Your music is unique and inspiring, what motivated you to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
Thank you! I grew up doing theater and musicals so working professionally in the industry felt somewhat natural to me. After I got out of the Army I joined a few punk and metal bands, but I was getting more money and better work in musical theater. Later on I did more film and television, got my union cards and moved to Hollywood. After a couple of years of trying to be who casting directors, agents, and managers wanted me to be in order to make a buck and pay some bills I got sick of it and dropped the pretense then moved full time into writing and playing music.
I was having fun, other people seemed to really enjoy my work, and it paid the bills, so I just kept on doing it. That and the fact that I have problems with authority, hate being told what to so, and I can’t work in an office for very long without losing my mind in a very real way.
How did you start combining so many different, and wonderful genres together?
I wish I could take credit for that. The music just kind of finds its way into my head while I’m sleeping, or wandering the house, and then I try to get it out into three dimensions. There’s nothing intentional about it.
I personally love violin music, especially as it’s combined with more modern sounds. How do you know what to fuse together?
Another thing I wish I could take credit for. I just hear things in my head and try to record them. There isn’t a whole lot of thought to it. Sometimes it sounds like a cajon, a shaker, a violin, an electric guitar, a synth, or a piano. I have no control over it.
Who would you say is your major artist you’ve modeled yourself after?
I don’t look at artists in that way. I’ve never though about modelling myself after anybody else. I’ve always wanted to be me.
You’ve been playing some awesome Hollywood venues, can you name some of your highlights?
Playing the House of Blues as one of my first shows was awesome. I hadn’t been in that place since I was an 18 year old private investigator. I snuck into the foundation room with my boss and got shit faced while still underage. It was awesome to be back as a performer.
Another highlight was playing Boardner’s. When I first moved to Hollywood I saw that stage area and said “Man, this would be such a perfect venue to play, too bad I don’t write music.” A couple of years later and I’m performing my original music on that stage. That was really a good feeling.
Music is not your only talent, you’ve also played in some critically-acclaimed musicals, can you tell us about your experience?
Some of them were big shows that won high accolades. Those were a lot of fun to do. They really helped me to find my voice and gave me confidence early on, but the work I really enjoyed doing was new, original, rock musicals. That was a rush. There’s a guy in Hollywood named Michael Shaw Fisher, he writes these amazing horror rock musicals. I was lucky enough to be cast in one of his shows and that was really the icing on the cake for me. I had never felt so fulfilled in musical theater. I grew up watching horror movies, listening to the misfits, and performing musicals. It was like someone crawled into my head and created works that were designed for my twisted mind. If you ever get a chance to see something he’s created don’t miss it.
What’s one thing you can share with other up and coming artists to help them get as far as you have?
The people who say that they want to see you succeed may actually be hoping that you fail. Be ruthless in identifying them and cutting them out of your life. It may seem harsh, or heartless, and you may end up without the companionship and company of people who you once loved dearly, but it is vital to your survival as an artist to find them and get them out of your life.
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
www.nicnassuet.com, www.reverbnation.com/nicnassuet, www.twitter.com/nicnassuet, www.facebook.com/nassuet
Up Close with Singer and Songwriter Nic Nassuet
