Today, we’re thrilled to have the incredibly talented Thomas Nicholas with us. We had an exciting conversation covering a wide range of topics. From delving into the intricacies of songwriting to exploring the unique correlation between his acting and musical endeavors. We touched upon his latest singles, got a sneak peek into his upcoming full-length album, and dived into the creative process with collaborators like Jaret Reddick, Ace Enders, Tom Higgenson, and many more.
Thomas Nicholas Band is currently cooking his 7th studio album, produced by the talented Taylor Carroll in collaboration with an impressive lineup of artists. With experience spanning over 15 years and more than a thousand concerts in 12 countries, Thomas Nicholas Band has become known for their electrifying live performances.
Recently, the ‘American Pie’ actor has been keeping the screen alive with his TV series ‘Underdeveloped,’ premiered on Sept 8, 2023, and his feature film ‘Adverse,’ released in 2021 alongside stars like Mickey Rourke, Lou Diamond Phillips, Penelope Ann Miller, and Sean Astin.
Congratulations on signing your first record deal with SBÄM Records for the 7th studio album! Can you share more about the journey leading up to this milestone and what it means for the Thomas Nicholas Band?
Thank you. I had released about 9 singles in 2020 and 2021 that I was going to package into my next album. But the validation of being signed by SBÄM inspired me to create a brand new 7th album.
You recently released a new single “Never Enough” featuring Ayron Jones. Can you delve deeper into the collaborative process with Ayron Jones and how it influenced your songwriting?
Ayron Jones came to L.A. to write a song with me for my album. In our writing session we found some common ground when talking about relationships from our past. He really inspired me to dig deep and share my inner thoughts that I don’t really like talking about. It’s scary to open up that way but it was good. And it seems like people listening are connecting on that sentiment.
The upcoming album features collaborations with a diverse range of artists such as Jaret Reddick (Bowling for Soup), Ace Enders and more. How did these collaborations come about, and what unique elements do each of these artists bring to the album?
My single “Whatever It Takes” caught the attention of Ace Enders and he invited to come write with him. The song that we wrote will be on this album featuring the Early November and it was the first song written for my 7th album. Writing with Jaret Reddick came on the heels of writing 1999 together but more on that later. The song we wrote for this album will be featuring Bowling For Soup. I am super stoked about that!
Kat Leon from Holy Wars sang the 3rd chorus with you in “Never Enough.” Could you share more about the emotional aspects of the song and what inspired its creation?
I got to meet Kat and Nick of Holy Wars through Ayron Jones when he was in LA. In the studio Ayron had this idea of us adding a female vocal to the end of the song. I asked Kat Leon and I was thrilled when she said yes.
Working with producer Taylor Carroll, who is in the bands LIT and Kemikalfire, must be an exciting experience. Can you tell us about the dynamics in the studio and how it has influenced the sound of the new album?
Taylor and I have been friends now for a couple of years but making this album has really brought us closer together. I think the vibe that we have as people is transferring to each song an bringing an intangible feeling to this album.
You played over 1000 concerts in 12 countries. How has your live performance evolved over the years, and what can fans expect from your upcoming shows?
I don’t know if I can pinpoint, what has changed. I recently watched some tapes of my very first concert back in 1997 and I would say that I’m a lot more comfortable being on stage now. And I think that helps me to really connect with people that are at the show to create a unique experience for each concert.
Your live performance is often described as a hybrid of Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen. How do you infuse elements from these iconic artists into your stage presence, and how has their influence shaped your musical journey?
Having seen them both live, it’s really all about enbodiyng their stage presence. They are larger than life and very much in the moment. That’s what I strive to do as well.
With your acting career still thriving, how do you balance your time between acting and music? Do these two creative pursuits influence each other?
In recent years I have been acting in the things that I’m producing, which gives me a clear path to schedule accordingly. Though I do remember having to balance pre-production for my new TV show UnderDeveloped while being on tour in the UK with Bowling For Soup. So in that instance, it just meant less sleep. Though it did give me the chance to ask Jaret Reddick in person if he would be the narrator for the TV series. Obviously, he said yes and he is great in the show!
Your latest TV series, UNDERDEVELOPED, premiered in September 2023. How has the response been, and how do you navigate between the worlds of acting and music in terms of creative expression?
The response has been great. In fact, I knew that I was going to be touring Germany, so I even made it a point to have the show translated and have German subtitles. So in that sense my two worlds end up colliding in very interested and sometimes on purpose.
The feature film ADVERSE, where you star alongside Mickey Rourke, Lou Diamond Phillips, Penelope Ann Miller, and Sean Astin, received high praise. Can you share your experience working on this project and any memorable moments from the set?
This role and film is by far one of my favorite of my career. We had the honor of premiering it at the Fantosporto Film festival in Portugal – where filmmakers like The Cohen Brother and Guillermo del Toro have premiered some of their films. I really lost myself and transformed for this role. Which has always been my goal as an actor. To be a character lead.
“My Generation” was included on the American Reunion soundtrack album. How did it feel to have your music featured in such a prominent film, and how has it impacted the band’s visibility?
I would say that “My Generation” is our biggest song to date because it was on the American Reunion soundtrack album. It’s creeping up on a million streams on Spotify.
Last year, you recorded “1999,” a parody of Bowling For Soup’s “1985.” Can you share the inspiration behind this parody and the experience of working on it?
The inspiration actually came directly from Jaret Reddick. We had just done a podcast with a screening of American Pie with a live audience at the Lava Cantina in Dallas, TX. Afterward, we played an acoustic show and Jaret was in the middle of playing 1985 when he said, let’s sing lyrics about American Pie. We tired to do it off the cuff and it was pretty funny. The idea stuck with me and I texted a bunch of lyrics to Jaret the next day. He said that would be a funny TikTok. I ended up doing it on TikTok by myself and it got 500k views, so Jaret invited me to Dallas to write it with me and I ended up recording it with Bowling For Soup behind me. I think I’m the only artist that has done a parody of a band, but also wrote it and recorded it with the band that I was doing the parody of.
How do you think your early experiences in the entertainment industry have shaped your approach to music and songwriting?
I think that I write about what I have experienced. It just so happens that I’ve grown up working in the entertainment biz since I was 6 years old. However, I write about my personal experiences that aren’t specificaly related to my work per say.
Can you give us a sneak peek into any specific themes or messages that fans can expect from the upcoming studio album?
The album itself has a hidden feeling of nostalgia in each song. There’s a a lot of fun pop punk emo anthems as well as some alternative rock songs. There’s also a self awareness in the lyrics and I’ve been opening up a bit more on this album more than ever before.
Looking back on your journey in both acting and music, what advice would you give to aspiring artists who are navigating multiple creative pursuits?
Do what you love. If you love what you do it won’t feel like work. Success isn’t what you achieve, success is finding fulfillment in the journey.
Thoughts Words Action 