My guest today is Nathan Larson. He is an bassist, guitarist, singer, songwriter, novelist and accomplished film composer. Born in Maryland in 1970, He came up in the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene as the original bassist for the punk band Swiz from 1987-1989. Afterwards, Larson gained prominence in the 1990s as the lead guitarist for the influential alternative rock band Shudder to Think, greatly contributing to their distinctive sound on the albums Pony Express Record and 50,000 BC. Following the band's hiatus, he released a transcendent solo album, Jealous God in 2001. It is a personal favorite of mine, and a departure from Shudder to Think.
Transitioning into film scoring, Larson has composed music for over 60 projects, including the Academy Award-winning Boys Don't Cry and others…such as Dirty Pretty Things, Lilya 4-ever, Juliet, Naked and Phone Booth. More recently Larson co-founded the Lumen Project, a nonprofit organizing immersive 6- to 24-hour experimental music and light events that encourage meditation and communal transcendence, with Larson himself frequently performing at these extended sonic experiences.
Nathans’ dystopian crime novels can be found here:
https://www.akashicbooks.com/author/nathan-larson/
And the incredible SWIZ book has just been released, also from Akashic Books:
https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/swiz/
I got my copy via Barnes and Noble
Theme Music: “I Want Someone Badly” Shudder to Think with Jeff Buckley
https://www.lovevinylrecords.com/products/music-from-the-motion-picture-first-love-last-rites-vinyl
“Dirty Boy Blues” Swiz
“Earthquakes Come Home” Shudder To Think
“Jealous God” and “You Got Me Dying Out Here” from the Nathan Larson album Jealous God
This is an expanded version of this interview
“Everyone Has A Jeff Buckley Story” is created, recorded, edited and produced by Jeff Haley. Co-Produced by Konrad
Shine Light Podcasts is Executive-Produced by Chris via biointegrity.net
80’s Hard Core Consultants: Kristopher John and Louis Gonzales
The BioIntegrity community has helped fund protection of more than 320,000 acres of old growth tropical forests since 2014. Those efforts are helping to save thousands of species from extinction, keep more than 85 million tons of greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere (enough to offset Austin, TX's community carbon footprint for 5+ years), institute land occupation rights for more than 400 Indigenous communities around the world, keep the planet cool, and more. Chris is also co-founder, creator and executive editor of AllCreation.org, a living archive of faith and spiritual practice views on human relationships with Earth's other species and environment. AllCreation has more than 400 posts exploring sacred texts and contemporary views, and is currently read in +150 countries. Visit biointegrity.net and allcreation.org for more info.
