I met Nick Zimmer back in 2008 when we worked together. At the time He was running a very successful zine (Tripod Of Thought) and has already mastered his photography skills. This is a person that tells it how it is, and has a true heart for passionate and talented musicians. He has been to well over a thousand shows and made quite a name for himself. Recently I sat down and talked to him about being on the road, shooting bands, his background and his taste in music.
The Interview:
Please introduce yourself and how you are involved in the music scene?
My name is Nick Zimmer. I take photos of bands and write for a few webzines.
What got you started in music journalismphotography?
Journalism: I had a friend who ran a web-zine in the early 2000’s and got me interested in it. My best friend and I started our own site, Tripod of Thought Zine in the fall of 2005 when we were in college.
Photography: I kind of fell into it. When I was a teenager I would make these awful skate videos with my friends. I started going to shows on a regular basis in 02/03 and was filming and eventually just started taking photos. I knew I wanted to be a photographer when I took my terrible point and shoot to the last Blink-182 tour before their hiatus and got a shot of Taking Back Sunday that I still love to this day.
What is your top 10 favorite bands and why?
My top 10, Jesus. I listen to such a wide variety of music that this may be a little tough. Ill give it a shot though. My top 3 in no order because I have a special place in my heart for all 3 would be: The Wonder Years, Brand New, and Vendetta Red. After that, I’ll go with, again in no order: Evergreen Terrace, Remembering Never, Touché Amore, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Set Your Goals, Converge, and Stick To Your Guns.
Why? For each
I’ll just do why for a few. Brand New was a band that I listened to on a daily basis when I was going through the lowest point in my life. they really brought me back up from that. Vendetta Red was one of the first bands I started listening to that had screaming, and Zach Davidson is such a fantastic lyricist. The Wonder Years, they just keep getting better. I feel like a lot of the things Soupy writes about are parallel with the things I go through and they’ve grown so much as musicians, they’ve really restored my faith in not only Pop Punk but music in general. Also, I would like to add Glassjaw into the favorites up there, I don’t know how I forgot to mention them.
So you have toured with bands and shot some pretty big shows, whats one story from the road that stands out to you?
I’ve done a few tours with From the Embrace over the last few years and this is the story that always comes to mind. We were on a winter with Holly Maddux and Immortal Guradian. We were in Corpus Christi, Texas and I happened to light Nick Marrero on fire. I was playing with a lighter, tried getting the string on his hoodie, and his hair caught on fire. His mom was pissed at me for a while.
Whats your top 3 albums for 2013 so far and why ?
The Wonder Years – “The Greatest Generation”
Daylight – “Jar”
The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “Whenever, If Ever”
All three just have the emotion that has been lacking in music for a long time.
Out of all the shows you have been too (which I assume is close if not into thousands), which one stands out to you over them all?
Seeing Mindless Self Indulgence was awesome. The energy that band has is unreal. The Wonder Years always seems to outdo themselves when I see them. I shot Neck Deep’s second ever US show and that was nuts. I think I give a different answer every time I’m asked this just because I’ve been able to see so many bands. I shot Dads a few nights ago and that was nuts.
What would be your favorite and least favorite venue you have been to and why?
I have a few favorites. Hangar 84 in Jersey was great. It closed down not too long ago. The Avalon in New York City. The Hatch in Evansville, Indiana. The Stafford in Bryan, Texas. They’re all venues that either really took care of me/the band or saw great shows there. Also, The Boiler Room in Asheville, North Caroline was awesome.
Least?
The Brewery in Raleigh. The place had no A/C and it was 115 out. That was awful. Some skate park in Douglas, Georgia, I think it was called the Warehouse. That place sucked.
You have been involved in the FL scene for a long time, seen bands come and go. As of late people have been saying the FL scene is dead. Whats your take on this?
There are some great bands here, but kids don’t go to shows. Then when bands don’t roll through the area kids throw a fit. It is stupid. There are some people who really do care about music here and those are the people that are keeping the little bit of a scene we have left alive.
In closing is there anything you would like to add?
Go to shows. Always buy merch. If you ever see me at a show, come and say hi. If you dig my photos, ask me about prints. Check out some of my friends in From the Embrace, Immortal Guardian, Look Right Penny, and Barrett Bailey Photography. He’s a friend of mine and has been killing it lately. I also recently got into the band Old Again, those dudes are awesome. Check out my website. like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, and all those other social media sites.
Interview By: Tim Morris
