Self Proclaimed Odd Balls: Nate Banks of Arlie
words by Isabella Padilla | shot by Gabriella Hughes
Genre bending music group, Arlie, is more than just a college band. I had the pleasure of talking with Nate Banks, creator and lead of Arlie, to discuss his 2018 EP ‘Wait’ and what lies in the future for the group. With a unique approach to music making and an undoubtedly passionate creative team behind the music, the upcoming projects for Arlie are sure to impress.
I was introduced to Arlie after seeing them open for COIN last October, and I became an instant fan after hearing their electrifying set. I was so excited when Nate was on board to interview for Pure Nowhere. After a scheduled call turned into a surprise FaceTime call (Thank you technical difficulties), I was able to have a great conversation with Banks all about the beginnings of the band to his perception of social media’s influence and the importance of practicing mindfulness. Complete with the bolo tie and all, Nate Banks is as authentic as the music he creates.
Isabel Padilla: Who are the members of Arlie and what are your roles within the band?
Nate Banks: Members at this point are going to be myself, Carson Lystad and Adam Lochemes. Carson plays guitar and Adam plays drums, but they also do a lot of other things. Just as far as the dynamic of us and how we function as a unit, they are a lot more than just instrumentalists. I write all the songs and produce on everything and play a lot of the instruments myself and bring the guys in when needed. It became this project before actually making it into a band and that was during I was in school. Just kind of producing demos in my room and then finally started the band when I was a senior and the other guys were juniors-and that was back in 2016. It’s slowly evolving; it changes everyday how we operate, but I think it’s finally settled into something that really works.
Well you kind of already answered my second question, but how did you guys begin making music together?
I was pretty much doing it on my own for a while and then I met Adam because I was working on the soundtrack for this short film that my friend Sam made-Sam is the guy that we do a lot of our videos with. Adam is also a sound engineer along with being a drummer, and he was the audio engineer for this soundtrack and we knew Sam through a mutual friend. Different circles of friends at Vanderbilt and Belmont of people that were not really in the “norm” scene (laughs), just various odd balls. Carson was in another band at Vanderbilt-and there weren't many bands at Vanderbilt that were “serious”- at Belmont there were millions, so we kind of found each other that way. He was like ‘Yo! I want to be in this band’, and so he basically asked if he wanted to be in the band. Carson switched to guitar-which he always wanted to be so it worked out.
While I was Instagram stalking you guys I must have missed that you guys went to Vanderbilt!
Well clearly you didn't stalk enough if you didn't know..got to do a better job! (Laughs)
What do you think sets you apart from other artists within your genre?
I don't like to compare myself, so that's probably what will set me apart. I don't really think of myself as an “indie” artist. I am just trying to make really good music that speaks to me and trust that it will speak to others as well. It’s not about a genre, it’s about expression and just making music that I would like to hear in the world.
What is your favorite show you have ever played and why?
I feel like it changes all the time--and I have favorite shows for different reasons. Maybe still the one in Nashville on December 7th in Mercy Lounge. It was like 500 people and there were a bunch of people that we had seen at a lot of other shows and there were all singing the words, screaming the words and it was wild! It was the first time I remember feeling like ‘Oh we have fans now, this is insane!’. It just felt like a big party celebrating the journey of the past two years. It just felt like we got somewhere and we've made progress. Just the energy in the room was just so great. Bonnaroo was also really awesome, maybe one of the best. The most fun shows are where people are having an experience ya know...But I will say, every show is just it’s own thing, so it's hard to even pick favorites. Even if it's just one person in the audience having a meaningful experience, than it’s worth it; like SO worth it.
What was the ‘Wysteria’ project, and will you ever do anything like it again?
It was an act that we put together with the help of a lot of great people. It was at a farm outside of Memphis. The guy whose parents own the farm was actually the one to introduce me to Adam, and is the reason how we all knew each other. We did a test run the year before, just a small music festival that had different art stuff going on, and we wanted to do it again the next year and really take it to the next level by doing something we'd never done before. Gradually we just arrived at the idea of putting on this conceptual event that was more than a music festival; it's like a whole experience. You are in this thing that's like ambiguously an immersive theater piece...maybe? But you just can’t tell. We started this art collective back in college where we threw these parties that were supposed to be a cross between haunted houses and art, so we kind of wanted to do something in that vein [of performance art]. It was just an experiment that ended up doing really well! The idea of it is like a fake cult, where you don't really know what you're signing yourself up for. We are definitely going to do another one and make it even crazier! It's all about getting people to participate in art and movement.
How was touring with COIN and who would you guys like to tour with in the future?
It was great! They are really good people. We got really good fans and definitely learned a lot of stuff from them. I would love to tour with Vampire Weekend! Lots of other people...just people that I am a fan of personally I would want to tour with. I think it would be a great place for us to make new fans.
You guys are super interactive with your fan base, which is super appreciated btw. What is you most memorable fan interaction?
