Q&A with two North of Nine members

Even before the interview starts, it is clear why North of Nine have already begun their musical ascent. Lead singer Jackson Guthy and keyboardist Nolan Frank introduce themselves and proceed to tease each other like brothers with a playfulness that alludes to their dynamic personalities. As the interview begins, they take turns answering the questions with an enthusiasm and introspective mentality that shows how truly dedicated they are to their craft.

Do you ever listen to your own music recreationally?

Jackson: I mean, I do a lot of the time. Only because I think it’s good to keep — it’s like muscle memory. If you keep working out a certain muscle, it’s gonna constantly get better and better with that workout. I think it’s the same thing with me as a singer. It’s better to always learn what you’re going to be doing, and what you’re going to be doing in shows, and kind of find the ways you can make it different live and better than what you’ve already done. I’m not saying I listen to it all the time, but I think it is helpful to get a sense of what you can do differently to make it a new experience.

Nolan: Yeah, I totally feel that. Jack will come up to me all the time and be like, ‘Yo, I was listening to this song the other day and check out this melody. I totally wish we could have gone back and recorded the melody this way.’ So I think it’s like, you keep listening and keep the record version in your head so you can keep track with what works best live and with the crowd and kind of grow as the song goes on.

What’s your biggest goal for your music career?

Jackson: I think all of our biggest goal would be really creating a career with longevity and not going from zero to 100 real quick. But we’re kind of trying to create the best music, the best product — we’re five young guys and we all have come together to make this music, and we just wanna make the music that we love to play and hopefully have it be a voice to people who feel the same way … I think the music will evolve with us. The overall plan is to just get better as musicians and be able to be 70 years old and playing North of Nine music.

Nolan, what drew you to USC?

Nolan: USC is a fantastic school, but I came because the popular music program was like nothing I’d ever heard of. It sounded like the opportunity to do the kind of music I’m traveling around playing with the band right now. There wasn’t really any college program among large universities like the pop program … for me, I went out and visited, met the [vice] dean Chris Sampson and just fell in love with the program. And that’s pretty much 100 percent of the reason I came out.

 

How has your major here at USC helped you in your musical career?

Nolan: Oh, I mean, how has it not would be a better question. Basically, I grew up doing a lot of different things musically. I sang in a bunch of choirs, I played the piano and the trumpet, taking a bunch of different lessons in a bunch of different things, and I was kind of confused — I think a lot of people feel like this when they go to college. ‘Man, I like so many things and have a wide skill set, how am I going to choose one?’ I didn’t want to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. The pop program for me basically took us and said, ‘No, if you’re going to succeed, you need every one of those individual abilities that you have and work on all of those ones you don’t have.’ It puts you in the position to diversify. I think today, as a musician, that’s the best way to be.

What can we expect from North of Nine this summer and in the future?

Jackson: I think we’re really looking forward to finishing up the Long Play album and getting in to go again and developing our sound even more. We’ve been really lucky to go around and travel the country and going to radio stations all around, working our music and getting those connections. I think the goal is to get a real library of songs that we love to play. Hopefully, we’ll join in on a few tours. We have a few really great options in the works right now that we’re looking forward to announcing soon. Making the music and being in the studio is one thing, but the way you can get on stage and create an impact, I think that’s the magic of music … We’re really looking forward to showing people what we’re capable of musically and taking every opportunity big or small and giving it our absolute all, because at the end of the day, you’re only as good as your last song.