Tag: Interview

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In the Spotlight w/ Ken “Legend” Williams & KC Carson

I had recently had the privilege to write up some questions for Detroit’s filmmaker and Executive Producer, Ken “Legend” Williams, and Co-Producer, KC Carson, to talk about their film, Asbury Park, which is dropping November 3rd on Tubi! Thank you guys for giving me this opportunity to highlight your film, but first… Let us highlight and show the readers the trailer of the film.

Trailer for Asbury Park

Let’s get this interview going with my first question, shall we? 🙂

I love to hear folks’ stories and give artists an opportunity to share their stories. This is the essential part of my blog. How did you know when filmmaking was going to become your path? Did y’all always know from an early age or was it a happy accident, as Bob Ross would say?

Legend: I’ve been in love with stories since I was in the 5th grade. Around that time I realized that not only did I love hearing them, but I loved telling them as well. Writing for me became an everyday practice. I loved movies and wanted to get into filmmaking, but I knew I was too poor to attend film school so I brushed that dream aside. In 2006 a friend of mind, who was a huge fan of my stories, told me about a production team who was looking for writers. I offered to write the script for free if they taught me how to make a movie.

KC: Honestly it happened by accident. I’ve always loved movies and film, I even wanted to be an actor at a point in life. Once I met Legend our chemistry and vibe was organic. I made a decision once we became friends that I wanted to do this full time, so I’ve dedicated all of my time and resources into growing and learning every aspect of the film business. This was God’s plan it wasn’t mine, I’m just walking in my destiny.

We have a mutual and an amazing talent within this industry. You  recently teamed up with Tray Chaney on a new project called Asbury Park.” How did y’all meet and get connected with Tray?

Legend: I’ve always been a fan of Tray since he was on The Wire. I followed him on social media. I loved his grind. I reached out to him just to say keep up the good work and I let him know I loved his grind. We’ve been stuck together ever since.

KC: I’m a huge fan of Tray’s work and work ethic. I followed him from The Wire to Saints and Sinners. Legend and I decided to reach out to him because of the value that he could bring to our team and alliance. Once we had a meeting we instantly became family and the rest is history. 

What inspired the story behind “Asbury Park?” And how does it stand out from other films with similar storylines?

Legend: Asbury Park was inspired by my childhood and the fact I was tired of the same  narratives and glorification of drugs and violence when it came to inner city life. Yes there are drugs and guns in urban communities. Yes people break the law. But many people are in circumstances in which they’re just trying to survive. I started carrying a gun at 12 years old. I didn’t do it to be tough, but because I was being raised in a single parent home with my mother, we lived in a neighborhood with frequent break ins and murder and if you called 9-1-1 the police wouldn’t come. I wasn’t trying to be tough, nor was I a bad kid. I was simply a boy trying to protect his mother. Asbury Park tells the story of four young men who are good kids and simply trying to survive.

KC: The story talks about the truth that happens in urban inner-city America. Every city has a ghetto, and every ghetto has a hood, and the story is the same, however the truth about survival and how people got into those situations are usually never told. It’s not always about cars, clothes, and jewelry, this story talks about perseverance, sacrifice, structure, and disciple. The real things that are needed to make something of yourself. The Asbury Park characters are individuals who were forced to survive by any means once they were out of options.

For those not experienced with filmmaking, how long of a process was the creation of this film? 

KC: Legend started the script back in 2018, the film was delayed in 2019 due to an unexpected death of a cast member. The film was set for production for the spring of 2020, and unfortunately the pandemic made us put the brakes on once again. It took quite a few months to complete because we filmed during the heart of the pandemic, and there were a few untimelier road blocks, however we persevered and completed the film.

Felicia “Snoop” Pearson in Asbury Park dropping on Tubi on November 3rd.

Asbury Park drops in just a couple days on November 3rd on Tubi. Y’all have some big names in this film including huge talents like Glenn Plummer, Felicia “Snoop” Pearson from The Wire & the Rapper Peter Gunz. Also, Jamal Woolard, who killed his role as the legend, B.I.G. in his biopic, Notorious, as well as, TuPac’s, All Eyez On Me. What surprised you the most with working with such talents? 

