#176 Nathan Eggins
Nathan Eggins is a Brisbane-based musician, songwriter and science communicator performing and releasing under the name Conspiracy of One. His mission is to encourage interest in science, promote critical thinking and give new perspectives through fun catchy music flavoured with his quirky sense of humour
Connect with Nathan:
Transcript
Rae Leigh: Welcome to a, Songwriter Tryst with Nathan Eggins from the conspiracy of one conspiracy of
Nathan Eggins: fun, same thing.
Rae Leigh: same thing.
Nathan Eggins: I'm just happy people are talking about it.
Rae Leigh: not a conspiracy podcast. This is a songwriter podcast
Nathan Eggins: or is it,
Rae Leigh: The first thing I like to do, the first thing I like to do is get you to share a little bit about who you are and we come from.
Nathan Eggins: Well, hello, dear listeners are. Write songs that I want people to get excited about science and psychology, and I want to encourage critical thinking skills. That's the basis of my mission is I'm. What's called a science communicator. I stand between the scientists and the general public and. Talk to the general public and say, Hey, here's a science thing and try and simplify it enough to make it accessible and fun. And if people are interested in that, then I can point them back to the scientist and go, you can learn more here.
So I I'm, my, my job as a science communicator is to show you the door.
Rae Leigh: Is there a specific topic of science that you like or is all science included?
Nathan Eggins: I would say specifically. I definitely want to encourage more critical thinking which is what I would class as a, an information literacy.
So in school you learn language literacy and number literacy, which is maths information literacy. I would class as you, you get a piece of information. And rather than just accepting it because it confirms my already existing beliefs. How do I know this information is correct? Who told me where's it coming from?
Do they have a bias to, they have fact checking, do they have a conflict of interest, but also in, in your own thinking, am I just accepting this? Because it confirmed. What I already think am I accepting it? Because it's from someone within my in-group because you have far more likely to accept something from someone in your in group or reject something from someone in your outgroup.
Rae Leigh: I've definitely been caught, getting in trouble. for Repeating something that I've heard from someone else and actually not fact checking and being questioned on it, and then going, on, and now I look like I'm just making up stuff.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And in fact that is a normal human thing to do. And so critical thinking skills are key in trying to recognize when you're doing that and to try and overcome it.
Rae Leigh: Very
Nathan Eggins: And so in a way I want to encourage quote unquote, better thinking without. Preachy or condescending about it and putting it into music makes sense to me.
Rae Leigh: I probably do that as well, but then I talk a lot and then it sounds preachy. Do you know How many times I've been at a gig and people like this So I was like a sermon. I'm like, dammit.
Nathan Eggins: I said
Rae Leigh: And then I've seen push him up to,
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. So that's when you should just double down and go, this is a sermon you're here to worship me.
Rae Leigh: yes, it's a sermon about how great I am.
Nathan Eggins: I think he will get a very different crowd than
Rae Leigh: Yeah, probably, yeah. Okay. So tell me where did this come from? What sparked this passion?
Nathan Eggins: I've always been a fan of musical comedy and. Tim mentioned, is one of the main influences that I've had in this regard is taking topics that kind of science-y psychology the way people think ideas and then putting them into the song to hopefully make people think, oh yeah. Never thought about that before. Or that's an interesting. Look at this topic.
Rae Leigh: is so good for that. Isn't it?
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And while I don't necessarily consider myself a comedian, because that's a whole nother kettle of fish, I do like to think that my stuff is funny on some level and cause I want to make it fun. I want to make it light heart. And it's never my intention to attack a person or a group more to look at the idea and the thinking behind it and say, isn't this thinking weird or funny or strange, or have you thought about it this way?
Rae Leigh: Yeah. And what does that actually mean? And that, that takes a particular type of, maturity, I think, to be able to question yourself. in that sort of stuff. And so that's a really intense thing. to to be able to put that into music in a lightheaded way that is maybe not preaching, but just inspiring a different way of thinking is so beautiful and it's such an enjoyable way. as well.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And that, that is a very important part of applying these critical thinking skills is you really should apply them to yourself first, before you apply them. Other people and other things. And,
Rae Leigh: so much harder to do
Nathan Eggins: It is because everyone is the main character in their own story. And for a lot of people, everyone is the hero in their own story. And it takes a lot to a lot of work to take a step back and look at yourself and your own thinking and your own beliefs. And to question those,
Rae Leigh: And at what point have you been seen as the villain. and why?
