Nomadic Nation is a purposefully eclectic 3-piece band from Surrey, BC who have already put together a great original EP. Taking a 'nomadic' approach to their musical style, the band lets their writing wander and prefers not to tie themselves to a particular genre. A quick flip through the list of tracks on their music player and you quickly hear both the talent and diverse style of this outfit.



The band formed fairly recently with the help of on and offline networking, and Nomadic Nation has already played a handful of Supernova shows, including the Road to CMW in December and Summer Meltdown 2011, where they grabbed the Wildcard prize as fan voted favourite. Coming up on Saturday January 21st, this young band will put their performance to the test on stage at The Rio Theatre for our HYSTERIA Finals.

With such a variety of originals and influences, it’s difficult to pitch Nomadic Nation to any one type of music fan. Indie and alternative fans will identify with the vocal style, but the instrumentals vary from indie to ska to heavier rock. So when given the chance to speak with Duncan Lee from the band, we figured we'd put the questions to him!


Introducing Nomadic Nation:

Duncan Lee (aka the skinny half-Asian guitar player) = Lead vocals + lead guitar

Raymond (aka Ray Ray) = Bass

Chris Newton = Drums + vocals


So how would you describe your sound?

There is no way to describe our sound. Each original song of ours has a different genre. Generally, we have been classified as "Indie Alt" but that is such a broad genre. In some songs we do ska, hard rock and then alternative.

What is your history as a band?

The 3 of us got together via social networking. We found our bass player through Craigslist and found our drummer by relations with relatives. We are very dedicated to learn new styles of music as well as jamming random chords, eventually working it's way into a song.

Is there any other Artist who you’d consider a ‘mentor’?

Local artists such as meta, Good for Grapes and others tend to be a mentor due to their perseverance.

Where does the band like to practice or play?

Our current practice space is in the lead singers basement which, originally, was once called the man cave. We aren't completely sure what our favourite place to play is. However, we do enjoy playing at The Watershed Cafe, local coffee shop Fleetwood Wired Monk, and the Tom Lee Music Hall.

So how did you end up playing with Supernova?

We found Supernova through the lead singer's band Fall with them, in which he played drums. We would highly recommend the page for it's exposure for up and coming bands.

What is the biggest challenge facing ‘new’ artists?

From personal experience, I believe the biggest challenge facing 'new artists' these days is living and working as a successful musician. The music industry has changed drastically and has been changing since the very start. On top of that, winning over the fans are a HUGE part of being successful in this industry.

Noting this, most of the "Music lovers" would, nowadays, sit at home and listen to music on Youtube or on TV and what not. It is hard to drag fans to your shows and watch you play. The type of fans we are looking for are actual music lovers who like to support up-and-coming bands such as ourselves.

What would be your band’s ‘motto’ or ‘recipe’ for putting on a good show?

Our band has never had a certain ingredient to have successful shows or to play together as a collective. What brought us together are the differences we share in music which, ironically bring us together creating new styles of music.

That's well put. What is the most rewarding thing about being in a band?

The most rewarding thing about being in a band is to know that people are listening to your music and enjoying it. Personally, I enjoy the little things about being in a band. The musicianship, working together as a team and writing your own words and what they mean to you. Knowing that people are listening and comprehending your words and being able to relate to you is the greatest reward of them all.



What is your most memorable moment (so far) in the band?

...we were just in the studio recording a 3 track EP. This to me, looks like the most memorable moment because of the teamwork and hard work that we've put into it.

No doubt, especially with the recording wrapped! So in your mind, is there such a thing as ‘bad’ music?

There is no such thing as bad music. Because to you, no matter how bad the music may sound, somebody else may consider it lifetime soundtrack.

Great answer. Is there anything else that makes your band different?

Our band is very unique. The chemistry between the 3 of us is out of the ordinary, because before each and every show, we always end up making fun of each other to remind each of us what kind of chemistry this band withholds.

If we hated each other but still played for the sake of the music, Nomadic Nation would only last a couple months until we got tired of each other and ripped each others' throats out. Luckily, we enjoy each others company; overall, I love my bandmates to death and there's no other people that I'd rather play with.

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You can catch this dynamic trio next at The Rio Theatre on Saturday January 21st, where they hit the HYSTERIA Finals to compete for over $50,000 in prizing!

You can also check out the debut EP from Nomadic Nation on their band profile right HERE - don't forget to leave the band a comment, or share to Facebook/Twitter if you like what you hear! Every independent band could use a few awesome fans... especially as they fear up for the big show next week!