Nico

Nico

He wasn't always so self-assured and adventurous. It's been a tough and rewarding journey for Nico whose original sound is now cascading through the airwaves as his new instrumental single ‘Nightmare From LA’ rockets up the charts.

Nico brings an exquisite sensitivity to his music, creating an authentic sound that simultaneously honors and breaks the traditional rules of songwriting. It is an approach that is earning this artist out of Nitriansky Kraj, Slovakia much acclaim lately and has propelled his debut radio single ‘Nightmare From LA’ to the top of the charts. One critic recently went so far as to comment: ‘'Nightmare From L.A.' carries off a deceptively difficult proposition - bringing a sense of adventure and story to a rock instrumental - and the result is shockingly good.’ Reporter Lauren Scott recently caught up with Nico to learn more about this intriguing artist, his artistic inspirations and plans for the future.

LAUREN: As an artist on the rise, what is one thing you are most excited about and one thing you are most afraid of happening in your career?
NICO: It will not be just one thing, but a few of them, which are on top of the scale of my nightmares. Let me begin with the one that is the closest to me now – the information technology. You have it in your household, on the streets, at work, under the ground and even in the Universe itself. It has not avoided the music industry either, but it has settled down in it, as well. Moreover, let me tell you that perhaps every musician has shaken his hands with it or has rhapsodized about it. It surrounds us and its development is progressing so fast it is impossible to follow. Computers, modulation effects, midi, sequencers, synthesizers, samplers, and well I am all in a tizzy because of it. It isolates people in their own cages, creates unreal picture of the world and the actual reality is literally disappearing from the music. On the other hand, it also has its pros, as it is a quick source of information and data and it broadens our view. It helps people with hard work. This current trend is able to inspire me, as well as distress me and bring me to insanity. It is quite difficult for me to get used to new technologies. I rather stay away from them. I am a human, which means, as every other ageing person, I am also bothered with civilization's diseases. Besides, I have already encountered the most insidious one that has been destroying the humankind from time immemorial in my family. Yes, I am talking about cancer. It took my mother literally halfway in her life. And let me tell you, watching your close one dying and not being to help her is something I would not wish on my worst enemy. What also irritates me a lot is empty people. People without imagination, without a pinch of a top view, people without questions and answers. In these cases, meeting with me does not usually turn out well. However, what helps me overcome these obstacles, along with everything else, is my healthy top view, positive relationship with optimism and finally yet importantly with nature and art. That is where I am able to relax, vent my spleen and self-realize.

LAUREN: Your song ’Nightmare From LA’ is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?
NICO: Of course, it is success for my publicity, for which I thank certain people who have their share in it. A positive feedback from the audience makes me happy and the first cheerful reaction encourages me to create more.

LAUREN: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
NICO: I do not have any formulas or manuals for it and I do not pull it out of somewhere either. I am trying to be ready for the moment when it hits me. I normally write it down quickly, make two or three notes, leave it alone and do not deal with it immediately. This is what it was like with this particular song. The base of the song was created a few years ago. At first, the introduction was made and then the melodic link, which I, after years of experience, put away and let it stand like a good wine. After some time, I came back to it. It was not a matter of short period at all. I started to arrange and look for proper sounds. For instance, prime guitar has been changed just recently. As I was creating my song, I let it drift me. There was something whispering inside of me and I was only one-step away from the name “Nightmare”. The song should symbolise a nightmare that for sure every single one of us has already met in his life. I remastered it for the last time and sent it to LA upon recommendation. Finally, it has been given the name “Nightmare from LA”.

LAUREN: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the ‘catalyst’ or ‘fuel’ for your desire to create music?
NICO: I was charmed by music already as a little boy. I began with harder music, when I was listening to many different riffs of guitar whoppers. My parents enrolled me in a guitar school, where I did not enjoy theory classes. At home, in the corner I used to play the songs that I liked. I rather attended practical classes. That teacher impressed me. He could play classic guitar and he even knew modern songs, which were being played at that time. When he found out there had been something inside of me, he also taught me theoretical lessons that I had missed. I remember that at the end of the year I did not even come to get my report. All I needed to know about music and guitar at the time I learned concisely from my teacher. Other things have gone somehow on their own. Friends, street, television, tape recorder. Everywhere the music was on I was listening to it, trying it and when written about, I was reading it there. And I keep doing the same until now. Guitar has become a part of my life and I often prefer it in my music creation. Discovering, trying, searching for new music genres like classical music, jazz, rock, blues, pop and film music causes broadening of my music view. I am not devoted to only one music genre, but I like discovering, creating, linking and learning. I think that these aspects are the fuel of my creation.

LAUREN: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated…)
NICO: . … laugh… As if you have asked me for the number of my current account. It is a quite sensitive topic for me. But let´s put fun sideways. I rather perceive myself as a type of person who is complicated inside and not complicated outside. I make many decisions at the last moment and sometimes I believe in destiny. I am quite a shy person. I am trying to perceive the world from several aspects. I do not like being forced in something, being advised about something, I rather discover and search for things on my own. I have my positive but also some negative personality traits, which I am proud of. I sometimes “do not fit in my skin”, but it does not take long…laugh… I really love humour and good sleep. I am an introvert, idealist, egocentric, and perfectionist. In my thinking, I am direct but frequently I set up to work so to say “from the woods”. I hate making decisions.