Nathan Eggins: Ah, look, I probably have, I D I like to say that I don't have enemies because I don't have time for that. I have better things to do with my time than have enemies, but I'm sure there are some people who don't like what I do.
Rae Leigh: although there has to be, yeah, no one is liked by everyone.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah, no one that's been overly vocal about it.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, people love to gossip. And I actually quite enjoy giving people something to gossip about. People's lives. are boring and Gossip is is actually a form of entertainment and us as songwriters and artists? Entertainment is a massive part of what we do. And so when people talk about oh, that's something, I think I've had to get over it.
What about you like that whole concept of people talking about you behind your back? When you're an artist? That's kind of a good thing.
Nathan Eggins: I think that's just a very human thing, worrying about what people think of us when we're not around. And yeah, I think that is quite a universal concept of being unsure and insecure and, everyone likes to be liked. Everyone wants to be wanted. Knowing that people dislike, you actively can be confronting.
Rae Leigh: Do you know what I find? And this is a personal thing that I've had to work on, but yes, everyone likes to be liked and I liked to be liked. And I like to be loved but my core value with my history was that I am unlovable and unlikable.
And so no one does love me and no one does actually like me. And so those massive wolves and trusts come up and that that's pretty common for children going through trauma. to have that. I'm unloved because I wasn't protected and yada, yada, yada, but like,
Nathan Eggins: I think
Rae Leigh: the thing I had to work through was that that's, that's exactly right.
I want to be liked and I want to be loved, but I was also for a very long time, unable to receive anyone's level likeness because I did not believe it was possible.
Nathan Eggins: Would you say that you didn't feel you deserved it?
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Yeah. I core belief was that I was unlovable because. I wasn't, I think as a child, because I wasn't prepared. the way that all children should be.
And that happens sometimes, that I, if you love a child, you protect it. So there was like that core value that had developed in me at such a deep level. Like it took a lot of time to work this core value out, and it caused so many issues in my life that I actually genuinely do not believe that I was a lovable person and I wasn't valuable. I've worked it out now yeah, it's one of those things that like, yeah, once you work out those deep core values, which is, it takes intense work, like emotional maturity to, and courses and learning about emotions to work at what your core values are, because we all have core values that are developed in us from a very young age.
And when you know what they are, it's so much easier to identify the symptoms and the way we. react. And that's what I write songs about anyway. So and tell me, oh, thank you. I want to go back to the beginning. So obviously there's a science love and passion. You communicating but How does music fit into that?
Where did the music start for you?
Nathan Eggins: I originally started guitar lessons in primary school because it got me out of class on a Thursday afternoon and I did it half seriously for a couple of days. And then I dropped it for a couple of years and then I picked it up again in my teenage years about mid high school, because my.
One of my older cousins who was kind of a older brother figure for me, got an electric guitar. So of course I had to get an electric guitar. And then from that point onwards, I knew I wanted to be a musician. I wanted to be writing and releasing my own music, and I want to do the filling stadiums and, you know, just the usual and
Rae Leigh: a dream stadium.
that you'd like to perform at one day,
Nathan Eggins: Not as specific stadium just to be at that point to have that many people give a shit about what I'm doing, would be lovely. And, and over the years, my dreams and expectations and my view of what success is. Have all changed. They're they're smaller than those lofty ideals of youth, but more realistic now.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Nathan Eggins: Cool. And so yeah, if I, if I can have a small but dedicated number of people who really do care about me as a person, what I'm doing, that's making it
Rae Leigh: Yeah. I think the richest people in the world are the people who just have a few really good. friends And family, if that happens to be your friends as well, but it's harder than you think that? My psychologist said you only need to have five people in your life that you can really trust and lean on.
Like if you're weak or something happens, that those people there's five people that can be there for you. Yeah. But it's hard. Like, it, I've found it hard to find people that you can really trust and rely on and are actually going to be there for you and care about you as a person. And it's about setting the right boundaries and finding the right people.
I definitely used to be one of those people that would do way more for someone else. It took me a long time to realize they would not reciprocate. Yeah. But there are good people in the world. So he's got to keep going and keep trusting.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And I think it's easy to put those walls up for everybody, but then you eventually do find the people that you can let your walls down for.