Legend: I learned how easy they all were to work with and how much they were willing to help me as a newer director. Glenn Plummer, Fredro Starr, and Jermaine Hopkins were all very good with pulling me to the side to offer suggestions.

KC: I think I was most surprised at how down to earth everyone was and how they were willing to extend an olive branch to us seeing that we are an independent team. Not one of the celebrities brought an ego or attitude with them. They were very down to earth, humble, and professional. Each person gave us a different outlook and perspective of the business that was priceless.

As Asbury Park comes to life for y’all, I feel it’s very essential to give equal opportunities to black filmmakers to create their stories on the big screen. Do y’all feel that there is such a shift now with social media and the current climate our nation is in the present?

Legend: I think one of the positives that came with the pandemic is that people were forced to view films at home instead of running to the theaters. More content was being consumed which caused the need for more of it to be created. While Hollywood was shut down, independent filmmakers, such as myself, was able to navigate the filming process more freely than the bigger studios. Streaming platforms and social media allows us to go directly to the consumers. This allows us, as black filmmakers, to tell our own stories.

What do you feel needs to happen to elevate more stories to the level of Marvel Studios “Black Panther” to continue to lift black voices and representation of the black community and to make sure y’all are being heard? 

Legend: We need to collectively invest in the telling of our own stories and supporting our own films. Hollywood cares about money, so if we can show that our people will pay to watch films, then we’ll be placed in a better position to tell them.

KC: It’s actually very simple. It’s all about supporting one another. There is enough money to go around so there is no reason for us not to support each other. If our community ever comes together and truly supports one another the way that other communities support each other, we could truly change the landscape and dynamic of the film industry.

As you continue to grow as filmmakers, what did you learn from producing, creating, and bringing this current film for life? 

Legend: I’ve learned that anything is possible. I also see the importance of having a strong team that you can trust. Having KC and Tray on my team makes my job a lot easier because they’re two guys who are brutally honest, but who I know are about their business.

KC: I’ve learned that no idea is too big or crazy. With the technology that is available to us there is nothing that can’t be done. The most important part of this is having a strong team who all have a common goal. No egos, and no pride. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so we make sure all of our links are strong.

Behind the scenes with Legend giving direction to the cast.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for taking the time to allow me to interview and make this connection with all three of you. I have one more question for the both of you. Can you share any advice or tidbits for any young filmmaker out there trying to create and bring their own stories to life??

Legend: Don’t let money stop you from telling your story. If you have a story to tell, write it and shoot it. I don’t care if it’s on an IPhone. Get it done. If you make mistakes along the way, so what. Learn from them and keep growing.

KC: I believe that there is a valuable lesson learned even in defeat. So don’t worry about mistakes and what you don’t know. Ask questions study and learn, however the most important part is to finish the race. Don’t stop or quit and there is always an audience out there even for the most peculiar topics. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you from fulfilling your dreams and destiny.

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In The Spotlight w/ 1neofmani

I sit with LessWork Local Lifestyle’s owner, Breyon Sommerville aka 1neofmani, in Madison, Wisconsin. A brilliant mind that’s determined to make a way and not just be a wave with his street-wear, music, and business, as he continues to prosper under the LessWork brand.

For those who aren’t aware, share with the audience who 1neofmani is versus who Breyon is.

1neofmani is a local artist focused on motivating the self-starters who carry the weight of creating something sustainable. My goal is to create a template (using my career as an example) for local rap artists to follow by sustaining their lifestyle while remaining Local. That’s the first thing. Outside of everything I do, it all comes back to the music. 

“My music is the soundtrack to my real life.”

Breyon is the 1st and last. I am my father’s first and only child and the final of 4 (3 boys and 1 girl) children on my mother’s side. I am now a father myself, currently of two intelligent little girls whom I plan to incorporate in my work as they grow a more natural interest in the business. However, there isn’t much of a difference between myself and my moniker. I am still me regardless of the many hats I extend. 

You have multitudes of skill sets that are portrayed daily for the masses. What is it all that you do as an artist and an entrepreneur? 

