JOURNAL JAMS: VOL 28

*Nate and Jeremy share a couple beers at Grand Central Market, Los Angeles around roughly 3PM. 

Jeremy: So tell me Nate, is this your day to day genre choice of music that you groove to? 

Nate: Well, I really listen to just about everything. In fact, this playlist is for the quote on quote person that, “listens to everything”. I wanted to put that to the test. 

Jeremy: Is there any kind of rhythm to it? Or should I ask if there’s a specific mood or setting when this should be thrown on? 

Nate: It’s very daytime. This playlist is meant to listen to when you’re doing your normal daily errands, like cleaning your house, sitting outside, doing absolutely nothing, or just whatever… It’s just one of those things that are easy to the ear, if that makes sense… 

Jeremy: Nice. So listen, I’ve been following you around here all day. Is this a typical day in the life for you? 

Nate: Yup. I usually get a nice spliff going in the morning with a cup of coffee, get some exercise, skate downtown and around the city, hit a thrift store and splurge a bit, ya know.  

Jeremy: How is night-life Nate relative to this?

Nate: Hahaha. Night-life Nate has been trying to keep it very low-key as of lately.  

Jeremy: Hahaha. Okay, okay…Aside from that, you obviously have a background with skateboarding, how long have you been at it?

Nate: I got my first board in the third grade, I think I was about ten. I didn’t start taking it serious until middle school since that’s when you start meeting other dudes that are taking it serious and giving themselves that identity. At that age, it’s like, “oh shit, I don’t even know how to kickflip yet. What am I doing?”. 

Jeremy: Right, I could relate. 

Nate: It’s also one of those things that relate to your health, ya know? I’ve had my on and off years with it, more offs than ons. It’s just a matter of staying healthy with it, like not injuring yourself. It can be a drag. 

Jeremy: For sure. So tell me more…

Nate: *interrupts - This beer is really nice. 

Jeremy: I agree completely. Let’s get another! 

Jeremy: Nate, so you live in the outskirts of DTLA. Where did you grow up exactly?

Nate: Uhm, I was born in a little town called Natomas in Sacramento, CA. It’s very very small town…everyone knows everyone. It was like what you see in the movies. I lived on a cul-de-sac. It was me, my next door neighbor, twins at the end of the street. My older brother was in high school at the time so he had all his older friends around. I’m telling you, it was like something out of the movies ya know? You would get home from being with your buds, throw your fucken bike on the lawn, go and eat dinner. It was just extremely cozy and homely. I eventually just made my way down here after school. I actually finished high school here in LA in fact. 

Jeremy: Rad. So I consider you a full time model, that’s just what I know you for. When did you start getting into that? 

Nate: Haha that’s crazy hearing that, “full time model”. That is my current fucking job title, but I feel like it’s part time since there’s so many things I want to do. Well I was living in Sacramento and we went to a waterpark. It was hot as shit that day, I was with my family. There was this casting there with all these little kids and I figured, well I’m a little kid, what are they all doing? Haha.  I went in and did the whole slate and I did it pretty good and they liked me. But I guess with whatever it was, my mom would’ve had to pay outta pocket for it and to get me into whatever it was going on. So it was kinda a wash. I was just like, “whoa, they liked me?”, and she said, “Yeah, they did, but it just cost too much.”. Since then, it just stuck with me. I was like six of seven at the time and yeah, here we are…haha. 

Jeremy: Wow, that’s kinda an epic origin story. 

Jeremy: So I guess we’re going to head back to your place and you’re going to play me a couple chords? I had no idea you played guitar…haha. 

Nate: Yeah… When I finished high school 12th grade or so, I was in jazz band and we never actually had the same class or played together, but do you know Steve Lacy?

Jeremy: Oh yeah. yup. 

Nate: Yeah, so we both played guitar in different bands around and he already had The Internet popping. Haha it was funny, I had a guy named Andrew and Lamoje. I was on guitar and we needed a bass player and Andrew was like, “yo I think I can get somebody”, and it was Steve. So it was like, Steve was going to either play bass for this band that no one knows and start from scratch or he was going to kill it at guitar with The Internet, his squad already. Hahaha 

Nate: Uhm, but yeah, when did I start playing guitar? I guess I started picking it up right after fifth grade. 

Jeremy: Haha. Epic. Okay, well one last question for ya Nate dawg. How often are you paddling out nowadays? 

Nate: Hahahaha. Dude, fuck, I used to, regrettably. I lived in Venice. So listen, so I moved here and I was like, “man, I gotta learn how to surf. I skate amazing”. I went out and bought a six foot fucking something board…hahaha. Never surfed in my life and paddled out and got tossed. I went under one time and the board hit my head and I was like, bleeding from my forehead. 

Jeremy & Nate: hahahaha

Nate: From there, I moved to Long Beach and I left my surfboard at my cousin’s house in Venice, where I was living. He hits me up one day and is like, “dude I’m selling your surfboard. I’m getting rid of this. It’s taking of space.” 

Jeremy: *laughing hysterically at this point 

Nate: Hahahaha. We were not making any progress with it. It was so bad…We were paddled way out one time and I remember thinking, “fuck, we are not making it back”. I think that was the last time I surfed. I didn’t think we were going to make it back in for sure. Haha

Jeremy: hahaha…Well Nate, you’re a gentleman and I appreciate your time today. 

Nate: No, thank you! Thank you kindly. I had a blast today man. I wouldn’t say this is a typical day to day, but not out of the ordinary. 

Jeremy: Any last words?

Nate: Love everybody!

photos by: @jeremyknies