Rae Leigh: yeah. And It's so good when that happens. Like it's very refreshing. So yeah. Okay. So you've done your music. You've started this conspiracy one. How long has that been going for now?
Nathan Eggins: Technically I've been using the name for quite a while, but I've been doing it quote unquote, seriously slash properly. As far as the music industry is concerned.
For about three years now, including COVID I had actually had a year off during COVID, which I absolutely needed. But yeah, in terms of doing it properly, like re recording, releasing, and figuring out who I am and what my purpose is about three years,
Rae Leigh: So you think that's what you've been doing is really.
like Defining your mission of of what it is I stand for as an artist, what I want to achieve. like that sort of So many people don't even ask themselves that question. They're like, that. I think that is something that can take a long time to do. And, it's self development.
Nathan Eggins: It's a, I guess I road that you can only get to this point in the road by traveling the whole thing.
There's no short. And I, yeah, I started out just going, I'm just going to write anything for anyone and who's your audience, anyone that wants to listen to my music and that's a terrible answer as far as the music and said, but then over time you are able to pair that down to. No, this is who I am. This is what I'm doing.
And me right now, I consider myself quite niche, but a lot more authentic to who I am as a person. And my music is now just me in music form rather than try to be someone else. And
Rae Leigh: Never works. it's exhausting and no one can never That's not sustainable to be someone else like it. Doesn't
Nathan Eggins: call to try and please everyone.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Yeah. It just doesn't work out. And once you let go of that, then you can just be yourself. And then I find it easier if people project or get feedback or reviews, I can take it as constructive criticism rather than having to worry about, oh, maybe I need to change my brand or change who I am.
It's like, I can't change who I am. I'm going to grow hopefully, it's, it's good No, what you're doing and have those, you know, what your brand is now. So every time you got to release a song, wouldn't be like, does this fit
Nathan Eggins: with
Rae Leigh: who I am as a person? And does it fit? And I have that with all of my songs.
They all align with some form of emotional intelligence. My grandiose dream desire for my music is that I can elevate the emotional intelligence of society because my biggest belief is that if we can be more emotionally intelligent as. adults, that children will be safer in our community because the reason I wasn't safe was because my parents were not emotionally mature or emotionally available.
And so like that opened the doors in the environment for me to be in harms way, because they weren't emotionally in the right space. It's not like they're bad people. They just had different teachings in that, in that generation. That's the thing. So it's like every single song. I've really. I can tell you that there is an emotional core society value.
That is an emotional maturity thing that we need to kind of, people need to be aware of on some level, even push them up to even the comedy ones, like even the ones that are silly and. fun, There's something in there that's like, Hey, enjoy your body. There's nothing wrong with sexuality. And
Nathan Eggins: Yes, And that, that's a part of you as a person as well. And that's why I think genres shouldn't be enforced too rigidly is because if you want to write a song about that called 'Push Em Up Jill', that's absolutely an option that should be open to you. And it is.
Rae Leigh: I would love to just Collaborate with every single genre. Have like, I've got a rap song with some guys from Adelaide coming out where I'm just a single song letter of the top.
And like, I'd love to collaborate with a rock and like folk and, R and B and just have all these like random songs that I'm featured on. Yeah. but I'm like, My brand is, I guess, my country singer songwriter he kind of thing. I'm not going to bring out an R and B dance. track, But I'd love to be on someone's dance track, you know, and just be a part of that. Cause I love
Nathan Eggins: Are we allowed to tell the listeners that we're intending to work on a comedy song together?
Rae Leigh: Uh, yeah, sure.
Nathan Eggins: You heard it
Rae Leigh: We, we, we sat down and we were going to write a song the other day, but we ended up just chatting the entire time, but we did come up with some really. cool, song title names and that happens. Sometimes
Nathan Eggins: I am the odd sock. I think it was,
Rae Leigh: Yes,
Nathan Eggins: we, we don't want to give too much away because we haven't actually written it yet.
Rae Leigh: We're going to give everyone else I do, Actually, we should run a competition in somewhere to tourists where we give the audience a title. And then they have to send in their song based on that, that has that title. And then we can like, they can, the best song wins I reckon that would, I don't know if you think that's a good idea listener, that you'd like to write a song and be a part of the songwriters songwriting challenge, let us know.
