Nick Waterhouse performs in The Current studio
by Bill DeVille
May 06, 2019
Less than two months ago, Nick Waterhouse was in St. Paul, Minn., to perform on Live From Here, broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater. "Live From Here was a blast," Waterhouse says. "My buddy Jon Batiste was the host, and we had such a lovely time. … I have good memories here already."
Touring in support of his self-titled album, Waterhouse is back in the Twin Cities to make some new memories, this time with a show at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis and a stop at The Current studio in St. Paul to play songs and to chat with host Bill DeVille.
Although Waterhouse's sound has been described as having a bit of a retro feel, he doesn't peg his influences to a particular era. "I grew up listening to American music," he says. "When you're a child born the 1980s, nobody told me how representative of time what you're listening to is supposed to be. So an Animals record would be the same thing to me as a Depeche Mode record would be the same thing to me as a Weezer record. All that was on the radio."
But Waterhouse considers himself a casual historian, especially for musical topics that interest him. His album was recorded at Los Angeles's Electro Vox Recording Studios, which opened in 1936 and has hosted recording sessions for artists like Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Tex Ritter, Orson Welles, Henry Mancini, and the Wrecking Crew, among many others — but it wasn't the ghosts so much as the design that impressed Waterhouse about Electro Vox. "You really recognize that these cats had an idea and a formula almost to what sounded good and worked for them, so once you hear a snare drum in that room, you're like, 'Oh yeah, I get it'," he says.
Waterhouse is joined in studio by his full band: Judd Nielsen on piano, Mando Dorame on tenor sax, Paula Henderson on baritone sax, Carol Hatchett on backing vocals, Jessica Wilkes on bass and Jay Rudolph on drums. And the collaborative friend "Leon" that Waterhouse refers to in this interview is none other than Leon Bridges! Listen to the complete session using the audio player above.
More Video
Songs Performed
"Wherever She Goes (She Is Wanted)"
"Black Glass"
"Wreck the Rod"
All songs from Nick Waterhouse's self-titled 2019 album, released on Innovative Leisure Records.
Hosted by Bill DeVille
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Michael DeMark
Visuals by Nate Ryan
Web feature by Luke Taylor
External Link
Nick Waterhouse - external site
