Rhett Nicholl

Name, where are you from?
My name is Rhett Nicholl, I'm a singer from Finchley, North London

Describe your style in three words?
Tim el ess

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I feel like the shows you see when you’re a kid are always going to be the most significant, you’re naive and you feel like you’re entering this whole dangerous new world. For me it would have to be seeing Ozzy Osbourne do two sets back to back at Ozzfest 2002, he would’ve been 50 odd at the time, his health wasn’t great those times but both sets were incredible. I’ve just never experienced such collective joy as when he played ‘War Pigs’ in the Black Sabbath set.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
This isn’t something I’ve really thought about before but it would have to be The Rolling Stones in the 'STP' tour era or Bob Dylan around the 'Rolling Thunder Revue'. Those two tours for me epitomise the two ends of the spectrum for me, one being barely contained chaos and the other being about absolute artistic freedom and connection with fans. I’d want to share those stages just to be able to experience their shows.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Graffiti and Skateboarding have been the greatest influence on my life because even though there are aesthetics and attitudes involved, it’s not really about that. These subcultures, in a similar way to sound system cultures, like dub or grime, judge you on living and breathing that lifestyle and how much work you put in. Graffiti and Skateboarding altered the entire course of my life and gave me a practical outlet to being anti.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d probably want to shoot the shit for an hour with Jim Carroll, he’s my favourite writer/poet hands down and moved in such an interesting world. After he passed I was actually fortunate enough to hang out with his guitarist Lenny Kaye, also of the Patti Smith Group.

Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Probably The Astoria, I saw too many bands there to even list, it was the perfect size for a kid to connect with their favourite artist and for a bunch of years it felt like home turf.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
It would have to be Terry Reid. His voice is the perfect mix of virtuosity, raw blues and soul. Despite being held up as the best white soul singer by his contemporaries he never got the wider recognition I think he deserved.

With a family history rooted in the world of subculture and music (his father was a tour manager for The Ramones and Blondie), Rhett Nicholl was drawn to graffiti culture and punk from a young age. Since 2017, Rhett's output has taken a more urban direction, citing the influence of artists such as Shlomo, Roll Deep and Burial. Listen to Rhett Nicholl's latest track 'Vanilla Sky' below.