That’s a great question because, as an artist, you are an entrepreneur without question. I do whatever it takes to sustain my lifestyle. I run a for-profit black-owned business that focuses on local artists that rap. Offering street-wear apparel, lifestyle photography, niche artist branding, and studio recording w/ Oddly Arranged Media, with who we share a roof, with their offices located down the hall from LessWork. As a local artist and company ambassador, my job is to create soundtracks to the lifestyles of local artists. No matter the genre. I want my message in music to be that transparent. #WeTheWayNotTheWave because our music and business contributions are directional. As to alert other artists on how to move locally in a global way.

You title yourself as “The Brains” of Lesswork Local Lifestyle. Still, you are also mostly the face throughout the social media platform, and the local artist known as K.I.L.O. What is the story behind how the Lesswork brand was born? 

That’s Undeniable. To convince others that #LessWork Way is the way. We must win big on our own terms and template our approach to assure it’s measurable and worth pursuing again and again. That’s the formula. I am the brains because I created the formula LessWork lives by today. If you looked at the music scene in Madison five years ago, local artists were focused solely on being affiliated with the talent side of the local industry. No other artists or companies created lanes for other artists to embrace being local when the music was turned off. Here we are today, more artists connecting themselves to some form of merchandise. We have more active L.G.B.T.Q. and female hip-hop artists than ever before. Black-owned businesses are hosting pop-up shops weekly. Artists are starting to see the end at the beginning of what they are doing. I am fully aware of the influence our ways have encouraged this saturated inspiration. Scroll down memory lane on LessWork (K.I.L.O. & 1neofmani) social media involvement and then come back to today. LessWork, in the representation of local artists, stands for collaborations without waiting for validation. We’ve always controlled our own narratives inside and outside of the musical spectrum.

What is the purpose of Lesswork Local Lifestyle? What are you hoping artists and/or supporters will get out of it? 

LessWork purpose is served daily. We operate on our own terms and created Madison’s first hub for local artists to engage and feel accepted as creatives. Currently, we’re hosting a GoFundMe page (LessWork Lifestyle 1-Stop Solution) with intentions to launch the world’s 1st subscription-based hip-hop production house in 2022, God-Willing. Once fully operational, LessWork will be modeled after companies with modern business models. Such as Planet Fitness and Netflix. Where users pay low dollar amounts monthly and receive maximum value as we plan to make our money based on the database of our users. To learn more about LessWork Local Lifestyle, the best thing to do is to visit our physical store or log in online. 

You just dropped a new single called “Another 1ne.” What inspired you to create this new song?  

That’s actually an unreleased single. We are currently testing responses from my immediate music supporters. The supporters who heard the single have all great answers thus far. I use that as confirmation that I can stay true to myself musically, no matter where I take it artistically. It will definitely get tweaked more if I tend to use it on any material. Which is dope because this is not a record my immediate supporters would even expect from me. “Another 1ne” is an upbeat motivational-chanting record layered in auto-tune to emphasize the melodic lyrics. I speak directly to myself within my music because I believe in writing about your real life. From constantly going back and forth with music, I am now preparing to release my first solo project. I’m still debating whether to release it on any other platforms besides LessWork for the first year, then maybe re-release it for online distributors. Still cooking that 1ne.

You have another single displayed throughout the streaming services called “Love Is Love” that you dropped in 2020. Are we expecting more music to be published by you? Any plans for an album/mixtape soon?

“Love Is Love” is the first of many solo releases from my upcoming project titled “1ne of 1ne,” which will feature 11 essential songs displaying who 1neofmani is as an artist and exposing listeners to my way of thinking. All my beats are provided in-house by my hometown teammate, 9 Got Hitz (9GH). My recording sessions are also completed by an in-house engineer and fellow recording artist Marcus Porter. 

By the way, you are correct. That record is available everywhere for purchase, including on the LessWork website. This record set the tone for me visually, allowing me to highlight LessWork and Oddly Arranged Media contributions to Madison. 

*Spoiler Alert: I plan to shoot all my videos from the office location to maximize the value of the entire building inside and out. In turn, this will make it easier for current and new supporters to follow and catch up to my career’s process. The next video we’re planning to shoot is titled: “Wittus,” which a snippet of it can be heard at the end of the “Love Is Love” video.