LAUREN: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?
NICO: While working, I am not normally surrounded by many people, unless required by the situation. When trust in people is lost, I sometimes do the things myself. In the past, I used to cooperate with several artists and music bands I have good reminiscences of. Mostly, I only appear on tour somewhere and then I move on. The best cooperation I really liked was with singer TAPRI. Another closer cooperation was with the painter and poet Miroslav Schindler. Nowadays, I am a freelancer and, so far, I like having the space for preparation of my new music material. I don´t know how I am perceived by people I get in working tempo with, but I know how I perceive them and it is what is sufficient for me during our mutual cooperation. To be simply on top in every situation and hit a bull´s eye – it is what I am aiming at in teamwork.

LAUREN: Did you come from a musical background? Are there other musicians in your family?
NICO: In our family, several music talents liked listening to music and reproduced it at family celebrations. However, nobody has ever been devoted to music in a more profound way. Here was also my first physical contact with music. Naturally, my family has never taken my strumming, trying and discovering seriously. Let the guy play, it will fade with time. So I used to be in it so-to-say alone, which I am actually happy about, because I could have studied everything in detail. And there were no exams from it … laugh…

LAUREN: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
NICO: . First of all, the art of an individual is a personal view of this world and one of the forms to communicate with the surrounding world. Freedom of speech and development of fantasy is an asset to a better life of higher quality for an artist and art. It is even better if one can express himself in a more concrete form, text, music, dance and a spoken word. Simply, to support somebody, to get somebody down, to describe the things using their right names. To put everything out of ourselves. Cry, laughter, hatred, love, etc. I imagine art and artist as a person who has appropriated the world for a while, processes everything and gives it back to the world. I am not marking myself as an artist, I am only trying to live and survive. It is one of the challenges. Death would also be a certain challenge, but it is only a temporary state for me. I feel sorry about each vain day without conscious perception that I am free. The biggest enemy for a man is a woman. The biggest enemy for a human is he himself. So, the challenges might be clear. To survive, to make friends with a woman and to stay faithful to oneself.

LAUREN: Who are your role models in music?
NICO: There are numerous music bands, musicians and composers I like listening to. If they have left a trace in me, then it is possible to feel them in my creation. Those are older but also more modern bands, some artists from different music genres. The first bands I was fascinated by, and the fascination is vivid still today, is the legendary British Iron Maiden, then German guys from Helloween, American bosses from Manowar, pioneers of the Dream Theatre. From guitar masters they are undoubtedly maestro Joe Satriani, experimentalist and guitar magician Steve Vai, crazy man John Petrucci, and guitar guru Paul Gilbert, honour deserving Eddie Van Halen, famous Nuno Bettencourt, and eccentric Yngwie Johan Malmsteen. I also like listening to older songs from Anthrax, Testament, Stratovarius, Megadeth, Annihilator, Blind Guardian, Running Wild. The hits like the iconic Black Sabbath with their Paranoid or Iron Man. Wonderful Metallica with their album Justice for all. Deep Purple with Steve Morse. Cavalera Conspiracy album Pandemonium, Pantera. Other genres: Aldi Meola, Chick Corea, J. M. Jarre, Santana, deceased B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Toto, Orianthi, Steve Lukather, Chicago, Chuck Berry, The Beatles. From Slovak performers it is the legendary band Elán. To tell about one of these artists that he is the best or a model for all would be insulting for the others. Each of them influences development of new talents through their music and contributes to world music trends.

LAUREN: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
NICO: Actually, I do not know my minimums and maximums, but I would love to discover them. As for music performance, I recommend listening to the song “Across the Universe”. It is a song that comes from my early creation. Songs “Nightmare from L.A. and Across the Universe” are on the single with the same name “Across the Universe”. You can find more information at www.nicoguitarman.com. Coming back to my private life, there was a moment when the vital sentence came out: “Either me or the guitar!” I think those were her last words… I am not very proud of it, but it was quite courageous.

LAUREN: What advice would you give to young, aspiring artists out there who are unsure and need guidance?
NICO: I do not know whether I am competent enough or authorized to give advice, but I recommend the starting artists to keep being themselves and as it is said: “Use the full power and go for it. Be original and do not let the first failure get you down”. Work on yourself and accept some criticism. And if I can give advice, learn the piano first.

LAUREN: What's next for you as an artist? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
NICO: I am working on some new songs. I am making the sound better; I am improving myself and looking for some instruments for new settings. It should not be all only about guitar, but it will be dominant. In my creation. What is important is quality, accuracy and perfection. Therefore, I am typically languishing in it until it comes to daylight. If there is no inspiration, I have some older demos in reserve, so it is old certainty. I hope I am able to complete as many songs to be able to record my first album.

LAUREN: Very exciting, I can't wait! Thank you for taking the time to let us into your world as an artist. I wish you continued success in your career.

http://www.nicoguitarman.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb5_54Fhimn7UBbPNE-aSTw