Nathan Eggins: I don't agree that music should be a competition. We're still gonna do it this way.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Just because we'd love to hear what you'd come up with with The odd socks song. Yeah.
Nathan Eggins: Not the best, but like the one that makes you laugh the most.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Well, the one that appeals to, to us the most, which is what it's all about.
It's about a bit of fun. Okay. So over the three years you've been quote unquote doing it seriously, what do you think has been the biggest lessons that you've learned and grown as a, as an artist in that time?
Nathan Eggins: Quite honestly, when COVID first hit and I decided to take some time off. That's actually been one of the biggest periods of growth for me personally, but also consequently career-wise because that really helped me to redefine, why am I doing this?
Who am I doing this for? How am I approaching it? What is success to me? And as I mentioned before, my idea. Making it, what success is, are a lot more realistic and it's a lot more based around my work-life balance and my mental health and my happiness than it is whether I can sell out a massive show. And I still want to work toward that.
I would love to be able to, you know, sell out a massive room and have
Rae Leigh: Okay. I did try to come to your last gig of the black bit and it was sold out because I don't pre-buy tickets usually. because I've got kids,
Nathan Eggins: lot of people don't pre-buy
Rae Leigh: and then I went, I went to I'm like I'm coming. And I went to buy a ticket and my friend's like not sold out, man. I'm Like that's not fair.
Nathan Eggins: Well, uh, selling out was even a bit of a surprise to myself, but I'm absolutely going to make sure that I try and sell out. Every other show I do from now on headline shows anyway.
Rae Leigh: I I'm yet to have sold at any show, but I haven't done a lot of shows yet either. I've still been kind of really trying to define my sound and find me in music and I think I'm really close to that, and that's really exciting.
And I actually really liked what you said mental health and designing your lifestyle and your music artistry career around your mental health. I'm a big believer in that. That's what I do I'm like,
Nathan Eggins: and have that
Rae Leigh: It's not sustainable. Yeah. It was like, I, literally actually do this because I can't do anything else.
Like I S I am the happy content person that I am most of the time, because I'm doing this and I've done all the other At a lot of other jobs and different things, and it's not sustainable for me because I don't survive very well in those environments. So like, I love how you said that because that's something I agree with a hundred percent.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And so I guess ironically, one of the best things for my music career has been that time off, of time off, not just for. Trying to be out there and do shows, but time off from thinking about it just constantly in my head of what's next? What do I have to try and do? What's the next thing I've got to try. I was still writing.
Rae Leigh: I was going to say in that time off, we still writing. songs. I don't know if I, could turn off that part of my brain.
Nathan Eggins: I, yeah, I, I was still writing songs and I'm working on my very first album at the moment and a couple of songs on the album, from that, that period of being kind of stuck in ISO and making sense of that, not to give too much away, but there is a COVID related song.
Rae Leigh: yeah, there has to be, I have one. that's, It's essentially the point where I just got angry at them telling us what to do all the time. Like I just, no one likes being told what to
Nathan Eggins: Right.
Rae Leigh: I was just getting pissed off and I wrote this song and it was like, I actually really like it. But yeah, it was annoying.
Nathan Eggins: totally understandable thing to feel in that situation.
Rae Leigh: I feel like almost every week at the moment though, there's a COVID song coming out because it's been such an inspirational time.
Even movies and TV shows are being built around COVID and what life is like with COVID and. Part of, I was actually watching a TV show with and help away. and it's all about life in COVID, it's like a whole bunch of really cool actors, but I was watching it. I was like, I don't think I want to be reminded of that.
Nathan Eggins: that. Yeah. Because we want our media to be in media in terms of TV, movies to be an escape.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Yeah. That's it. And that's, that's the thing. I think, I, it wasn't like something that I felt like it was helping me escape. It just reminded me of. all the crap,
Nathan Eggins: well, that's why I like star Trek because it's in the future and everything's great. And hunky-dory
Rae Leigh: yeah, Yeah. it gives me hope that the feature actually exists.
Nathan Eggins: Going back to the first question. That's another thing that helped develop where I'm at now is my love for science fiction, because it's a great, yeah, it's a great way to hold up a mirror to our modern world and talk about issues. Might have trouble talking about otherwise
Rae Leigh: style was, was the first time I'd seen a female
Rae be like popular like the name Rae for a girl. because there's so many rays out there. But Rae, as in a girl's version it was like, oh yeah, it's his style was, I can use it now. It's acceptable.