What inspires your lyricism and message within your music? What are you hoping fans get out of your music? 

I’m my biggest fan and critic, so I write to impress myself 1st. Then I include my environment as I view my music as the soundtrack to my real life. I hope my fans gain a perspective of my thought process and catch on to how I’ve positioned myself and the assets centered around me. #WeTheWayNotTheWave 

Which other artists influence your creativity, whether it’s music, fashion, etc.?

It’s a gang of people that influence my creativity. Most of them are not recording artists, though. I don’t limit my contributions to the realms of artistry. Music, in general, is a tool designed to play on human emotions. I am great with words, and I overstand the power they hold. I find influence within the risk-takers of the world who humbly accept positive recognition and hold themselves accountable without bias regarding their flaws. If this person or people happen to rap or make music, it makes it that much more inevitable for us to in some way connect. The contributions I’ve made and plan to make are not out of necessity. I want to be clear on that. All and everything that I do is based on survival mode in my life and career. 

Are you aware of the T-Pain rant that went viral about artists sounding the same? Do you believe in his outlook? 

I believe he and whoever else feels that way are entitled to their opinions. As an artist, I have created my best music while dealing with the highs and lows of this life. My advice is for any recording artist with an opinion about anything. Put it in words and make a record of it. Or simply, #WriteItDownOrYouPlaying.

What do you think is the best philosophy for artists to strive to be seen or heard without being seen as a copy of another artist? 

“When your goals and your heart are aligned, you are going to be successful.” So be yourself. I wanna’ look back on my life with no regrets. Living 100% of my truth and actively pursuing what is in my heart; eventually, I will be rewarded with the fruits of my labor. I really believe that. Trophies and cloud smoke. We Say, 🏆💨 – 1neofmani of LessWork. 

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In The Spotlight w/ Jamie Triller

As I sit here with my questions, I contemplate and reflect on the imagery that America is displaying today. I can’t help, but see that we struggle with exposing artists of the lifestyle and culture of the blue collars and the farmers in the heartland that carry the agriculture industry on their backs for this complex nation. Even though it seems more common to throw the city life in the spotlight, social media and a specific music evolution is making it easier for us to find artists beyond metropolitan areas like New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

One state that has a multiple talented artists that are getting discovered is Iowa. A lot of talented rappers resides or are from Iowa. Some names are Torrian Ball (who now resides in LA to further his career), Random Tanner, Luka Duffie, Klazik, and also the artist I have the privilege to feature on this In The Spotlight! post. Even if you haven’t heard of them yet, certainly you will. I sit down and get an inside scoop on where Jamie Triller’s life has been and where its going on his current path.

If you were a Webster dictionary definition, how would you define Jamie Triller?? 

There are a lot of things that come to my mind when trying to define oneself. Putting thirty years of life into a definition seems unreal, but I would say Jamie Triller symbolizes love, pain, humility, and struggle if I were to give my best swing at it.

Your first single, “Heat Treatment,” was released in 2018… what is the story of your music and becoming a rapper/artist?  

The 1992 album by Dr. Dre, The Chronic, inspired me to be a hip-hop artist. I was about 13 years old, and something inside me just knew that I wanted to be involved in hip-hop. So when I was 16 years old, I did my first record with Mister Mercenary of Wasted ENT under Chronic. I continued to make music with him and the Wasted ENT crew up until I went to prison for five years. Once I got out in 2015, me and Mister Mercenary came together for a collaboration album called the Blazin’ Aces. 

After that album, I took some time to re-evaluate who I was as an artist and a person. I stayed involved in the music community, sharing and promoting other artists but quit actively making music. In 2018, I hooked up with Random Tanner and started helping him with his merchandise table. We had a lot of discussions about the music and imagery, and we both re-branded ourselves. Once I found my brand, I took things seriously, and in 2018 I debuted myself as a Jamie Triller with my first single, “Heat Treatment.” That song pretty much wraps up that whole story in four minutes. I try to keep my music as relevant as possible and true to my life without putting too much glitter into it.

You just dropped another song collaboration with Random Tanner called “Born and Raised.” This isn’t your first collaboration with Tanner. What is the story that created this talented collaboration team? 

