‘What’s Up’ Nathan on the course

WHEN Nathan Carter took our call for this interview for The Tuam Herald and I said “what’s up” he replied, “You’ve got the title of my new single correct and I’m just after finishing playing the last hole in a game of golf at the Slieve Russell course in Cavan!”

It was The Morning After the Night Before, to quote the title of his number one from a few years ago as he had played the night before to a huge crowd at a festival in Clifden, which is a long way from either Cavan or Fermanagh where the Liverpool-born star lives.

“I’d never played music in Clifden before and while we didn’t know what to expect it was a really good festival with a great crowd of all age groups and we got a huge reaction,” said Nathan.

Before questioning him further about the new single we asked him if golf was now a new pastime for him.

“Yeah, I try and get out on the golf course every Monday for the last few months. While I play in various courses, this is my first time today in a long time to play the Slieve Russell course and it’s a lovely one,” he replied.

His new single titled What’s Up, is a song that was a big hit in the States in the ‘90s for the 4 Non Blondes and he has given it a modern country summer feel.

“We actually started playing it at the live gigs about two months ago and the reaction has been massive. People just seem to love it, and we did a video for it live at the Cowboys and Heroes Festival in Leitrim recently and that has just been released as well,” he said.

The song will also be on his new studio album which he had been working on in studios in London and Dublin over the past few months.

“It will be the only cover version of a song on the new album as I’ve co-written the other 12 songs and this will be a bonus track. It was a big departure for me to have so many of my own co-writes on an album,” said Nathan.

“I suppose it was a new departure for me to co-write so many songs for one album and while all of them might not be great, I feel that some of them are decent songs.

“I had about 20 original tracks done and we whittled it down to the best 12 for the album.

“The plan is to have it out in the shops and on the websites here before we head off for seven gigs in the States and Canada in November including one in New York’s Carnegie Hall which is very exciting.”

He added that they are currently playing festivals here at home and after the States they will do their annual tour in the UK and Scotland including The Philharmonic Hall in his native Liverpool and their biggest ever gig in Scotland at The Armadillo Theatre in Glasgow.

Nathan has also added a new brass section to the band for the major gigs.

“We’ve added to our band line-up, a trombone and trumpet player who come over from England for some of the bigger festivals and concerts here.

“That gives us three brass players as John Bernie plays sax and they are a great addition to our live sound,” he concluded.

So that’s What’s Up with Nathan Carter at present!