A name most Australians will recognise, Nathan Cavaleri has lived the kind of life Hollywood salivates over.
After battling leukemia as a child, his love of the guitar led Nathan to the higher echelons of the music world after meeting his idol, Dire Straits Mark Knopfler, thanks to the Starlight Children's Foundation.Declared by many guitarist greats as a child prodigy, he trained and toured with blues legend BB King in the early '90s as well as collaborating with the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, Robben Ford, Aaron Neville, Jimmy Barnes and Diesel.
However, the immense fame his guitar playing brought led Nathan to hang up his guitar strap after finishing high school, retreating from the spotlight to become a bricklayer.
After forming a band (Dirty Skanks who later renamed as Nat Col and the Kings) with Col Hatchman (then a member of The Screaming Jets) in the mid 2000s, Nathan again found a level of fame. It wasn't to last and by the 2010s, he was battling severe panic attacks brought on from suffering insomnia, anxiety and depression.
Retreating once again to the shadows, Cavaleri used a holistic approach (including meditation, diet and expanding his passions including taking up surfing) to find his true self.
Once refreshed, music again became a place of hope and healing that saw return in 2019.
Since then Nathan has slowly integrated himself back into the music scene, releasing his debut solo album 'Demons' in 2020 as well as coming back to perform live again.
Now he's just released the follow-up album to 'Demons', 'Miracles' that chronicles his path across the last few years. "'Miracles' is a time of backing myself and leaping," he says.
Ahead of a massive national tour – that stretches from July to November – we sit down with Nathan for an in-depth chat about his journey and renewed vigour for not only music, but life in general.
Firstly, congrats on changing the lightbulb in the studio haha! Is that important to showcase not only the music but also your personality and own experiences to your social media audience?
Haha! What an awesome way to kick off an interview. It was a real lightbulb moment ;)
I love connecting with people in various ways. Being yourself is how we find others that are vibrating on the same harmony or frequency. Besides, it's so much easier being yourself rather than trying to keep up a façade.
You've said that the 'Miracles' album project "is a time of backing myself and leaping"; can you expand on those sentiments and the internal and external pressure you've felt along the way as a recording artist?
Like many artists, the pressure to succeed has disconnected me from my passion and truths – swept up by the expectation or opinions of others or knocked down by setbacks or dissonant criticisms.
I've had my fair share of mental and physical health challenges from battling leukemia to chronic insomnia, fatigue and paralysing anxiety. But amongst those challenges were lessons that ultimately woke me up.
However, we can have all the knowledge in the world but without action, nothing changes. That initial leap is damn scary especially when you're playing with a fire that originally burnt you.
In order to create a new experience, I have to walk into it with faith in myself, my new found knowledge and tools. I can't ever know what's going happen next.
That's why the only option is to go into it with my shoulders back and trust that if it all goes south, I'll work it out. Gotta back yourself if you want to live intentionally and creatively, otherwise you just spend the whole time on the defence and in protection mode.
'Miracles' also finds you expanding on your blues palette, adding indie rock tones; has that been a natural development to explore new sonic territory?
Yes and no. Natural in a sense that incorporating other styles was the only way I could express what I wanted to express.
Unnatural or at least a battle because I felt like I may be disappointing the traditional blues community that has supported me since I was a kid. Again, another lesson in following your own truth and backing yourself.
You've had a long career in music since you were a little kid; how does 'Miracles' showcase Nathan Cavaleri the artist in 2023?
As a kid, I said it all with my guitar. Now, I not only speak through my guitar but through the lyrics, melodies and various production elements.
Back then I only had something to play, but now I also have something that I want to say and draw on all of the skills and influences acquired over a lifetime in order to create this work of expression.
Blues is still a big part of 'Miracles'; as someone who's been attached to the genre as long as you have, will blues-flavoured music always be part of your creative DNA?
ALWAYS!!!! I could go David Guetta and you'll hear blues in it! It'll move to the front and to the back of the stage based on how I'm feeling but I'm never firing that guy! One could say that blues is the stage itself.
The list of 'subconscious' influences in your music these days; you've listed a diverse range of acts: Dire Straits, QOTSA, T. Rex, George Harrison, Elliot Smith, Grizzly Bear, Lana Del Ray, Shuggie Otis, Black Keys, David Bowie, The Cruel Sea. That's eclectic, but does that also highlight your own tastes in music that bleed into the sounds you chase when you are recording?
One hundred per cent. I go wherever the feels take me and draw from whatever musical world I need in order to create a song.
However, I wasn't always like that. I used to limit myself out of paranoia that I'd lose an audience if there was too much contrast but, I think people's tastes are quite diverse these days and in the end, it's about feeling right? If a song makes you feel something, it doesn't matter what style it is.
You've self-recorded and produced 'Miracles'; you've said it wasn't an easy decision to make; what convinced you to take the reins in the studio?
At first it was the respected artists, composers and producers around me. Then it was the man himself, Andrew Scheps, and then it was my gut.
This whole album is a lesson in intuition and trust. I had so many doubts but in the end, I'm so happy that I leant in and took it on. I'm so so proud of it.
You did have Grammy Award-winning Andrew Scheps onboard to mix the album as well as offer advice; what did he bring to the project and how did his involvement impact your own work recording and producing the album?
Correction. I mixed the album myself because he encouraged me to do so! He offered to oversee the process and be my anchor.
It was an incredible experience to work with one of my mix idols. His wisdom ultimately made this album much bolder than what it would have been because of his brutal encouragement for me to step out, experiment and mix creatively instead of defensively. His spirit made the mix process a magical one.
