Nathan Carter told David Hennessy about his current tour, new music and why fame is something he never desired or gets used to.
Nathan Carter is one of the biggest names in Irish music.
Born in Liverpool with parents form Co. Down, he won an Irish World award early on in his career.
Since then he has gone on to relocate to Ireland and earn legions of fans with his hits like Wagon Wheel.
He is a familiar face at Pairc festival in Birmingham and this year will headline a new Irish festival in Liverpool.
Nathan is currently touring Ireland with his Priceless tour that comes to the UK this month and to the London Palladium on 6 March.
While the tour sees him playing a selection of hits from his 13 studio albums, Nathan is also showcasing new material co- written with Guy Chambers who is well known for writing big hits for Robbie Williams.
Nathan took the time to the Irish World last week.
You’re on the road at the moment, how are you enjoying the current tour?
“Really enjoying it.
“We’ve got brand new songs in from the new album which is coming out later this year.
“We’re doing gigs all around Ireland, England and Scotland and we’re actually going to be in Lanzarote on St Patrick’s Day which is a different one for us, a brand new event that we’ve never done before.
“So yeah, the tour is going good so far.
“The last few nights have been sold out so we played to around 9,000 people in the last five days which is mental.”
You mention new tracks, is this current Priceless tour also about revisiting some of the older material of almost two decades on the road for you now? Is it a mix of old and new?
“It is, yeah.
“We’ve got stuff that I’ve recorded over the last 15 years plus brand new songs which I have co-written with Guy Chambers.
“I was in London all last year writing a new album which is hopefully going to be released later this year.
“But yeah, it’s a mixture of old and brand new which is different for me.”
Is it nice to revisit some tracks that you maybe haven’t done in a while?
“It is, yeah.
“It’s taken me back down memory lane.
“Over the last 15 years, I’ve recorded an awful lot of albums.
“I’ve done an album every year for the last 15 years so there’s a lot to choose from.
“We’re enjoying it.
“We’ve a lot of new faces in the band and the crew and we’re very excited to be coming back to do venues like the London Palladium.
“I think it’s my 10th time playing at the Palladium. We love going back every year.
“It’s a special, special time touring and especially playing venues like that.”
You say it’s your tenth time playing the London Palladium but I imagine, with it being so iconic, it never gets any less surreal..
“No, when you stand on that stage, and obviously backstage you see pictures of people who have played it in the last 60, 70 years from The Beatles to the Stones, it’s a pinch me moment every time you get to stand on that stage.”
How have you found the reaction from fans on this tour?
“Yeah, the fans seem to be loving the fact that we’re releasing new music and obviously that we’re back on tour in these venues and playing some new places as well.
“We’re getting really good feedback.
“Obviously social media has played a huge part and does play a huge part in letting us connect with the fans and they definitely let it be known what they’re thinking.
“Hopefully, most of the time it’s positive and they seem to be giving us a good bit of praise at the moment which is good.”
You mentioned working with Guy Chambers. Obviously he is so well known for his work with Robbie Williams and other people. What is it like working with him?
“To be honest I was nervous when I went first went in to write with him.
“But I saw a post he put up during the weekend there.
“He was in Liverpool playing with Robbie Williams and he hadn’t stood on stage with him in many, many years and he was nervous as well.
“That was me whenever I sat in with him last year trying to write some songs.
“But listen, he’s a talented man, got amazing credentials as regards to hits and radio play and selling albums and writing songs so it was kind of a pinch me moment whenever I got to sit in and write songs with them and I can’t wait for the fans to hear the new music and see what they think of it.”
What can you tell us about the music you have been writing with him?
“Well obviously he’s come from a pop background and I’ve come from a folk and country background but between the two of us, we came up with stuff lyrically and I did an awful lot of the melodies and the chords that I think the fans will enjoy and hopefully it will stand the test of time.
“That’s what you’re always aiming for whenever you release new music, that it sticks around.”
You have had big hits with tracks like Wagon Wheel. Did you know what you had with that song?
“No, Wagon Wheel was one of those songs.
