Son of a Blitch Podcast, Ep. 128 w/ NICK HEXUM (Discussing His Solo Music, Tour & some 311 news!) скачать в хорошем качестве

Son of a Blitch Podcast, Ep. 128 w/ NICK HEXUM (Discussing His Solo Music, Tour & some 311 news!)

The heart of this conversation is creative courage. Nick Hexum traces a path from chasing hyper-modern sounds to falling in love with instruments that predate rock, and the shift isn’t a gimmick; it’s a return to vulnerability. He talks about mandolin, pedal steel, and the one-mic stagecraft that forces projection and blend, like old halls before PA systems. That choice changes everything about performance and writing. Singing higher, belting lines once whispered, and working dynamics against freeway noise while busking sharpened his voice and his band’s cohesion. When the palette narrows, the stakes rise: lyrics must carry truth, melody must pull weight, and the room must feel the breath between words. This is where his Americana, bluegrass, and folk lean reveal a deeper theme—follow the muse or be left behind. Hexum’s lunar-themed solo work—Waxing Nostalgic, Full Memories, and Waning Time—threads personal history through present resolve and future intent. He and his wife shaped the phases to reflect an inner tide: looking back with "1978", standing in the moment with intimate portraits, and peering ahead with hard-earned hope. The themes are not rigid boxes; they’re anchors for songs that orbit memory. Family appears everywhere: his daughter Echo on piano, his sister co-writing a song, a song honoring his late brother, and a lineage of musical collaborators join him along the way. The more he explored the past, the freer he felt to dig deep into the roots of American Music and his own soul. Honesty is a craft as much as a choice. Hexum talks about grief for his brother and the reflex to hide pain, then choosing to name it in song to heal and connect ("I Am Open"). He speaks about fatherhood with "Please Explain", born from a family phrase and expanded through a co-write with Ben Kweller after sharing losses and fears. The writing process became a safe space blueprint: coaxing truth, reading faces, building trust, and letting the music hold what words can’t. Sobriety threads through it all, as a discipline of clarity and gratitude. Audience response confirmed the bet—when artists risk the dark caves, listeners bring their lanterns. These songs prove that creative vulnerability is not a brand; it’s a bridge that carries both ways. Creativity also needs a system. Hexum shares how Rick Rubin’s ideas unlocked momentum: audience comes last, perfectionism is ego, and quantity begets quality. That mindset powers frequent releases and dislodges the logjam that stalls new work behind the “perfect” unfinished piece. He treats songwriting as a spiritual practice: show up with pen and guitar, let another power handle quality, and keep moving. That ethos inspired SKP, the platform he co-founded with his wife to help artists become major label escapees. With distribution barriers gone, the goal is streamlined tools, direct fan connection, and releasing work at the artist’s pace. It’s not anti-label; it’s pro-agency, rooted in the belief that the shortest path from song to soul is the one you build yourself. Finally, there’s awe—the original meaning of awful as full of awe—which Hexum wants to cultivate like a daily habit. From foraging mushrooms to standing outside with dogs, small doses of awe recalibrate a busy mind more reliably than another notification. That focus shapes his tour: one-mic intimacy, storytelling between songs, and a reminder to put the phone down. He’s grateful, animated by community, and curious about what’s next: more crossings between jazz and Americana, more covers reimagined, and maybe a book when the courage clicks. The takeaway is simple and rare: follow the muse, honor the roots, release often, and let awe do its quiet work. Learn more at: NickHexum.com