Nick Kirk profile picture

Nick Kirk

About Me

Well, it’s a funny old game that’s for sure. Having redefined himself as a ’drummer’ (at least inside his own head), Nick headed overseas with the intention of purchasing a kit and forming a band in Melbourne. Problem was, he arrived in typically broke fashion, and ended up relying on the kindness of friends and strangers for a couch here and there while he looked for a job. In lieu of a kit, cash, and much to do, he sated his creative urges by picking up whichever guitar someone had left unattended and playing the crap out of it. Something of a nostalgic experience, since this had in fact been his first instrument, and certainly in keeping with the summer vibes, he whiled away the days playing bad Neil Young or Jeff Buckley covers for his own amusement while saving for that elusive kit. Well, he never did get the cash together. 6 years, 4 countries and countless backyard-parties, open mics and gigs later, Nick has built up a catalogue of original material on themes which you might expect after such experiences. He has recently relocated to Sydney, Australia, where he is currently regrouping and working on new material. He is slightly less anonymous when regarded as one half of ’The Waywards’ (www.myspace.com/thewaywardsjp )’, the Tokyo-based acoustic supergroup currently on hiatus due to geographical differences.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 31/05/2007
Band Members: My precious Martin Dreadnought Guitar, my hands and my voice.
Influences: Hmm let's see. It's been a bit of a journey. As a kid, grew up listening to a lot of stuff on 80's radio plus my Dad's vinyl, which contained The Stones, The Beatles, Led Zep, Hendrix, The Who, Cream, basically a lot of 60's and 70's rock. Though at the time I didn't realise it, the influence of these records became apparent when I revisited them later.The end of the eighties seemed so vacuous to me that as an early teenager I honestly believed I was uninterested in music. As adulthood approached, I began taking an interest in some guitar bands, but it was the wave of early 90's rock that for me proved defining. Soundgarden, RHCP, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, RATM. This was the music that showed me how passionately I could feel about music, and which led to me picking up a guitar. Hereafter, Radiohead, Kyuss, Tool, Monster Magnet, Foo Fighters, Janes Addiction, Fu Manchu became mixed with the records in my dad's collection. I diverged into Funk through James Brown, Parliament and The Meters, and Jazz through Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis.The seeming paucity of decent music coming out of the late nineties resulted in a backtrack to albums which pre-dated my birth; the likes of Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Procol Harem, Dylan, The Band, John Martyn, Bowie, Velvet Underground, more Beatles, Zep, Hendrix. Fortunately, there was (and still is) more than enough treasure to keep me busy for years, as I bought up the back catelogues of most respected singer/songwriters of that era. Friends introduced me to some great electronic and DJ based music like Bjork, DJ Shadow, Portishead, Morcheeba, David Holmes, Amon Tobin, Air, Breakestra, Jurassic 5, Beastie Boys, Sian Supa Crew etc.Blues too, especially Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins and Robert Johnson.Travels around Australasia gifted me the music of artists like The Dirty Three, John Butler Trio, Trinity Roots, and similarly popular acts like Ben Harper, G-Love, Jack Johnson.Also, more contemporary UK-based music like Damien Rice, Gomez, Tamara Parsons Baker and Turin Brakes, and stateside stuff like Sufjan Stevens, Smog, Joanna Newsom, The Velvet Teen, John Frusciante's solo stuff and Johnny Cash's work with Rick Rubin.Outside music, the work of Bill Hicks and Monty Python have irreparably scarred my brain.Most importantly, I've been influenced by the friends and people I've played with, written with or even just shared a stage with.And I'm always open to recommadations if you have any.
Sounds Like: Me and a mix of what I like to listen to.
Record Label: Unsigned

My Blog

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