Today we’d like to introduce you to Nolan Richards.
Hi Nolan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I moved to LA a couple years ago now and went to an English school because I didn’t know how to speak the language.
I joined my first band a couple months later and started to play covers with my friends. We started to build a set of songs of the bands “Poison”, “Van Halen”, “Motley Crue” and pretty much all the 80s stuff. Then, I left the band in January 2024 and went to MI and started appearing in bigger events at NAMM or at some clubs in Hollywood. I got my work permit in October 2024 and started receiving pay to play music, and now I’m just keeping it going !
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all ahahah! I gotta say the main struggle was and still is the money, especially in Hollywood. For whatever reason, nobody wants to pay musicians in this town, and it makes it even harder of course. Where I’m from in Switzerland, you will get paid for every gig you do, it’s not even a question. So this is why I started to work as a hired gun, so I could set my rate to people. So if you read this interview and want me to be your drummer, please reach out to me and LET’S WORK TOGETHER!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a musician (Drummer, Guitarist, Bassist) – I’m specalized in Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal but I can also do Pop, Raggae and more… I’ve worked with Kyle Rising, Sakshi Chopra, Garden Of Eden (with Steve Unger from “Metal Church”/“Autograph”), Michael Starr (Steel Panther), Howie Simon (Winger) and more… I’m also in a few music videos, some videos have not yet been released but recently I did the video for Danny Veras’ new album! “Rich Woman” is out on YouTube and soon on the platforms!
I also recently started helping my friends Giancarlo Floridia and Enzo Mazzeo to music videos for Frontiers Music SRL as a production assistant.
We did videos with George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob,) Phil X (Bon Jovi) Matt Starr (Ace Frehley ,Mr. Big) and fun fact, I was an actor in the last Robin McAuley video. “Til’ I Die” is the song, you can check out the album, my buddy Giancarlo Floridia co-wrote a couple of songs on it… pretty fun to do haha!
I don’t really know if I’m known for that but many people call me because I learn the stuff fast, so I’m lucky on this one.
I’m proud of my accomplishments, you know I’ve been here for more than two years now but I actually started networking just after NAMM 2024, and 90% of the gigs I get today is from networking, so It’s a MUST for every musician that wants to make it in this business.
There’s definitely something I have in mind and it’s very simple… it’s going out and networking. It’s something that people didn’t do at Musician Institute, Peter Coleman (guitarist in the Kyle Rising band) and I just went out every night, and still do it a lot!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I’d say I’m very easy to work with, I always try to make things easy for the artist who calls me. I just learn the songs, show up on time, and smile on stage ahah!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nolan_richards_official?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009811771289&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
Image Credits
Giancarlo Floridia
Denise Johnson
Hazzati Creates
Greg Donis
Enrique Sanchez Photography
Julie Brietigam
Jj.Mp3
