GENRE IS DEAD! Interview With New Years Day’s Nikki Misery
GID: That’s a great mentality to have. A good song is a good song. You get to experience so much music that way. And who doesn’t want more music to listen to? Now that you guys have explored pop-metal, what’s another genre of music you’d like to play around with?
NM: Oh dang, that’s good. You know what would be really cool? I would want to do something like old Jazz, something that would be influenced from The Shining, but bring it back with our sound.
GID: That’d be really unique! You don’t hear too much of that in rock and metal.
NM: It would be some swing, some shuffle beats which we’ve taken influences from before. “I’m No Good” and “Any Last Words” kind of had that feel to it. But with how we play now, I think it would be really rad.
GID: In a past interview, you mentioned this album was special because it’s a collective from the entire band. What was it like to come together and work on this album as a group?
NM: When you go into the studio, these producers are gonna pull something out of you that you didn’t know you had. You’re gonna go into dark spots and as much as you dread it you love it at the same time. It’s like this metamorphosis into something better. Working with everybody is awesome because we get to bounce off ideas of each other. We all have different influences and places we came from that we want to get in. This time was really cool because we knew what was best for the song rather than what we thought was cool. And in the end, that’s what really mattered. Sometimes you step back and think about does my part work best right here? Does it sound better like this? But it was awesome.
GID: Ash has talked a lot about her writing process for this album. What was your process like when you sat down to work on the riffs? Did you come in with riffs ready or noodle around in the studio?
NM: It’s all those things. You’ll come in with riffs, you’ll come in with ideas, and you’ll come in with full songs in your head. The main thing is to go in open minded, not have expectations, and don’t be married to your idea. Because if you sit there noodling, you might come up with something really cool from the vibe and the energy that everyone’s giving you. It can inspire something you didn’t think of on your own. So really, it’s all the things you said and more and a bottle of vodka really helps too. Get a little loosey goosey and take the edge off. High fives and a pat on the back can only go so far.
GID: Nothing wrong with getting a little loose in the studio! So, this summer, you guys will embark on a headline tour. What’s it feel like knowing you’re at top billing and the venues are gonna be filled with your fans?
NM: We did a headlining tour a couple of years back either just before or after Malevolence came out and that was such a success and without any radio push. I’m more interested to see where this one goes. I dunno, I never think about it too much because I always feel like I’m this little dork kid from Santa Ana, California and no one wants to come to my show. Just the fact that all this is happening right now is exciting but I never try to think too much about it. At the same time, if I get too excited, I feel like I’m gonna wake up one morning and be 13 years old in my bed and my mom’s gonna be waking me up to go to school. Like oh my god, this whole life was a dream!
GID: Like a Twilight Zone episode!
NM: Yes, exactly! Theme song and all. It’s exciting though. To still have people wanting to come see you even four albums in, is a grounding thought. As much fun as it is to be out there, watching Ash command a crowd, and for us to be out there doing our thing, it’s still the coolest thing when someone wants to come see you play. They could see anybody and they picked us. I think that’s special.
GID: You’re actually on the road for most of the year. You’re currently on tour with Falling in Reverse, then you have the headline tour, followed by the European tour with Halestorm. How do you mentally prepare to be out on the road for such a long time?
NM: It’s more so how do I mentally prepare for when I go home because on the road is real life for me. I guess this is my real home. Going on the road, that’s what I’m here to do. That’s what I live for. There’s no mental preparation for it, I hardly even have to shower. I’m just ready to go.
GID: Finally, what do you hope to achieve either personally or with New Years Day this year?
NM: So far with everything we’ve done, in my own hopes and my own dreams I’ve already achieved more than I ever thought I would. So, I’m just living I’m not looking for anything more. Just the fact I get to do this is awesome enough for me. Granted I would love to be able to pay off all my bills and buy a huge mansion where I could have all my nerdy toys in but the fact that I’m here and people see us, that’s a dream.
Unbreakable is out now. New Years Day recently canceled their remaining dates with Falling in Reverse due to illness. Luckily, you can still catch them on their headlining tour with Diamante and Savage After Midnight this summer. Find their dates here.