I love when people tell me that they are inspired to create things in response to my music. Like this one girl started a zine and she was like; ‘I heard your song ‘Didya Think’ and I got inspired to go do something with my life’, and I was like that’s cool! Fan art, or people who do photography… Just to know that our creativity is inspiring and facilitating somebody else's creativity is great. I think because people know my music it feels like we can just cut the bullshit and say something really real which is really cool. I just love those moments where you can instantly connect with somebody that normally there are all these social barriers that prevent you from connecting with someone you just met. I feel like music is a space where you can just bypass that sometimes and just be on the same wavelength as somebody else and I think that’s really awesome.
How would you describe the music that Arlie makes?
I would describe it as kind of my own weird version of pop music that's like pop music the way that I want to hear it. It’s just music that is informed by the rock ‘n roll cannon that is also like not afraid to cross boundaries. It’s educated music but it’s not sophisticated music- it shouldn't be (laughs). It's music that anyone can enjoy on a superficial level and if they want to look for depth within it they can.
I know you guys are in the process of making new music.. Can we get any spoilers!? What is that process for you guys making new music?
A lot of it is just me in my house, right here in this room.. So there's a spoiler for you. This is the room where I make my shit happen. Sometimes I go to this house studio with this guy named Logan Matheny, whos a really great engineer, and that just enables me to get off my computer and be focused on vocal performances and getting the lyrics right and the emotion right. It is definitely becoming a slightly more collaborative project; I used to just work totally solo you know, and do every instrument myself, and it was really hard for me to let go and recently I’ve been able to free myself up and understand that I don’t have to come up with every idea all by myself. It’s pretty much just freeform- I just wake up and start playing something and an idea for a song will just come. I am very excited to see how the album turns out and I glad to know that others are as well.
Then he offered some excellent advice for any creative out there…
You always have what you need to make something good, you just have to decide to go out and do it.
Like three years ago when I made ‘didya think’ and ‘big fat mouth’, I had a relatively decent Macbook and a piece of shit microphone and a piece of shit audio interface and it’s just like ‘how much do you want to make it good?’ If the inspiration is there, it will translate.
Do you have a theme for your album/s?
Themes are all over my music- I feel like every album has themes, even if the artists isn't aware of it. You can look at an album and seek a theme within it because that's what we do, that's what our brains do, they grow narratives and they connect the dots. For me, it’s something I think about a lot. I’m always thinking of different ways to weave the narrative of the album together. I think we what we will end up with is something that has larger, grander themes and a lot of different layers of meanings you can take from it. Themes are just topics but it’s not something that can be Put into a simple phrase, because then it wouldn’t be worth putting into music because I could just say it. It’s something that can only be said in a musical form.
You guys have a great stage presence! Is there anyone you would like to make a surprise entrance during one of your sets?
Anyone!? I think it would be kinda cool if Prince and Bowie came up and were like ‘We’re going to do a song with Arlie now’ (laughing) And they’re really awkward too and they don't really know why they're there.
What do you do when you're not making music?
Not a lot...I run, and I try to take care of myself a lot and spend a lot of time and effort on that. I like make fun of myself with this thing that I’m always saying on Instagram, where I’m like I’m doing my job, everyday! (laughs) I’m like half joking and being serious. I'm just obsessed with music and I have found a way to be okay with that and that’s pretty cool.
If you could have a combination of any instrument, what would you combine and what would you name it?
UHHHGH! You've got all these hard questions for me!
Can you tell I was just up late at night thinking of interesting questions for you?
It's a good one! Do you remember the Grinch?, and the instruments on like a rolling cart [Flu Floopers Tar Tinkers Who Hoovers Gar Ginkers Trum Tupers Slu Slumkers Blum Bloopers Who Wompers Zu Zitter Carzay Who Carnio Flunx] Well, I think I need that and I'll combine it with my Roli Seaboard. I’m thinking of a hybrid between a guitar and a keyboard in that it doesn't have black and white keys and it's more like a guitar fret board. And then, I want to be able to take that and harmonize my voice with it so I can pitch bend things. I don't have to get the cart on wheels, but maybe I’ll also get that someday.
Do you have a favorite song of yours? My personal favorite is ‘Tossing and Turning?
That's great to hear! I mean all of them have very strong memories attached to them so its difficult to choose favorites. ‘Tossing and Turning’ was the one where I wasn't the only ‘parent’. I wrote it with someone I used to date who I’m still friendly with and she has a great voice. Her name is Maggie Troutman and she's actually on the track singing backup vocals. So that song very much represents the relationship to me. Otherwise I cannot just choose a favorite song (laughs).
Do you have a quick shoutout to anyone or anything you want to mention before we end the interview?
Definitely shouts to Briston Maroney, we brought him on tour and he's awesome. And we've got Freeze (Nordista Freeze) the man who is currently taking over Nashville. We are also playing Space Prom! [By the time this interview comes out they have already played Space Prom]. We're doing a cover set and a couple Arlie songs. Everybody's going to be wearing spacey outfits and it's sort of a reclaiming of prom. It was Freeze’s mastermind idea that we are a part of.
