Nickel & Rose
CARL NICHOLS AND JOHANNA ROSE are based in Milwaukee but travel the world with their unique brand of Americana. The duo draw from their roots in gospel and D.I.Y. punk to create a modern sound that blends traditional instrumentation with a punk ethos and political themes. Our partner 88Nine Radio Milwaukee reached the band via email from their tour in Spain. Find an excerpt from that transcript here and the full interview on radiomilwaukee.org.
What were your early influences?
ROSE: Growing up, my dad always had Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb, Lead Belly, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and other country/folk/blues [stars] playing throughout the house. At the same time, my uncles on my mother’s side were playing Summerfest and local clubs with their ’80s rock bands. In high school I started going to punk shows. Now I probably listen to more of what my dad was playing, but I like a lot of different music.
NICHOLS: As long as I’ve been playing music I’ve been exploring and enjoying just about every kind of music I could find. Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell made me want to write songs, and Jason Becker made me want to practice guitar.
Why are you making music?
ROSE: I ask myself that every day, ha! In the end, it’s because it makes me
happy and it’s a great way to combine creativity and activism.
NICHOLS: I’m trying to promote diversity in American roots music. I want to keep the culture alive in whatever way I can.
You lead a very nomadic life. Could you tell us about international touring and how you got started?
ROSE: When we met, Carl was on his way to Turkey, but he changed his plans and we went to Berlin together instead. We ended up doing a three-month tour all over Europe and have been touring the States and Europe ever since. … We’ve got a great bunch of musician friends around the world, and now touring is as much about playing as it is about visiting them. While every country is different, we’ve happily discovered that there are great people all over the world willing to take a chance on us.