Nathan Eggins: I can relate to
Rae Leigh: I can relate to that. And It's such a strong female name, but yeah.
People spell it. The boys were. all. Yeah, With the Y instead of an a, I want to ask you about your collaboration co-writing or even just your writing experience. What would you say has been your best experience as far as collaborating and what have you learnt about yourself and what to do in a co-write
Nathan Eggins: Collaborating with other songwriters is actually something fairly new for me, historically, I've always been writing.
For myself by myself. And in fact, that's kind of how we've become friends more recently is because you have a heavy focus on songwriting collaboration, and that's something I definitely want to do more of and become more of a part of that community. And ideally I would like to do very much more of this as.
My original music career. So it doesn't have to be conspiracy of one. That's my songs for me with the science-y quirky angle, but that's not all I do. I want to do more collabs. I want to do music fulfillment, TV over time. And, So I don't have that much under my belt just yet, but there is a, a good friend of mine called Lucy Cortes, who you've met, we've written a song together and it was her first time writing with anyone else.
And it was maybe, yeah. Second or third time riding with someone else. And we got a really cool song out of it that she's going to relay. Sometimes they were
Rae Leigh: a song with her at the, at the summary night and I love that something, it probably needs like just one more bridge or something just to finish it off. We didn't quite finish it, but every time I play it, I'm like, oh, just, You know, it does that thing. to your insides.
Nathan Eggins: She is great for that. And I'm a big fan of Lucy just as a person, but also as an artist. And so you should have her on the
Rae Leigh: I should Lucy you're Europe next. I'll have to get her to worry about. all right. So what would you say if someone was just starting out, what would you say your biggest piece of advice? would be
Nathan Eggins: Don't put yourself in a box, try a bit of everything, try and write styles and genres and ideas that you wouldn't normally try. Even if you think it's stupid, try it.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Nathan Eggins: And they they've been things in my songs that I've done as a joke when I'm just recording a demo at home and I'll just throw in.
Rae Leigh: a little
Nathan Eggins: Like backing vocal part that just says a strange thing. And then I, that's funny, I'll, I'll leave it there and then it stays there and then it eventually just becomes part of the song and then it becomes something that people go, oh, I really liked that bit. Like you did with push him up. Jill
Rae Leigh: that's been happened. I was going to say that's happened with that,
Nathan Eggins: that little bit that, oh, is that too cheeky?
Rae Leigh: Because that was me talking to the producer. I'm like, oh, I'm singing these lyrics and I'm like, oh, is that too cheeky? And then when we will relistening back, he'd left it in by accident. And when he did it. you should leave that in. And a lot of people have said that it's like, I love that part where you, said,
Nathan Eggins: because it's little things like that, that humanize it and give it a bit more character than just a song that is being played a flat song. Yeah. And so I guess advice to someone new starting this out is just try a lot of different things and not everything is going to work, but you've got.
You've got to throw things at the wall and see what sticks.
Rae Leigh: I heard this story about a photography teacher that at university, he did an experiment and you like science. So I'll teach you, But, he oh, it's raining very heavily. So he said that he split up the class into two groups and on one group for the semester.
They had to just take as many photos as possible. And then we're going to be graded on the qual, the quantity of photos they took
Nathan Eggins: the quantity.
Rae Leigh: Quantity they're going to be graded on the quantity of. photos that they took. And then the other group of the other side of the class was they didn't have, they only ever had to do one photo, but it had to be the best quality.
And he said what happened was the group that were focusing on quality, spent so much time trying to get the best photo possible. They didn't actually take as many photos and the best photos from the year that semester actually came. from The quantity group, because they weren't worried so much about it being perfect. They were just experimenting and taking lots and lots of photos.
Nathan Eggins: That's the way I do photography as well as I'll take 10 and then pick the best one because you do just get really good shots
Rae Leigh: I'll take 250 20, but yeah.
Nathan Eggins: Then you're going to spend the time going through it, all those two 50.
Rae Leigh: but it's worth it. And I think the same someone said with music as well, like songwriting, they like songwriting. when you write songs, it's like planting a garden. And when you're doing an album, it's like going into your garden and picking your favorite flowers and making a bouquet. And I was like, I love that.
