26 September 2006 -

EXCLUSIVE Interview: Nyles Lannon
Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com

n.Lannon is Nyles Lannon, a San Francisco-based musician who, along with touring and performing as n.Lannon, has performed music as n.Ln, a self-produced electronic project, and as a guitarist/vocalist in the critically acclaimed band Film School.

In 2004, n.Lannon released the highly underrated Chemical Friends, an amazing album that snuck under the radar of college rock/indie scene. Several of the album's tracks are available for download on Lannon’s MySpace.com page.

With the growing success of Film School, Lannon spent much of his time in 2005 touring with the band. When not on the road touring, he spent most of the past few years splitting time between various musical projects and doing what most people do - working for a living.

He recently turned is attention back to n.Lannon and is currently working on completing the follow-up to Chemical Friends.

For more information on Nyles Lannon, visit is Web site: www.nlannon.com or his MySpace.com page: www.myspace.com/nlannon.

DeadJournalist.com is proud to bring you this exclusive interview with Nyles Lannon.

You are working on a follow-up to Chemical Friends - is there a name yet? How is the recording process going?

I don’t have a set title for it yet, but it’s taking shape. It’s been slow going this last year, mostly because of the touring with Film School. I’ve also moved several times, remodeled the kitchen, bought a new computer, learned new software, got a bunch of gear stolen and had to work. The list goes on! But this summer I’ve really been able to focus on it, and I’ve started to make some headway. I’m following a 12-step program. I spend each night visualizing myself finishing it.

When do you expect it to be released?

March 2007, assuming everything falls into place. But I know I will have some last minute freak out, so who knows. Actually, I think that’s a “hard” deadline.

How will the album differ from your previous album?

It’s probably going to sound pretty similar to most ears, but to mine it seems like a completely different world. I really have had to think about what I wanted to do this time, and in the process I’ve scrapped whole albums of material. I’ve never had that issue before. Maybe it’s just natural to go through a spring cleaning artistically every once in awhile. I didn’t want to put out the same album again. After all the dust settles, I think there will be less of a Simon/Garfunkel thing going on with this one, and a little more of a darker, heavier sound. But it still has plenty of lighter, hopeful moments.

Who influenced you most as a musician?

This last year I’ve been heavily into the Beatles’ White Album. It still floors me, every time I listen to it. The songwriting, the instrumentation, the production – all of it is fantastic, even its flaws and sloppiness. I also have been really inspired by Leonard Cohen.

What was your favorite part of touring in support of Chemical Friends?

Probably touring with my old friend Brian McTear. He was performing as Bitter, Bitter Weeks. We saved costs by renting a van together. It was really fun being on the road with a good friend, and the tour didn’t have the typical drama and tantrums that most tours seem to harbor.

Which do you enjoy more – creating music or performing live?

I get my kicks from writing. I like pushing myself in different directions, seeing where things end up. It’s a constant challenge, and it evolves with you. Each song is like a puzzle, and once you write a song you are happy with, it lasts forever. This is very rewarding.

I’ve also had a fun time making music for TV and movies, doing remixes, that whole thing. I could happily do that forever and never tour again. Touring is kind of a nightmare when you are not in your 20’s, at least for me. No more floors please! No more Wendy’s!

You also have an electronic side-project called n.Ln, how did that come about?

I actually started making electronic music pretty seriously about eight years ago. I was really into it for awhile; I thought electronic music was the freshest sound out there. But after I released Astronomy for Children I got a little burned out on it. Now I’m mostly just doing little remixes and 7”s and digital releases for n.Ln, but who knows, I might get inspired again and put another album out soon. I also have a few other projects I would really like to finish up finally.

How did you get involved with the band Film School?

I started playing with Krayg back in 2001, I think. I helped him finish the first record, Brilliant Career, and then we started writing a lot of stuff together. Most of the Always Never EP and the self-titled album was stuff that the band wrote together. After years of playing around SF we signed to Beggars and toured our butts off for the last year. It was a good run!

What were you listening to in 1996?

Blonde Redhead’s La Mia Vita Violenta, Lilys’ Eccsame the Photon Band, Red Red Meat’s Bunny Gets Paid, Ween’s Pure Guava, Slint’s Spiderland, ad Swirlies' They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days and Flying Saucer Attack.

Nyles Lannon