“I knew it was going to do well.
“It was catchy and I thought it would appeal to a lot of different age groups but I didn’t realise just to the extent that it did.
“It was played in nightclubs.
“It was played in Coppers in Dublin twice a night for three years, four years.
“It was played at weddings, funerals, you name it.
“It was just everywhere so it was one of those songs.
“It appealed to kids and 90 year olds and just seemed to get across to any age group.
“And It definitely opened a lot of doors for me as regards to TV, radio and big festivals that we’d never dreamt of playing before.”
It was in 2007 that you released your debut album, can you believe it has been nearly 20 years?
“No, it’s absolutely flown by to be honest with you and we’ve done an awful lot of gigs that I never really dreamt when I left school at 17 that I would be playing: Standing in Croke Park singing for the Pope, stuff like that.
“When I left school and was playing the Irish pubs and clubs around Manchester, Liverpool, it was never something that I even dreamt of so I’ve been very lucky and if it all ended next week, I would be a happy man because it’s been a roller coaster ride and I’ve had a lot of good moments thankfully.”
I have often been told about you helping other singers on their way up, you feel that’s important, don’t you?
“Definitely.
“When we did our first tour in America, we were gigging in Branson for a week.
“Daniel O’Donnell was up the road in the big theatre and we were playing to 3/400 in the smaller theatre and he used to bring me on his show during the day to promote our gig that night, so it’s one of those industries where people just naturally want to help the next act.
“There wouldn’t be an awful lot of jealousy, thank God and people just want to help and that’s obviously passed down to me and hopefully it does pass down to the next generation as well and they can help the younger, aspiring musicians up ahead.”
You were once a mentor on Glór Tíre. I was wondering if you could ever have been tempted to go on such talent shows like that or The X Factor when starting out..
“No, I was never really into the fame aspect.
“I loved playing music.
“I was in a ceili band, entered the Fleadh Cheoils for years.
“I just wanted to play music.
“I got a massive kick from being part of a group and never really saw the appeal of being on the front cover of magazines or newspapers to be honest with you so the like of that, being famous overnight, it wasn’t for me.
“I just wanted to play music and if I could earn a living from it, after working on the building sites for a year, I would have been, and still am, very content with making a bit of money from music.
“It’s not a job.
“It’s a career that you don’t really have to work very hard and you don’t get your hands mucky, thank God.”
It is funny to hear you say you never aspired to be in magazines etc, is the ‘fame’ something you have had to learn to be comfortable with?
“I don’t think you ever become comfortable with it to be honest with you.
“I think 90% of musicians that actually play music are not interested in it.
“I think the whole celebrity/ fame thing, there is people obviously that crave it and want it but I think if you speak to 90% of musicians, they’re not actually that interested in the fame aspect of it.”
You were in London in September last year to headline ICAP’s Irish Hooley at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, did you enjoy that?
“Yeah, I hadn’t performed in the Electric Ballroom before and it’s obviously very historical place to get to play.
“It was something different and I’m always looking at playing new places and getting to play in front of new people that haven’t seen us before.”
There was a local aspect to the bill that night, did you get to speak to bands like The Reels?
“Yeah.
“Funny enough I ended up booking them that night for the London Palladium on 6 March so they’re actually going to be supporting us.
“I had a couple of drinks with them after the show.
“I think when musicians get together, there’s always a connection so just chatting about songs and tunes and gigs, an awful lot in common.
“I thought they were really good and they were just asking was there any supports going?
“And I said, ‘Do you want to do the London Palladium?’
“They were like jumping up and down about it, so they’re going to now be supporting us in March when we come to the Palladium.”
There is also Páirc Festival in Birmingham which I don’t think you have missed one year since it started..
“No, we haven’t.
“I get on awful well with the lads who run that so it’s great to see festivals like that happening in the UK because, obviously, a lot of the Irish centres that I played when I was a teenager are now gone.
“There’s not an awful lot of places for the Irish bands to come over and play anymore so those festivals are pivotal to keeping the music alive.