Well, like I said, I started off helping Random Tanner with merchandise, and then he let me be on a few of his shows. Since then, we have been rocking with each other pretty tough. I believe that the country aspect of it all came when we did a photo shoot with Joe Gibbs, and we were joking around about how it looks like it could’ve been a country-style photo shoot. Don’t quote me on this, but then a post went out to see what people would think about us doing a collaborative country rap album, and the people responded well. I had a song concept called “Fire Jack Beam,” and we collaborated to make it the fantastic song it is today. So here we are, with two country-rap songs later with a third one on the way, and the people have responded so well that we decided to keep it going. We also did more of a pop-rock type song called crashing down; I feel like anything that Tanner and I work on together is exceptional, and we make fantastic music together. When we are on stage, we complement each other really well. I know his songs. He knows mine, and we bring a lot of energy when we hit the scene, so it works really well.

What is the essence of your collaboration with Random Tanner, and what are y’all trying to bring to life with your music? Is there an album in the works for the songs you do together? 

Our collaborations start with an idea/concept or even sometimes just the instrumental. With “Born and Raised,” Tanner had already made a concept, and Aaron Isaacson had created this fantastic instrumental; we decided that we needed to make a Song all about the Iowa lifestyle through our eyes. At first, I didn’t think we were creating an anthem, but after we finished the song and shot the video, it became clear that this was definitely our own anthem for our state. I really believe that we will be dropping an album with all of our country-rap collaborations. Nothing is set in stone as far as dates. We try to bring to life a story that you can visualize with every song, even if there isn’t a video for it. I know we both want music that people can relate to, and we try to put our hearts into every song to let people better understand who we are as people.

Why was “Born and Raised” such an important song to bring to life? What’s the significance of the single?  

The significance of “Born and Raised” is a look into our opinion of what the fun side of Iowa can look like. We wanted to do a song for Iowa and give it justice by making a video which we initially invested in an animated video. Still, after some time and discussion with our people, we decided that we needed to go all out and make an actual music video. Keep in mind country rap in Iowa is something that neither of us could find anybody else doing, so I feel like that was the sole purpose of us doing country rap.

Wisconsin has Lil Wayne for our Cheesehead anthems. Iowa has you and Tanner. Do you think every state should have its own anthem?  

I think it’s essential that each person has their own identity, so should each state and a person who is willing to put it into a song, they should do just that. There shouldn’t be any limitation on creativity, but yeah, I think that each state should represent itself proudly and if it’s in a song, then go for it.

Do you feel anthems are significant to our identities? Why or why not?  

I feel like this anthem is definitely substantial to our identity, especially putting a visual out there. I think the point is to have fun and enjoy each other’s company to build each other and stay young. Also, an anthem that has to be restricted to one state could be a party anthem, a sad anthem, and a happy anthem. It just depends on what you’re feeling. Music touches a lot of different emotions and feelings within people. I feel like everybody should have their own song they consider their anthem. I know that music has gotten me through some really rough times, and it’s also helped me celebrate good times.

Do you feel you and Tanner succeeded with “Born and Raised” and how it speaks for all Iowans? Do you see it being remixed with adding another Iowan artist?  

I feel like Tanner, and I did justice on “Born and Raised’. It’s one of my favorite songs, for sure. Just looking at the numbers that we did within the first week I’m born and raised, we blew many of our other stuff out of the water. The video went semi-viral on my TickTock, and we had every corner of Iowa showing love in the comments. I feel like we definitely succeeded in our goal. I can see other Iowa artists jumping in and remixing it. That would actually be pretty cool. As far as speaking for all Iowans, I know that’s an over generalization, and we can’t speak for everybody. We can only hope that people listen to the message and take something from it, and if they don’t like it, that’s OK; not everybody will enjoy what we do.

Other than “Born and Raised,” my favorite single of yours is “Don’t Be Mad.” It makes me wonder, which song or music video was the most fun for you to record or create?  

My top favorite songs/videos to create are definitely “Born and Raised” and then “Crashing Down.” Without the help of business owners and friends, we couldn’t make this happen, so shout out to everybody who has let us use their properties or businesses to let us film these fantastic videos.

