Few musicians in the ever-changing scene of modern music are able to combine substantial literary inspiration with genuine, sincere sound. Nick Stola, aka Waterfall Strainer, an artist whose career began with the strumming of riffs at the age of 13, just released an album that promises to strike a deep chord with listeners. In an exclusive interview with The Skadoosh, the artist shared his musical journey with us.
Why is the stage name: Waterfall Strainer?
So back when I was first starting this project I was reading Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, and there’s this part about the Waterfall Strainers, who were a group of people that hung out at the bottom of the waterfall and collected things that fell down there. I really loved the sound of those two words together, and also the idea seemed fitting. I feel like my songs are very much me filtering the things I experience, kind of the way the Waterfall Strainers comb the waterfall. There are definitely times I don’t really care for the name anymore though, since it's kind of long and clunky, but for the most part, I’m still proud of it. Sometimes I help people remember it by telling them to picture a giant pasta strainer at the bottom of a waterfall, haha.
What inspired you to make music in the first place?
I started playing guitar when I was about 13, learning the typical riffs you do as a kid. Then I became drawn to writing lyrics in huge part by getting really into Bright Eyes. So for a long time, I just strummed and sang all those songs and tried to write my own that sounded like that. It wasn’t until later that I got into recording. I taught myself to play a little key and got my degree in producing and mixing from watching a ton of YouTube.
Could you walk us through your songwriting process?
Usually, I just sit down with a guitar or in front of my Wurli and play around until I find something that excites me. Then if I’m in the mood to sing over it I’ll either start speaking half gibberish until it makes sense, or I’ll reach for the notes app in my phone that I’m always using to jot things down. More recently I’ve realized how nice it is to define my vocal melodies more by either looping the guitar chords so that I can play what I’m singing over them, or using my left hand on the piano to play chords while the right-hand plays the melody I’m singing. I’m not the strongest vocalist so maybe this is kind of a handicap, haha, but I find it really helps guide what I want to be singing. Then I try to work out most of the song structure like this until it feels ready, which there’s definitely a sweet spot for. Wait too long and you lose the feeling, but try to produce it too quickly and it’s harder to flesh it out as a full song. Then I’ll go to my computer and open Logic to set the tempo and create a drum beat. From there, I record a scratch track of just my vocals and guitar/keyboard and start building everything around it. At this point, I move quickly and try to not think too much.
Tell us about your latest release, Summer Plans.
Summer Plans is a group of 3 songs that I recently released meant to loosely take the listener through 3 different stages of summer. The first song Wake With You is a love song about desperately wanting to start a clean slate, in order to better love myself and my partner. Kind of like when you get that first nice Summer day in NYC and you want to wash off the winter in the ocean. The second song is the title track Summer Plans expresses the mid-summer anxiety I get when I realize I didn’t really plan accordingly and it might be too late. The last song Buzzing is about reflecting on summer. That bittersweetness of having had a lot of fun but also knowing you have to move on from it.
Given the fresh wave of indie-jazz music in the industry, how do you stand out?
That’s a great question and I’m not too sure how to answer it, haha. I think it’s interesting trying to think about my own value as an artist, and how I stand out. For me, my life is in these songs, but I know that not everyone is going to connect with them. It’s easy to get down on myself when I don’t get the reaction I'd like, but I have to remember it’s on me to find the people who do connect with the music and focus on them. I hope that connection could stand out for some people.
What are some recurring themes in your music?
I think there’s a lot in there about me battling myself. Trying to be the person I want to be even when it’s tough. Mainly I want my songs to be about real feelings, whether positive or negative, that ultimately leave the listener with some hope.
If you had to collaborate with an artist who would it be and why?
In a dream world, I think it would be a lot of fun to collaborate with Kenny Beats. I watch his “Cave” videos a lot on YouTube and they seem like a blast.
What do you find most challenging as a music artist?
Trying to navigate social media and booking tours. I know everyone complains about this kind of stuff, but it’s definitely hard to have to wear so many hats as a musician, often taking away time from the actual music. At the same time, it could be fun though, you just have to keep the right attitude about it.
How do you stay motivated in your musical journey?
I stay motivated just knowing that I’d always like to be writing and recording music even if it’s just for myself. Music is the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. It can be both solitary and social, which I like.
What advice would you like to give to emerging musicians?
Put yourself out there as much as possible, meet people you look up to and who get you, and don't think too much.