“There’s Craic by the Creek in Greater Manchester as well and there’s a new Irish festival kicking off in Liverpool this year as well that we’re going to be headlining on the Friday night, Fields of Éire.
“It’s great to see stuff like that popping up and keeps the Irish community alive.
“It’s great to keep the Irish community alive in the UK with festivals like that so the Irish can get together and celebrate music, culture and have a bit of a dance.
“That’s what it’s all about.”
You were one of those to pay tribute to Jim Carway, the Luton- based Irish radio DJ whose death was announced recently. That was sad news, wasn’t it?
“It was awful, yeah.
“He had only text me the week before about coming to see us in Milton Keynes and the Palladium.
“I looked back at the text once I had the news.
“I couldn’t believe it because he was a man that kind of supported me for the last 20 years.
“If we were coming to London or anywhere in that greater London area, he would promote gigs for us.
“He would come along, he’d bring friends: Just one of the good guys that were out there, that would not be looking for anything in return, just literally trying to help you.
“He’s an awful loss to the music industry and it wasn’t just me he was good friends with.
“I saw Daniel O’Donnell post a picture of him and a good few of the other Irish singers would have been very friendly with Jim through the years.
“Massive loss and one of the good guys, unfortunately, gone.”
Jim was always a familiar face around the Luton St Patrick’s festivities. Being in Lanzarote this year will be a bit different for you?
“Yeah, this is year is a bit different.
“To have hot weather will be very different.
“It’s a place called Puerto Del Carmen and it’s on the marina.
“They’ve held it for the last 10 years, I think but this year they’re obviously going bigger and better and they have fireworks planned and they’re expecting seven or 8,000 people to be attending on the Tuesday which is the 17th of March.
“We’re delighted to be a part of it and we’ll be celebrating and having a Guinness hopefully.”
It was back in 2022 that you announced CEOL, the band that you founded and managed..
“I’m no longer involved with CEOL.
“I kind of stepped back from that about six months ago but obviously am still great friends with the lads and wish them all the best.
“They wanted to do their own thing which is great and if I can help them in any way, I will obviously.”
Maybe stepping back was a good thing as you have so much on your plate..
“There was just so much going on in the last couple of years between writing and recording that new album in London with Guy, the touring, the clothing brand, building a new house, which I’m currently in the middle of at the minute- It was just a lot of stuff going on and the lads have kind of other stuff going on outside of CEOL so it was a mutual decision that they would do their own thing.”
I saw you performed in Castlerea Prison a little while back, what was that like?
“It was a bit different now.
“I never really anticipated to be playing in a prison but it was actually a charity event that was held to raise money.
“It was definitely a box ticked that I never would have imagined I’d be doing, but it was good fun and a lot of money was raised for good causes on the day so it was something a bit different.”
I also saw you surprised a 98 year old fan at a special birthday party. It must be a real joy to be able to do things like that..
“Yeah, it’s only when I look back at the video now you see the smile on faces.
“And it’s not an awful big effort for me to go and sing a couple of songs in a village hall up the road from me but It obviously did make a lot of people happy and that’s what it’s about.
“It’s not about being on the cover of a magazine, it’s about making people happy and if you can make someone smile, that’s the best thing you can do.”
It’s 20 years next year since you released your debut album but I get the feeling, God willing, you will be around for 20+ years more..
“I really hope so, I really hope I will.
“I’m enjoying it more than ever at the minute and delighted to be back on tour with new music, hopefully new faces as well coming to the shows that have never seen us before.
“And yeah, the band are in great form, great crew so things are good at the minute.”
Nathan’s Priceless Tour kicks off 20th February and runs throughout the year across the UK, tickets available at ticketline.co.uk/
COMPETITION!
The Irish World has a pair of tickets to see Nathan Carter in concert at the London Palladium on Friday 6 March.
For your chance to be in with a chance to win, answer the question below.
What is the name of the new festival in Liverpool that Nathan is playing this year?
Email david@theirishworld.com with your answer and also provide your name, mobile number and address.
Standard terms and conditions apply.
Closing date: Friday 20 February