What is next for Jamie Triller? Are you planning to release your own album with your own stories? 

I’m currently working on more singles right now. I am restricted to how much I can do with quality being my budget isn’t the greatest. I have a six-month-old, and my son is my main priority; slowly but surely, I will drop a debut album. I don’t wanna rush it; I definitely want to take my time and make sure that it is what I absolutely want to put out there for everybody to listen to from front to back. I’m pretty picky about what I put out there. I don’t wanna just put out music just to put out music; I wanna make sure that it’s quality and well rounded all the way through. I got a new single that’ll be coming out soon called “Bandz.” The song is produced by Nicholas Beats By Trill.

Until the single, “Bandz” is released, here is the music video for “Born and Raised.”

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In The Spotlight w/ Marcus Porter

As I sit here sunk into this black leather couch surrounded by anthem beats and blue saturated walls writing these questions, I am witnessing and studying Marcus Porter in his own process. Honestly, it’s the usual vibe of productivity, we are just missing two of our team members. The show must still go on, while I marinate in Marcus Porter’s lyrics and story.

The pandemic really was tough on everyone. How were you able to keep yourself afloat, mentally and physically,  during our lock-down?

During the pandemic, I was able to sit back & create without having to feel rushed. But, of course, I also did a lot of reading and anime watching

Anything you discovered about yourself during the pandemic? 

 I discovered my love for all types of art again. I had lost it because I wasn’t focused on it or trying to seek it out. But once I did, I fell in love again.

I have had the privilege to sit in the studio with you recently. You have a very intriguing writing process when it  comes to your songs. Can you tell the audience how that process goes? Which comes first for you, the hook, the  verse, or the beat?  

 The beat is usually the first thing that comes, and sometimes it’s just a simple four or eight bar loop. Then I typically start humming to myself until I find something that sticks. Sometimes it’s the hook first, but lately, it’s been the verses to come then the hook. But I always write from my heart.

You just dropped the single, “Born Black”, how did that come about? What influenced the song?  

“Born Black” came about during quarantine when George Floyd was murdered. So the song is a reflection of my own life experience. It was also influenced by many others who’ve dealt with racism, mistreatment, & death simply due to their skin pigment and social injustice. I was born black. Along with others, we’ve been seeking, fighting for, and addressing our shortcomings when it comes to black women & protecting them from the nonsense we deal with.

What do you want your audience/listeners to take with them after listening to “Born Black?” or any other song  you create?  

I am fighting for everyone and know the struggles we face, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I just try to be relatable and give them good content and sound to vibe to no matter what the scenario. My music represents my experiences and who I am as an individual.

Performing in Portage, WI. 6.19.2021

“Born Black” isn’t the only song you have with a feature on your upcoming album. Who else is featured on this  upcoming album? 

I have a few different features for the project. They are Chakari, K.I.L.O., 1neofMani, Juciee Monroe, Jay B Coolin, The King, so it’s pretty stacked on it. Each one came through and did their things; I appreciate them all.

You’re not just a musician. You engineer first many, many local artists. What came first for you as an artist? The  producer or the musician? 

The musician was always first, but I engineer because there weren’t many around, and I had an interest in it and wanted to create the best-sounding project I could. So I went to school to really learn the skills that have made me a better musician, from producing to the final master.

How and when did you discover that music is what you wanted to do with your life? What’s your story? 

I’ve known music was my calling since I was about 7 or 8, but I really knew right before I went to high school. I was interested in sports, but it was fading because all I wanted to do was write and make music. So my story is… Dad is a DJ, and mom did some drumming in drum core, and they made this young man who loves to create music and help others however he can.

What type of story are you trying to convey in your music? What do you want your audience to take with them  after experiencing your music?

The story is my story, but also everyone else’s too. I write music to have self-reflection. If you feel what I’m saying, then you’ve been there or are there, and I’m on the journey with you of this thing called life. I want to be as relatable as I can while still giving you a vibe.

