Daily Inspiration: Meet Nate Hertweck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Hertweck.

Hi Nate, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m like most artists: a dreamer desperately trying not to wake up. We swear if we could just hang onto the idea a little longer, we could get it down on paper, on wax, forever… I moved to LA to make records. After burning out in the studio engineer/producer path, I took a day job at a music organization that allowed me to start gigging again on nights and weekends. I wrote songs, started bands, joined bands, made records, mounted tours, watched bands fall apart and wrote more songs. But I liked the shows the most. I played all around town as much as I could. I closed down dive bars on weeknights and went into the office early the next morning. I put together small tours to see what’s out there. I learned to play solo, to be a leader and to be a role player. I came to believe there should be both naked soul and punk irreverence in good art. I try to make as much of it as I can to get better and better at songwriting, performing and disappearing into the whole thing. Most of the battle is just to keep going. Now, 15 years after moving to LA, I release music as a solo singer/songwriter and play guitar in two bands: a post-metal group called Dawn Fades and a psych-rock band called Dinosaur Tooth.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’re supposed to say it hasn’t been easy or smooth, but I’ll take a different tack. I’ve been beyond fortunate to come to Los Angeles to chase my dreams in music. I’ve met wonderful and inspiring artists in this town who have given me the space to create and contribute. I’ve found work in the music industry that’s allowed me to enhance my writing and understand the artistic journey. I’ve enjoyed great opportunity, privilege and luck in sustaining myself long enough to deliver my music from wherever it comes from to recordings and audiences, albeit mostly small ones. If anything, the struggles along the way are what write the songs.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I try to write songs with an endearing sneer. There are so many greats to learn from, from Armatrading to Zevon, Dylan to DiFranco. I put out two covers EPs a few years ago where I reimagined folk and punk songs I love, called ‘Blame It On The Truth’ and ‘Something Out Of Anything.’ I released a psychedelic single last year, “The Producers,” complete with a rock n’ roll Rorshach music video. And earlier this year, I dropped my first EP of solo originals, ‘Watch The Sky,’ produced by my good friend David Bowick. It’s a sonic treat and a good place to start with listening to my music. I’ve got a new EP called ‘Gold Hidden in the Clay’ due out in early 2021. It was recorded remotely during the pandemic with a few of my friends. I also love playing in bands. My post-metal band, Dawn Fades, are wrapping up our second full-length for release in early 2021. It’s dark, ethereal and crushingly heavy. We’ve been described as a mix of deftones and Neurosis, which is a serious compliment in my book.

Before the pandemic began, I played every Wednesday night at Cock N Bull British Pub in Santa Monica with my band Dinosaur Tooth. We’re a collective of musicians who love playing live, and we’re working on more recordings, too. We play a nice mix of originals and covers, and you’ll catch us playing Talking Heads, Mother Hips, The Band and more. We hope to return when live music returns. I try to participate in LA’s music scene. I show up for friend’s gigs, organize showcase and tribute shows, get there early and stay late when I can. I feel like LA is very forward-facing, and there’s always something good coming right around the corner if you keep working at what you love.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t wait. There’s this sense in life that someday you’ll have the time or the money or the energy or whatever. Make as much music or art as you can where you’re at because I believe our best work is ahead of us, no matter where we are. Keep going. Also, be careful at how you measure success. There are so many metrics and pressures now that have nothing to do with self-expression, it’s easy to get caught up in what other people think of your work or how they react. What matters is how close you came to what you were chasing, how far away you got from what you were evading, or what magic you got mixed up in along the way. Creative people can find other ways to quantify their progress if they listen to themselves.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: natehertweck.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natehertweck/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natehertweckmusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/natehertweck
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/natehertweck

Image Credits
Nate Hertweck, Michael Kang