Culture
NMF ’18: Defining Authenticity with Nick Waterhouse
By: Emily Votaw
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For over 16 years, Nick Waterhouse has been executing nearly perfect R&B influenced by the likes of both widely recognized greats like Bert Berns and John Lee Hooker and lesser known, but equally laudable acts, such as Little Willie John and Titus Turner. Waterhouse isn’t a simple musician, and shouldn’t be readily categorized as only a sort of retro homage act.
He hails from Huntington Beach, CA, one of the Orange County American hardcore hotbeds, a scene that spawned the likes of Black Flag, Agent Orange, The Vandals and many others. Although Waterhouse’s punk rock roots may seem surprising given the polished nature of his work, one should consider how authenticity serves as a major tenant of his music, much the same as it did for American hardcore before it was Hot Topic-ized.
WOUB’s Emily Votaw spoke with Waterhouse about his most recent recordings, is personal definition of authenticity, and what people can expect from his set at the 2018 Nelsonville Music Festival on Friday, June 1.