The Nathan Smith Project A few well chosen words with singer-guitarist Nathan Smith from the Nathan Smith Project. His band mates are Mark Heydenrych on guitars and backing vocals, Paddy Smith on Bass guitar and Kyle Rutten on Drums. Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself, and your band. Nathan: Originating from the need to write for the song, rather than a genre, The Nathan Smith Project is a four-piece group from Pretoria South Africa. Our style is best described as rock music, with elements of blues, jazz, pop and folk plugged into it. Polished by our precise approach and experience in the session industry both locally and abroad, we use different angles in both music and style to create a rather unique blend. LB: How did you start out making music? Nathan: I grew up in a "music teachers" home; both my parents were music teachers, and my father (Pat Smith) taught me to play guitar at age 11. From an early age of about 13 I started composing my own music, and its never stopped since then. LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? Nathan: My father being an accomplished musician himself, had Jimi Hendrix, Toto, Chicago, Frank Zappa, to name a few, playing in the house. He also introduced me to Joe Satriani and Phil Keagy. So I was exposed to a wide variety of music, which I think was the stem of me writing for what the song needs, and not limiting myself to genre. LB: Tell us about your latest release. Nathan: The Sum Of All Things is true to the nature of the band, which is: whatever the song needs to get the message across, the song will get. It’s not a genre-boxed album, it is a creative outlet of subjects that influence us, and the lives around us. The Sum Of All Things has a whole bunch of different ideas, but all still making sense to the song, so the added bird sounds etc. at the end of the title track (apposed to the intro) is actually the sound of a new day / life, it is not some random thing we added just to be weird, although weird is considered an attribute these days. Live percussion was used at the beginning of the same track, (still cant believe one guy created all those sounds!!) An array of guitars were used on this production, as well as different drums, bass guitars, amps, all just to create what was needed to get the desired sound to make the song, the song it has to be. Well, one can say a million things about this album, but listening is where it’s at. The songs will tell you the rest.... LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows? Nathan: Yes, we do! An audience can expect to be taken on a roller-coaster ride of full band rock and then way down to an acoustic guitar and a voice. LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? Nathan: What I enjoy most, when recording and playing live, is when you find yourself in a state of just naturally making music, not thinking, or trying, just living it. The energy of a live audience is also great. LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? Nathan: In South Africa, at all major CD outlets. Otherwise at CD Baby and at most digital distribution sites. Links below. www.cdbaby.com The Nathan Smith Project - Grown Up To Become A Child