Nathan Eggins: That's a great
Rae Leigh: Yeah,
Nathan Eggins: I like that.
Rae Leigh: That one's from Francesca, from I Heart Songwriting I went to the Australian songwriters conference in Sydney last year, and she was speaking and she, she used that analogy. And I'm like, that is gold. I love that because the reality is you never gonna re record every single song you've written.
It's not how it works. Like it, you're probably gonna record 10% maybe, and they're going to be the ones that you really love in that, they're amazing. Or you think they're amazing. hope. hopefully,
Nathan Eggins: yeah, I would say still keep everything that you recall. Even if it's just a F like a phone memo, you record yourself on your phone and just playing an instrument and singing and just keep it, keep it for yourself, the posterity. So you can look back years from then
Rae Leigh: Picasso.
Nathan Eggins: I, had like,
Rae Leigh: Like scribbles on newspapers and books and
Nathan Eggins: stuff
Rae Leigh: that wouldn't obviously never released, but it was his artwork And because you know, he's died and it's super famous. Now, Even those artworks, of just scribbles are in museums and worth loads of money because it's because of.
Nathan Eggins: so that's the key to making music from art die.
Rae Leigh: That is, I'm taking that out. That's terrible. We can't tell people to go kill yourself off.
Nathan Eggins: Oh no, I'm not. I'm definitely not telling people to make it happen, but
Rae Leigh: that, okay. So true truth in history. is that Your artwork will become more valuable when you pass away, because what you have done that is
Nathan Eggins: that's all there is. Yeah. And yeah, it's only for people that are already notable
Rae Leigh: Overly done well, Yeah. When the reality is once you've passed away, you can't screw it up. And so that's my theory is that like, once you pass away that risk is completely gone and then you are literally like your story has ended. And hopefully it's a beautiful story that people can then still be inspired by for the rest of however long your artwork hangs around for is random theory. But conspiracy there.
Nathan Eggins: But I think at the end of the day, my, my goal, I guess, is just to do what I can to make the world around me just a little bit better than it was before I was in it. it. That's all I want to do. I want to make people happy. Yeah. And, that's why we're entertainers because. Bring joy and bring happiness and
Rae Leigh: and alleviate worry.
Nathan Eggins: now.
Rae Leigh: All Right? So If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Nathan Eggins: Carl Sagan? Because he is my, who would you want to
Rae Leigh: Who's that?
Nathan Eggins: Carl Sagan was a, an astronomer and. A science communicator. Like he, he's the very sort of epitome of science communication back in the, let's say seventies, eighties, early nineties.
And he just had this absolutely beautiful way of talking about astronomy in the universe and stars in such a poetic. Beautiful way. And he had a TV show. He had books and anytime I see or read anything of his, it just, it's not quite shivers up the spine, but it's definitely a, a visceral kind of feeling for me. And so if I had a time machine or some way to work with him in some way, just.
Rae Leigh: be, That's your thing.
Nathan Eggins: my thing. Yeah. And, and because he's no longer with us, absolutely. Tim mentioned, I want to work with
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Okay. Have you been to see him live? Yeah. it
Nathan Eggins: I've seen him a couple of times. First was with the Queensland symphony orchestra.
I believe, wow. That was quite something. And, I have a lot of, a lot of respect for, for Tim and I don't want to emulate him 100%, but I definitely want to take what I like and what I think works for me from what he's done and do my own version of it and be inspired. Definitely.
Rae Leigh: was brilliant. I think that's great. It's still like an artist is what the book is
Nathan Eggins: good artists borrow great artists, steal outright,
Rae Leigh: Like that.
Nathan Eggins: something along the lines.
Rae Leigh: So, that's, I mean, that's sort of my official somewhere to questions. Tell me, what's coming up for you. So you've got some releases happening. We're going to do a show together in Brisbane. which is
Nathan Eggins: We are,
Rae Leigh: And maybe some other places,
Nathan Eggins: you've heard it here first as well. This is a, this is a podcast of exclusives.
Rae Leigh: all the secrets coming out.
Nathan Eggins: I, as I may have mentioned earlier, I'm working on my very first album, which is a big deal for me and perhaps a big deal for a couple of other people who care about what I'm doing. And, and, but at the end of the day, I'm doing it for myself. It's something that I've wanted to do for a few years.