If you want a taste of Marcus Porter’s story, make sure you check out his new single “Born Black”

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In The Spotlight! Nathan Timmel

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Whether in Iraq during his USO tour, or the fact that he’s a ‘cheesehead’ at heart, or just bumping into each other in a random social Facebook group, we were meant to meet eventually, so we can sit and talk, while he scavengers on Rocky Rocco pizza, while we share our common interests and philosophies with our life experiences.

Now I sit with him again, to give him his own spotlight to share his own story here on my blog. Hey, Nathan…. Thanks for joining me!

You’ve been doing comedy for a while now, Nathan, with some epic experiences over the years as a performer. Can you give the readers a short resume of who you are and what your accomplishments are that you’ve made over the years of comedy?

A short résumé…  Mi llamo es Nathan. I stand on stage and yap into a microphone, which in turn makes people giggle. I may be a nobody, but I’ve managed to eek out a living slinging jokes. I’ve put out 5 CDs during my career, and have just finished recording/editing my 6th. Two of those CDs receive regular airplay on the Sirius/XM comedy channels, and one of them, “I Might Not Be Joking,” made it into the top 20 on the  iTunes comedy chart.

My official bio is: Not as serious as Plato, but lighter than Socrates. Not as edgy as Clinton, but livelier than Nixon. Not as heavy as GWAR, but deeper than Culture Club.

I’d say that’s accurate.

Tell us the story of how Nathan Timmel got into comedy?

I was in a band in college, and we started picking up some steam. A half-dozen college radio stations started playing our songs, and we began charting on the nationally published College Music Journal, so naturally we imploded. I wanted to go on tour and build a fan base; the singer wanted to get signed to a record label and have them do all the work. I said, “We’re not going to get signed unless we go to the places we’re getting played, get some fans, and give a record label a reason to sign us.”

He disagreed, and the band broke up.

I’m a bass player, one with enough self-awareness to understand I’m no Sting. With little desire to end up in another band where there would be fighting and disagreement, and without the ability to write songs/sing on my own, I decided to hit an open microphone and make with the silly.

It stuck, and here I am.

Most of your comedy would be drawn into the dark humor genre, and a lot of your jokes basically are of you providing your opinions and sharing stories of your life, as well as, making fun of the current issues on politics and society. What do you think is the key to get a message across on an affective domain to the audience?

I think the best way to get a point of view across to anyone is to be universal. If you take a side, then you alienate the other side. If you go with universal truths, it’s hard for anyone to deny or discredit what you’re saying.

People still will deny and disagree with and discredit what you’re saying, but it’s harder for them to do so.

Are you worried about offending the modern audiences with your material considering the controversies today with comedians, i.e. David Chappelle?

I’m not, and here’s why: everyone is offended by something. That’s all there is to it. So no matter how hard you try, someone will take issue with something you say. Therefore, the best approach is to not worry about it. I just go forth with my own values and limits in mind; lines I won’t cross: homophobic, racist, or sexist comments.

Regarding Dave Chappelle, I don’t know that there’s much controversy surrounding him. There’s invented “controversy,” but that’s not real. What you have to remember is that the audience loves his most recent, the “controversial,” special. Not just the in-house audience he recorded it in front of, but everyone, everywhere. The show is currently rocking a 99% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The reason it’s “controversial” is because “critics” have it at 35%. Those “critics” are nothing but a bunch of “woke” idiots virtue signaling how awesome they are to other idiots.

People say you’re supposed to “punch up, not down” in comedy. Meaning you attack the powers that be, not victims. What Chappelle did in his last special is attack woke culture head on, because today that IS punching up. With stupid people being offended by Goddamn everything, and the media writing articles like, “Twitter explodes after… (insert anything non-controversial here)!” and then finding the ten stupidest people on Twitter to use an example of how outraged everyone is, being “woke” means being in power. Thus, that movement is fair game for mockery by comedians.

And note: there is a difference between mockery, and complaining/whining. A lot of people whine/complain. Chappelle mocked, and did so brilliantly.

Hell, even President Obama called out woke “culture.” Hopefully it’s a signal that like anything stupid, it’s time has passed.

Would you ever consider doing comedy specials on streaming services to broaden your audiences?

(Laughs) My buddy is currently in a band, and one of the members said, “We need to make a viral video!”

As if it’s that easy, and that going viral just happens.

