Interview with Nolan Potter: Exploring Surreal Psychedelic Soundscapes

Nolan Potter is a talented musician from the United States, specializing in psychedelic and progressive rock. His musical journey is heavily inspired by legends such as Can, Soft Machine, and Pink Floyd. Potter’s unique approach features sophisticated musical arrangements and immersive auditory textures. His compositions transport listeners into ethereal realms, crafted with psychedelic finesse and enriched with elements of Dadaist art. His acclaimed works include albums like “Music is Dead” and “The Perils of Being Trapped Inside a Head.” Potter is currently based in Austin, Texas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SUBZSAqQk

What initially attracted you to the world of psychedelic and progressive rock, and who were your main influences when you began your musical journey?

There wasn’t a lot of interesting music to be found in the small town I grew up in. I heard Yes’ “Roundabout” when I was about 10 and was captivated. Then I got really into punk (or what I thought was punk, this was around 2003) and started my first band. Completely by chance, a former roadie for Yes, Kansas, and similar acts moved his family to my hometown and took me under his wing. He gave me my intro to recording and progressive music. Mars Volta was also a huge gateway and a bridge from the popular music styles of the time to the heyday of 70s prog. Later on came Floyd, Zappa, Can, Magma, and more modern artists like Dungen, Tame Impala, and especially Holy Wave, who I can blame for bringing me to Austin.

The musical arrangement in “Eggbound” integrates various instruments and vocals beautifully. Could you share the process you used to blend these elements so effectively?

The plan for “Eggbound” from the outset was A) it’s going to be a cassette and B) it’s going to be a collage. In the process of putting albums together a lot of bits end up going to waste or getting lost under the layers. Eggbound was a way for me to kind of resurrect a lot of these ideas and also show early versions of tunes that ended up on “Music is Dead”. Cassette was also ideal for this as it feels almost like a mixtape and can contain more music. I was working on it concurrently with Music Is Dead so a lot of the same production techniques (or lack thereof) are at play there.

“Music Is Dead” addresses themes of artistry versus commercialism. What inspired this theme, and how did you integrate your thoughts into the song?

The whole record “Music Is Dead” was a response to the pandemic; how it affected musicians and our livelihoods. In the title track there’s some of that loneliness: “I wasted half the day on a song we’ll never play onstage”. And poking fun at some empty, drunk conversations you might hear at a local show, which at the time felt like a thing of the past: “Oh you play the clarinet? Well we should jam”. I was really inspired by the writing on Soft Machine’s album Volume Two, which is incredibly self-referential while still surreal and Dadaesque.

Please read the full interview with Nolan Potter at Retrofuturista.com