Nathan Veshecco: Press

 

Questions, With Answers: Love, With Questions Q&A

 

In this recent Q&A session with Katy Krassner, singer-songwriter Nathan Veshecco reveals his musical influences, favorite albums and songs, plus personal details about three tracks on his new release, Love, With Questions. 

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What are your top five albums of all time? (In no particular order)

 

Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On; John Mayer – Continuum; Michael Jackson – Thriller; B.B. King – Live At The Regal; Company (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

What was the first song you fell in love with? Do you remember where you were when you first heard it?

I think the first song I fell in love with was probably something from my childhood, like “Somewhere Out There” from An American Tail. But the first song I had a clear, deep, acknowledged love for was “Little Wing” by Jimi Hendrix. I remember that I would literally chase it around my living room – chase the sound coming out of my dad’s speakers and then stand and air guitar Jimi’s beautiful soloing. As a young teenager, it was the perfect song to fall in love with because it described this free-spirited woman who was literally so mysterious that she only had a nick-name, like Penny Lane from Almost Famous. As a wild kid with a wilder imagination, that was certainly the kind of girl I wanted to meet, and music opened the door via that song.

 

Who are your favorite musicians of all time? Musical influences?

I’m happy to answer both because for me, there’s definitely a difference between a favorite and an influence. I’m nuts about pretty much anything Jay-Z does, but I can’t create what he creates on the mic. Similarly, as much as I love Jimi Hendrix, I don’t aspire to best his legacy in any way. That’s how you know someone’s an influence – when they become your high watermark, your 9.85 second 100-meter dash that you swear you can beat someday, even if it sounds crazy. I have love and respect for pretty much every “guitar god” of the past 90 years – everybody from Robert Johnson to Jeff Beck to Eddie Van Halen to Derek Trucks – but since that’s not what I want to be, the love for talent stops short of influence. But there are guitar players who influence me with their voicing, the way they say what they came to say on the guitar. Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, George Harrison, Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and of course John Mayer.

Despite my devotion to the guitar, most of my influences are singers and songwriters. Joni Mitchell taught me a lot about how to be candid and broad at the same time. Stephen Sondheim is a constant source of direction in terms of my path as a writer; his career is one I take so much inspiration from. The same goes for John Mayer again, who has really carved out a beautiful niche for himself. I draw upon Michael Jackson’s body of work daily. And, of course, all the foundation-builders, the scientists of rock and roll – The Beatles, the geniuses of Tin Pan Alley, Bob Dylan, Bacharach and David, Carole King, Leonard Cohen, the Chess Records team…I could go on for hours but I’ll stop.

 

What 5 - 10 songs would you include on your favorite mixed tape?

It’s has to be 11. Here goes. The songs would always change depending on the situation (Am I on a road trip to nowhere? Has my plane crashed on a mysterious island?). However, since Love, With Questions is an album of songs from the heart, I’m making a list of some “by the fireplace/in the bedroom” magic that I cannot live without. Enjoy.

 

Marvin Gaye – Come Get To This

The Beatles – Something

Bloodstone – Natural High

Prince & NPG – Diamonds and Pearls

The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes For You

George Benson – Give Me The Night

Sade – No Ordinary Love

Bruce Springsteen – I’m On Fire

Johnny “Guitar” Watson – Love Jones

Michael Jackson – The Lady In My Life

George Harrison – If Not For You

 

Are there any songs that are particularly close to you on the album and why?

 

“I’d Be Here” was really the catalyst for writing the record. I was having a difficult time making a move – I wanted to make a new record, but I didn’t want to do something big; Berkeley was great, but I wanted to get back to the east coast. Then this song came and made my decision for me. I suddenly had direction and purpose, and this sense of relief washed over me and got me moving. I remember thinking, “This sounds too good to be my song, this sounds like someone else wrote it.” I’ll always be grateful I was blessed with “I’d Be Here.”

“Don’t Keep It Too Long” is another true gift and my favorite song on the record. I needed that perfect distillation of everything I do best in one powerhouse song – this had been eluding me forever. But as soon as I started playing that guitar melody in the verse, I knew what I had and it all came very quickly. I’ve never said so much with so little. This is the one I’m most excited for people to hear.

“I Still Have Questions” represents a real first for me, in terms of spontaneous writing in the studio. Jason (Shaffer, Full Tilt Productions) and I were finishing up another song and we were working with this guitar sound I really fell in love with – the combo of a Gibson Les Paul through a Fender Princeton Chorus – and I started playing that intro section. I thought it sounded like something Jimmy Page would come up with, or maybe Jeff Buckley. I kept playing intuitively and very soon I had this song, written and recorded in less than half an hour. It was surreal, and it’s why I love making records.

 

What’s your hidden talent?

 

I can underwater basket weave my way out of any situation.

Singer-songwriter Nathan Veshecco celebrated the release of his newest full-length album,”Love, With Questions,” on Tuesday, and will play tunes from it Friday at Javateas in Millersville. 

“Love, With Questions” came to fruition after a shorter songwriting process than what Veshecco is accustomed to, but it made for a more spontaneous time in the recording studio. 
    
This unpolished approach is new for Veshecco. He normally prefers a more polished sound on his records, but now his songs will be easier to re-create in a live performance. 
    
But “stripped down” for Veshecco is still slick-sounding, especially the album’s second track, “I’d Die,” which is an homage to Michael Jackson. 
    
Veshecco’s songs are incredibly polished, confident and grooveable — the entire album is a total blast.