Your connection to Andrew goes back to when you, as a kid, were meant to perform alongside Michael Jackson on a HBO special, right?
Yup. A few years back we were randomly on a boat together on Lake Macquarie (of all places to meet your mix idol) and discovered that he was the sound guy for an HBO special gig that I was doing with MJ.
Only MJ passed out next to me onstage and the show was cancelled. Almost a bit of serendipity that Andrew and I were brought back together.
The decision to share the entire recording and production of the album via Twitch; how was that experience and where there any unintended positive consequences that arose from sharing the journey with the Twitch-verse?
There were many unexpected positives.
First, it showed me how many unhealthy hidden beliefs I still had thanks to the odd untactful criticism. Going to work on those ultimately increased my self-confidence.
Second, I expected the audience on Twitch to be a distraction but they kept me vibed and focused. It was kind of like having a few good mates in the room, only there were thousands, ha!
Occasionally, I'd get a gun producer step out of the shadows hiding behind an alias username and make killer suggestions. They'd disappear like a phantom! Ha!
You are a Twitch top streamer (top 0.14%) amongst over 7 million worldwide; that stat must blown your mind?
I still think it's suss but I guess I am.
The album's cover art holds special significance as it's an image of your wife and first child taken during childbirth; it's a powerful image. Thus it's surprising to read in the album media release there's been some adverse reactions to the image – was that another hurdle that tested your own instincts and gut reaction?
It did because I was terrified by the thought that it would turn people off listening to it.
Does a cover really matter to me enough to want to risk that? But again, I had to trust my gut. No exceptions to any part of the process. Besides, I also got the sh.ts that out of all the stuff everyone's exposed to these days, that a 'censored' childbirth shot was considered risky. These moments should be celebrated.
You have a massive national tour kicking off next month; the live stage – is that a habitat you feel at home in, a place to escape from everyday stresses and just be in the moment?
It use to be, but touring in the past with mental health challenges turned it into a place of terror.
Since doing work on myself, touring is becoming an opportunity for growth whilst living my truths. Having said that, the recent three-week tour of WA created some incredibly fun and at times, profound experiences that have me feeling more excitement than nerves about this next tour.
The Nathan Cavaleri live show; what can fans expect from this series of performances?
FEELS and lots of them. One could say that the energy of the night runs parallel to my life experiences.
We play and have fun yet we go deep and a little dark but then we fire up the jets and fly high too. I also string the songs together with stories. Touring my previous album 'Demons' made me realise how much I love talking to a crowd, so I'm keeping that aspect.
What kind of impact did the Australian Story episode in 2020 have both on you directly and the general public's perception of Nathan Cavaleri as a musician but also a human being?
I'd like to think that it gave them insights that broadened their perceptions of me in a way that aligns with how I'm currently connecting.
It also strangely inspired me. I've never properly stopped and reflected on my life until Aust Story. Didn't expect it to move me so much. I haven't watched it since. Hahahaha.
Given the level of fame you have reached, particularly as a child, is it possible for you to walk down the street as a regular Joe going about your day without anyone noticing you, wanting a piece of your time (unsolicited)? Do you seek out that anonymity?
I HATED being recognised as a kid. I regularly got mobbed. It sucked. I don't want that back. Having said that, public recognition is an indicator that my music is translating so. . . Have to take it as it comes.
You also write music for commercial interests as your day job; having that role, does that keep you grounded while also simultaneously keeping your creative juices flowing when you aren't focused on your own material?
Creating music for other mediums teaches me so much! I get to experience worlds that I wouldn't normally experience if I was just creating for myself. I'd say it's definitely one major reason why 'Miracles' sounds as flavoursome as what it does. I love the duality.
Thanks for your time; anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for your time! I'm off to change another lightbulb. ;)
Nathan Cavaleri 2023 Tour Dates
Fri 7 Jul - Baroque Room (Blue Mountains)Fri 21 Jul - Bohemian Café (Taree)
Sat 22 Jul - Pacific Palms Recreation Club (Elizabeth Beach)
Sat 29 Jul - Hotel Kununurra (Kununurra)
Sun 30 Jul - Railway Club (Darwin)
Fri 4 Aug - Witchetty's (Alice Springs)
Sat 5 Aug - Grace Emily Hotel (Adelaide)
Sun 6 Aug - Limestone Coast Pantry (Mount Gambier)
Sat 19 Aug - The Lady Hampshire (Sydney)
Fri 1 Sep - Canberra Theatre Playhouse
Sat 2 Sep - Heritage Hotel (Wollongong)
Thu 14 Sep - Black Bear Lodge (Brisbane)
Fri 15 Sep - Mitchell Creek Rock & Blues Festival (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 16 Sep - Imperial Hotel (Sunshine Coast)
Sun 17 Sep - Mitchell Creek Rock & Blues Festival (Sunshine Coast)
Sat 7 Oct - Ocean View Beach Club (Central Coast)
Sun 8 Oct - Lizotte's Newcastle
Thu 19 Oct - Republic Bar (Hobart)
Fri 20 Oct - Royal Oak (Launceston)
Sat 21 Oct - Gnomon Room (Ulverstone)
Sun 22 Oct - Palais Theatre (Franklin, TAS)
Thu 26 Oct - Sooki Lounge (Melbourne)
Fri 27 Oct - Evelyn Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 28 Oct - Warburton Hotel (Warburton)
Sat 11 Nov - Bermagui Country Club (Sapphire Coast)
24 Nov to 1 Dec - Rock The Boat Cruise (Sydney - Pacific Islands - Sydney)
