Nathaniel Rateliff on the new film Lovers out today
Nathaniel Rateliff added two songs to the new film out this week which was set in the Denver area, “Lovers.” One song he contributed is a new, original song written for the film and the other is a sweet cover of Springsteen’s “My Hometown.” We had a brief chat with him about the music and working with the film.
Americana Highways: We hear you have two songs set to be included in the new film “Lovers,” and you’re the executive producer, can you tell us how that came about?
Nathaniel Rateliff: My then partner, now wife, Taylor McFadden and I have always discussed collaborating on art together. She had been working on a script for several years,and when it started to take shape, it was clear that music was going to play a central role in the film. I knew they were looking for a song for the film and after reading the script, I decided to write a song from the perspective of Tommy, the character who has passed away in the film.
AH: How closely tied were you to the movie and actors as it was being shot?
NR: I had previously known a handful of the actors before filming and had visited set a few times. On the day all the music was shot, I was present to play my song and to perform as part of the backing band for Amelia Meath’s character Tara.
AH: “Tommy’s Song” is an original for the film. How much did you see or read of the script as you were writing it?
NR: “Tommy’s Song” is written specifically for the film, in the perspective of the character who passed away. I wanted to explore what it feels like to struggle with mental health, to write a song from that point of view.
AH: What was your creative process for this? Lyrics or music first? Is that your usual songwriting method or was this different?
NR: This song began with music first, a chord progression that felt connected to the film. I hummed a melody over the musical structure and came back after a few minutes to fill in the lyrics. I felt inspired by the loss of Tommy’s character in the film and knew I wanted to tell his story in the song.
AH: How did the Bruce Springsteen song “My Hometown” fit in with the film?
NR: ‘My Hometown’ is a song my wife Taylor loves and wanted to be a part of the film. On a day off from tour, without her knowing, I drove to Eau Claire, Wisconsin and recorded the song at April Base with Brad Cook. I am so proud that it is a part of Lovers.
AH: To focus on you for a moment or two, you tour and travel quite a lot, can you share with us one solid piece of advice for how to handle life on the road or setting up to perform?
NR: Routine is very important to help you stay focused and healthy. I try to bring pieces of home with me to feel centered and grounded.
Thanks very much for chatting with us Nathaniel Rateliff. The video for “Tommy’s Song” is here below.
More information about the film can be found here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15165928/
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW : Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats “South of Here”