Good Trip, Bad Trip: Naytronix

Tales from the road...

Nate Brenner is one of American underground music's most recognisable figures.

A member of tUnE-yArDs, his own Naytronix project has reached no small degree of acclaim.

The songwriter's soulfully electronic new album 'Mister Divine' is out now, with Nate set to play a string of UK shows.

Ahead of this, Clash invited Naytronix to take part in Good Trip, Bad Trip…

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Best Trip…
The first time I went on tour in Australia. I couldn't believe that tour could actually feel like a vacation!

Worst Trip…
The first time we played (tUnE-yArDs) Glastonbury was a rough one. Our van broke down on the way there so we ended up having to get it towed and repaired on the way to the site. We didn't make it onto the festival grounds till about 4am day of show so got just a couple hours of sleep in the van. Then during our show, the power kept going out on stage so the loops kept stopping in the middle of the songs making for a pretty frustrating set. We left straight from the stage to head to Heathrow but on the way there got in a van accident, luckily very minor with no injuries, in fact not even another car just us and a metal pole – due to the lack of sleep we suspected.

So we kept driving with a banged up van and ended up completely lost. This was before we had smart phones or a GPS, so we're looking at a map running out of gas and getting lost in the middle of London. We finally just barely made our 8am flight after pulling another all nighter. So two all nighters back to back straight on a plane to LA and as soon as we landed we headed straight to the Hollywood Bowl to open for The Buena Vista Social Club and Goldfrapp.

Our favourite foreign venue…
Ground Zero in Lyon, France.

We're surprisingly popular in…
I've spent a lot of my life playing to empty rooms so I'm also surprised and grateful for any audience, especially when I'm far from home. I was definitely surprised I had fans in Istanbul!

Best or worst exotic foodstuff…
We ate cod sperm in Tokyo.

Most interesting individual you've met on the road…
I love meeting people who have been working at a venue for decades. It's happened a few times, these guys that have seen the history of rock and roll every night in there own little spot.

Worst on-tour injury, or infection, or accident…
Last year Merrill and I got food poisoning in Rome and had to cancel a show for the first time. But the worst was getting in a van accident in Canada. We got rear ended by a semi truck in the Canadian Rockies during a snow storm. Everyone suffered from injuries and had to see chiropractors for a few years, we all were really shaken up and it made for a long hard tour.

My essential travel item…
Noise cancelling headphones.

My essential travel tip…
Be nice. Also specifically to bands that are just starting out, don't have a contest to see who can go the longest without taking a shower. Nobody wins.

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Catch Naytronix live:

November
26 Bristol The Old Bookshop
27 Leeds Brudenell
28 London Shacklewell Arms
29 Brighton Mutations Festival

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