And I now have the ability to. Record, mostly at home. I've got a home studio I'm in a really good position to be able to do that now. And I have the time to put towards it amongst all the other projects I want to do this year. Cause I'm someone who, if I wasn't constantly busy, I would be bored. So I, I always need to be busy.
Rae Leigh: why I have this podcast. I can't say board.
Nathan Eggins: we get along. So yes, the album is my, I guess my first priority project, because I have already publicly announced when it's coming out 10, 11, 20, 22, which is the 10th of November this year. And I announced it publicly. To give myself a deadline to have it finished because otherwise I would keep putting it off. Like I have
Rae Leigh: I
Nathan Eggins: accountability for
Rae Leigh: as well. Yeah. That's brilliant.
Nathan Eggins: and it's going well so far I'm on track. I'm on time. And, I don't specifically have a budget. I just have my life savings. So I'll spend what I need to, how to that
Rae Leigh: I know it's one of those things. Sometimes people just. put out The most world's most amazing album and then that's it. They never do anything else for, again, other people produce 40 or 50 albums in their lifetime, And so
Nathan Eggins: well in classic Nathan and fashion, the time when I'm supposed to be working on my first album the other day, I started brainstorming my second album.
Rae Leigh: Nice. I'm like that too. I like, doing cause pushing Montrel count last week, So I'm doing radio interviews for that, but I'm in studio, not for my next one, cause that's already done, but for another one Yeah. It's like, So even once, once the songs out, it's kind of like, that's okay, what's next?
Nathan Eggins: It's a bit like that.
Rae Leigh: I don't have that high, and once it's done, I don't know.
Do you have that?
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And I think, probably a majority of people listening, songwriters themselves. And so they would perhaps understand this is that by the time. Y by the time something comes out, you might've written it two years ago, so it's not new to you. It's not, the, a lot of the songs on my album, which you're not, apparently you're not supposed to tell people this, that the songs on the album I wrote years ago, they're supposed to be all new and fresh and cause that's, what's exciting, but
Rae Leigh: My first single I wrote six years before I released it. And yet it came in, it was all about pain and heartbreak and making it through and just surviving. And It came out in January of 2020 It's like, it shouldn't be the year's Anthem for me. It is. Anyway,
Nathan Eggins: I think my point at the end of that rant was going to be just be honest.
Just like, yeah, I wrote this song a few years ago. I wasn't sure if it was right to do, but it just, it feels right now. And that's how you can
Rae Leigh: yeah. And I think I do that as well, when songs come out, it can be hard to know when to release it.
Nathan Eggins: a song.
Rae Leigh: Sometimes I've had songs recorded and just sitting there for six months and I'm like, no, it's not.
right time. And then, I don't, know. I dunno. I'm just, I don't know. it's for me, it's intuition. I'd just go. Yep. Now this one it's the time for this one now, you know,
Nathan Eggins: and it depends on how closely you want to stick to the music industry playbook as to how far in advance you want to plan out your release.
Rae Leigh: I've done all of it. I've done the whole, just like dump it online and just tilt the Facebook. And then I've done like the full PR thing as well.
Nathan Eggins: I, started out doing that with no idea of PR or the music industry at all. I put out three APS. Oh, wow.
Rae Leigh: with
Nathan Eggins: Just just without even like, I, it might've mentioned it here and there and then just put it up. Oh, Hey everyone. I got a new AP out. And then wondering why
Rae Leigh: no one's
Nathan Eggins: no one's listening or no one cared or it didn't seem to make any splash because I didn't understand about PR or.
Rae Leigh: I still don't really understand. And
Nathan Eggins: then I, I did a year or so of, I guess, following that music industry, playbook to the letter, as much as I could. And I found it, burned me out and
Rae Leigh: that because you're doing a lot of it yourself, you reckon.
Nathan Eggins: I wear all the hats and that's the thing. And then COVID hit and I was able to take time off. And then that's what really helped me to come to where I am now, which is I'm still working on my music. I'm still. Trying to get it out there, but just I'm being more smart about it and
Rae Leigh: work smarter, not. harder. Great philosophy.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And just not just going by that, that playbook, that
Rae Leigh: Yeah,
Nathan Eggins: unquote, the music industry says, this is how you should do it.
