar bear’ or ‘how is Charlie doing to die this week’ bullshit when you do that. And I like how you name the new guests. Eyepatch guy, parachuter chick… it’s good stuff.

Rainy Days and Things to Say

We've been getting harassed by rain and wind here in Halifax for the entire week. I realize today is but Tuesday, but weeks that start off in such a way make for longer weeks and work days. That being said, there have been a few things that are getting me through:

#1) My upcoming trip to London to visit one of my greatest friends for her birthday. I understand that going to London England to escape rainy days is ridiculous, but as soon as I find enough money for the airfare, I'm booking the trip anyway.

#2)Dan Griffin's new album Stars and Satellites. I've been playing this record for a little while now (loudly so that the office can hear it), and decided that for everyone's sake, I'd retire it for a bit. But then the rain came, and I put it back on. On repeat. All Day. Sometimes I switch to the (wicked) new Wilco, and sometimes to Dylan or Low, but for the most part, it's DG all the way. Pure pretty singer-songwriter goodness.

#3)I got word today that Sonic Concerts is bringing DJ Champion to The Marquee on Sept. 14. This could very well make history as our first Sonic Concerts dance party. yeis.

#4) The Wintersleep guys are hard at work recording songs for their new record. From what I can hear coming through the floorboards, it should be pretty great. Listen for my guest appearance on handclaps. It wouldn't be a proper Wintersleep record without me weaseling my way onto it somehow, now would it? Also, I'm proud to announce that they will be going back on tour with The Tragically Hip next month. Dates are here.

#5) The release date for Nathan's new record has been finalized (May 29, 2007). And although I've been taking the blame for holding up production, I'm proud to announce that 'Fistful of Throttle' has been mastered and added to the end of the album. Oh shoot... did I just post a not-yet-released Nathan Wiley song? And am I about to do it again? Damn straight. (North American Dream)

SONIC PODCAST: "Is This Thing On" Ep. 01

I've made a new podcast featuring songs that I have been listening to in anticipation of Spring. The volume issues are somewhat better, but not totally resolved. Other than that, I'm feeling good about it. Here it is...enjoy!

The Songs:
Songs:Ohia* - I've Been Riding With A Ghost
The Constantines - Thieves
Rocky Votolato - White Daisy Passing
Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running
Nathan Wiley - Fist Full of Throttle (demo)
Mike O'Neill - We Live Happily
Led Zeppelin - Boogie With Stu
Matt Mays - Wasn't Meant To Be (unreleased)
Rilo Kiley - A Man / Me / Then Jim
Loose Fur - The Ruling Class
Evan Dando - It Looks Like You
Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio

*"Right off the bat we need to get one thing straight; it’s pronounced ... be Oheea for those who are more phonetically inclined) and not Songs:Ohia" (source)

Also... HAPPY CONSTANTINES DAY:

SONIC PREVIEW - Nathan's New Artwork

Nathan and I were just having our weekly email conversation about "LOST", and at the end of one of the messages, he brought up the artwork idea he has for "The City Destroyed Me" - see a sample below - and i asked about the artist. This is what i got back:

"An artist named Maurice Bernard. He's really well known around these parts anyway. I actually took art lessons from him for a few years when I was a kid...he used to crank the soundtrack to "Good Morning Vietnam", so that was my introduction to Motown stuff. And he had books of weird art with topless chicks fighting dragons and stuff. So that was my introduction to topless chicks fighting dragons. So anyway, it's all come around and he's doing the art for my record. He's great at nailing the likeness thing...and making me look pretty.

(middle paragraph edited out)

Gonna start working on the graphics soon. I can't wait...it's always fun to do. Then we all get to fight over a single for a video or whatever. What do you think?"

It's important to note that this sketch is NOT the one we're using for the album cover. It is just part of the series of sketched the artist submitted to Nathan as ideas.

SONIC PREVIEW: Nathan Wiley - The City Destroyed Me

Nathan has recently finished recording his new album upstairs with Steve Berlin. Click on the image above for a sneak peek of some of the new songs. Also, here's a little video I recorded at Nate's ECMA showcase. It's for the song "One Bad Woman", which I very much enjoy. Sorry about the quality of the video. A videographer I surely am not. :)