Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nick Potters. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Nick, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

I always knew I was going to pursue music as a career, so even before I went to school I had an idea of what direction I wanted to head in. Even before I finished school, I was saying yes to gig opportunities that came my way, just to get my name out there. I played in rock bands, metal bands, event/wedding bands, and had touring and studio experience by the time I’d graduated college. I did this for nearly a decade before moving to LA, and it provided me with the experience needed to feel more professionally independent and pursue more projects I enjoyed. There was never any doubt that I was doing the right thing for me, because I had pretty much set my sights on a music career when I was a kid. It’s all I’ve ever known and wanted to do.

There were plenty of growing pains–getting cut from gigs, fired from bands, opportunities turned down–but i never really lost sight of the bigger picture. Everything ebbs and flows, and I understood that early on in my professional life. I always knew I would succeed, because I had to.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I’m Nick Potters. In 2024, I became the drummer for Spock’s Beard, a classic prog rock band from the 90’s that’s still going strong today. (Shout out to our newest album, The Archaeoptimist, which came out last year!) In fact, we just completed our European tour and are already planning the next one.

In addition to drumming for Spock’s, I’m also a session/touring drummer, pianist, producer, engineer and educator based in LA, and I’ve been playing with a number of artists, original bands and wedding/event bands for over two decades. I also play & tour with orchestras and tribute acts that highlight the music of Queen, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Foreigner, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, the Eagles, and others. This past April, I also accompanied Il Volo on percussion for their performance at the Peacock Theater in DTLA.

I’ve been playing music since I was 3 years old, starting on piano and adding drums to the arsenal sometime in elementary school. I’ve always known music was my calling, but in the mid 2010s it became apparent that I couldn’t just be a drummer, or a pianist, or a producer, or any one thing really. If I wanted to stand out, I had to become a jack of all trades. So I got my degree in audio engineering and effectively learned how to be a one-man recording studio by my early twenties.

Today, I own and operate a small recording space where I run sessions, produce and compose music, help artists write songs, offer mixing/editing services, and track drums & keys for clients locally & around the world.

I also work as an audiobook engineer & editor, as well as teach private in-home drum and piano lessons to select students in the LA area.

It’s definitely a lot! But I’ve always enjoyed having a full plate.

I think the thing that sets me apart from others is the attitude I carry. I sort of still think of myself as a big kid, so I try to bring that same enthusiasm to all of the things I do. This approach allows me to be my most authentic self, and that’s something I’m really proud of. Clients don’t just come to me for my skills, they come to me for me, and how I’m able to bring their vision to life.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

In 2022, I moved to Los Angeles from the east coast, and my first year out west was pretty rough. I had spent the past decade+ cultivating my network in NYC/NJ, and in a new city, across the country, I basically had to start over from scratch.

One day in late 2023, I stumbled upon an amazing playthrough video from a local musician named Joey Frevola; he’s also the guitarist for the UK-based prog rock band, KYROS. I really dug Joey’s playing and his music taste, so I invited him to my old tiny lockout studio to play some music. We gelled instantly, and it was pretty clear to both of us that we should be working together in some capacity.

Fast forward a few months, I asked Joey if he’d be interested in sharing a larger space together since we clearly had a good thing going. He agreed, and the rest is pretty much history. Although we primarily do our own things independently, we’ve also been collaborating for 2 years now, and already have a few album releases under our belt.

Honestly, much of my own initial success out here is thanks to him. If you don’t know him, you definitely should.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Every single day, I get to do what I’ve always loved doing, so it rarely feels like work.

I have never compromised or given up on my passion for a more stable job, a better-paying career, or anything like that. Music drives me–personally, professionally, emotionally, creatively–and it always has.

I wake up every day and recognize that I’m doing all the things little me dreamed of doing. It’s pretty incredible, and I’ll never take that for granted.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pottersmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nick.potters
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-potters-729227182
• Other: https://www.spocksbeard.com/

  https://www.spocksbeard.com/band/

Image Credits

Joel Barrios, Jim Stidham