Rae Leigh: I'm lazy. If I can get someone else to do something, I will do, it. And like, I mean, a lot of the jobs that get other people to do, I could do myself, but I just, only one person.
I can't Do everything, Especially with big dreams, you can't wear all the hats, it's great to work with other people. And then for me, I work harder knowing that there are other people who are. see the success of that happen as well. Like I work way better in a team. I love team sports. I love If it's just for me, I would not have the same drive, but for me, it's, it's for my kids as well that they drive me.
And the fact that I'm working with all these people and. this. Whatever song I'm working on. If that project is successful, it's not just kudos to me. It's a win for every single person. Who's a part of that project. Anyone who's played on the song who recorded it, who's done the PR for it. If it's a success, we're all sharing that success, you know, and that's what it is.
Awesome. It makes me work harder to the point that sometimes I burn out. But then I, go to the. beach or something
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. That's why self care is important.
Rae Leigh: important. All right. Tell me, I've pretty much finished up. I'm going to put the description, all the links to your socials and Spotify and YouTube that people can go and follow you.
And So it's going to be really easy to find you. And, I want you to tell me what your favorite song is that you've got out release that we can end this podcast on but I also want you to know that this is your space. You can literally say anything you want This is your last moments on somewhere to trust
Nathan Eggins: So no pressure.
Rae Leigh: and there's lots of
Nathan Eggins: I think, my nice little science fiction song about aliens is the one that a lot of people have connected with and has been the most surprising for me because when I wrote it, even I thought, oh, look, even for me, this is a bit weird and and out there.
And I don't know if anyone's going to read. I connect with it, but that's the one that people have connected with because it's different and weird and out there and quirky and, and, I like to think a little insightful. And
Rae Leigh: so that's released, we can give that. one a play.
Nathan Eggins: Absolutely. You can listen to it right now on the songwriter truest radio.
Rae Leigh: Brilliant. Is there anything, else you'd like to say before we finish up?
Nathan Eggins: Musicians are good. Give them all your money, please. Specifically myself and Ray
Rae Leigh: begging with begging
Nathan Eggins: tin cup,
Rae Leigh: tin cups. Well, you can buy me a coffee, which is on my website, which is how people will donate and support the podcast. How can people donate and support you since we're on the topic?
Nathan Eggins: I'm just happy for people to listen to my music and now. Or to connect with it enough that they care about me as a person and what I'm doing.
Rae Leigh: You've got financially. do you have like a tip jar on PayPal or do you have, merchandise that people can
Nathan Eggins: I have merchandise. I have t-shirts and some of the t-shirts will have little aliens on them eventually.
Rae Leigh: All right. Cool. Well, yeah, go,
Nathan Eggins: I'm not good at math. I'm not good at asking for things.
Rae Leigh: in red bubble as well Aren't you Yeah, somewhere, we just started up a red bubble for somewhere in a truce. So I've been putting up like little quotes and stuff, as well as like all the logos in that. So you can get like any merchandise printed on demand with the logos and your
Nathan Eggins: straight to your house.
Rae Leigh: It's actually a really good tool for independent artists who don't have a lot of budget to buy in bulk. And it's a way that you. guys can see. Well by doing, which is great.
Nathan Eggins: Yeah. And I honestly, I think that the best way to support the artists that you like is to go to their shows, to buy their nurture and wear that, wear it with pride. If it's shirts or
Rae Leigh: yeah.
Nathan Eggins: display it with
Rae Leigh: Or a stubby cooler, I have stubby coolers this, I don't want to be sober. And I get pictures from people using it. And they're like it's always so true. Like drinking the BS.
Nathan Eggins: I was thinking about making a stubby cooler that says, don't think just drink.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Nathan Eggins: Okay.
Rae Leigh: Have you written that song? Because we could write that song and then we could have stubby coolest. Does that merge?
Nathan Eggins: right. Right
Rae Leigh: Yeah, let's do it.
Nathan Eggins: the podcast. We're going to go write a song.
Rae Leigh: All right. Enjoy the song. Do you want to introduce your song
Nathan Eggins: This is where all aliens baby, by conspiracy of one, which is me.
Rae Leigh: whew.
Nathan Eggins: Thanks for having me.
Rae Leigh: Thanks for coming.