I’d absolutely do comedy specials on streaming services, but unless someone is backing those with some authority, it’s doubtful they’d move the needle. I mean, I’ve a YouTube channel with more videos than you can shake a stick at on it. No one cares, because no one knows who I am.

That said: I’m taping my first Dry Bar comedy special next week. I don’t know when they’re going to release it, but I’ve seen some of their videos go viral, so…

*crosses fingers*

Are you planning to go on tour or simply have any new bookings?

I’m always “on tour” and/or looking for new bookings. Being an unknown comedian means you’re perpetually trying to work; you don’t schedule 3 months and then take 3 months off. It’s financially unfeasible to live like that.

You’re not just a comedian. You are also an author. Can you provide a proposal for what your books are about that you’ve published so far? 

To date, I’ve put out three works of non-fiction. The first book was a memoir, and the next two were letters I wrote to my kiddos over the course of a year.

I just finished my first work of nonfiction, and I was about to self-publish it, but the wife read it and sat me down and said, “OK, I’ve always supported your writing, but what you have to understand is: this one is good. Like, really good.”

So, she’s not letting me self-publish; she wants to find me an agent.

I wish her luck, but I know that’s much, much, much easier said than done.

How are your books different from your performances as a comedian?

On stage, I have to be funny. It’s my job. No one goes to a comedy club to do anything but laugh. The books give me an outlet where I don’t have to be “on” all the time. They have funny moments, but they’re not inherently humorous. Writing allows me to explore the other nonsense going on inside my noggin; things that won’t work on stage. Non-jokes, if you will.

What are some of the biggest highlights and accomplishments you’re proud of over the years as a comedian?

It’s easily my time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The two best compliments I’ve ever received have come from shows for the military.

I’ve been closing my shows talking about my time in Afghanistan, and that’s on the CD I have coming out in January: “This Could Get Awkward,” so I’ll tell a story about Iraq.

At Camp Anaconda, a woman named Leah Burton approached me after my show. She shook my hand, and said, “Sitting in the theater, in the darkness, just laughing… I actually forgot where I was for a second. I was laughing, and then I looked down at my uniform and was startled. I looked around the room and wondered why everyone was in military garb. Then I remembered how far from home I was. I remembered I was in Iraq, and my family was a thousand miles away. But for a moment, I forgot.”

I mean… all I do is tell jokes for a living. It’s not supposed to mean anything. So when I hear that against all odds I’ve actually made someone’s life a little more tolerable? It sticks with you.

I know a small portion of some of your background as a comedian that includes life experiences. Your life experiences have been a helpful tool towards your comedy, but the question is, has comedy been a helpful tool for you as an individual? How has it evolved you as a performer and individual?

I don’t think I can put it any better than Hawkeye did on M*A*S*H: If I’m not laughing, I’m screaming.

We live in a cynical world, and the news is always negative. If I wasn’t actively making fun of that, it’d be too much for my fragile little psyche.

Log on to Facebook at any given time and scroll through your feed; it’s people shouting at one another, people whining about how awful their life is… I have “friends” who haven’t made changes in a Goddamn decade. It’s the same litany of negativity over and over and over, without any attempt to self-improve. Comedy has helped me observe such negativity from afar and actively decide not to engage in such behavior.

Two more examples: Last Week Tonight, with John Oliver. That show takes on the most depressing subjects possible and makes you laugh while learning how bleak things are. And finally, The Life of Brian… I saw that as a kid, and it’s always stuck with me: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

“If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten, and that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.”

Today, you are a great family man now with two beautiful kids and your wife. How is life different now compared to before fatherhood?

I haven’t slept in seven years. I think that’s probably knocked some time off my overall lifespan.

Your stories of your kids have surely added some new material to your arsenal. How has your comedy evolved today compared to your material from ten years ago?

I’d say that like most people, I was angrier when I was younger. We age, we gain perspective, we mellow out…

If you don’t, holy crap are you annoying. Have you ever met an adult–someone in their late 30’s or 40s–that’s still carrying that adolescent chip on their shoulder?

I think my material these days is easier to digest.

Last, but surely not least… How about them Packers? 

They will be the death of me.