Alt rockers Shaman’s Harvest have had a hell of a ride since their formation in 1996. Releasing seven albums and scoring some staggering stats on Spotify, the Missouri four-piece have also encountered the darkest of times, not least front man Nathan "Drake" Hunt 2012 battle with throat cancer. Out on the road on their 'About Time' tour which sees them hitting the UK and Ireland for their first time ever, we caught up with Nate to discuss their highs and lows, as well as plans for 2025 including a ling awaited new album. Smokin' hearts and broken guns; Eamon O'Neill.
Photo; Adrienne Beacco
Hi Nate, how are you today and what you've been up to?
Man, I'm doing great. I guess we've been playing rock shows in a strange land and having a great time.
Yeah, you've pulled no punches with a tour title 'About Time', because it is, isn't it?
Yeah, man, it's a wild ride so far, but also, there's some familiarities. Man, we tore up a few karaoke bars last night, in Manchester!
You're midway through this tour, your first ever UK and Ireland jaunt; how have the dates went down so far?
It's been pretty surreal, you know, just the fact that, like, you know, we're 6,000 miles away, and there's people singing the words of these songs, it's just wild. And last night we, for the first time ever, we played a certain song we did for WWE ['Broken Dreams', Drew McIntyre featuring Shaman's Harvest]. That was a pretty crazy response, I guess, people like wrestling over here.
What does it mean to you to come first off to the UK? I'm guessing you have huge influences from bands like Led Zeppelin, and bands like that that hail from the UK.
Yeah. I mean, you know, it's a strange thing to see, the birthplace of that, and trying to infuse ourselves into that sound, and going places where Sabbath came up and all these heroes of ours that kind of really redefined the whole British blues invasion and everything that we just kind of fell into ourselves and fell in love with. So, yeah, it's just what's in the air, what's in the water, and it's been great to soak it up.
You're coming over to Ireland too, and I'm guessing you must be fans of Thin Lizzy, Rory, Gallagher, and Gary Moore.
Oh yeah. I mean, I would say Thin Lizzy is big influence for our latest song, 'Rock and Roll Queen', and a few other tracks of ours. I mean, we got obsessed, absolutely obsessed with them, as you do when you play rock and roll. You just do that, right? And then also, like there's these weird injections of, like, you know, songs like 'The Old Triangle' [traditional Irish song] and stuff like that, like, they find their way into our music as well. So I don't know how it's happened, it's just kind of big old pot of gumbo, man!
Coming to Ireland right after the St. Patrick's Day weekend, it could be no better time to be coming, right?
We're slightly terrified and we're afraid of what the next week after that's gonna be, because you can't beat that. That's peak, you know, rock and roll touring and being able to be in Ireland at Saint Paddy's day! So, yeah, you know, we're stoked because we get to to celebrate Saint Paddy's Day where, like, you know, hopefully the beer is not green, and no one's turning rivers green, and we're just enjoying a few pints, right?
This is your first tour Since 2022; what prompted that break?
Touring the States is great, you know, but I mean, you're playing the same old, same old. It's hard to see that growth. We also have a record we need to put together, and then also, I've got a farm at home, and so those chickens need tending, and goats need tending to, and mules need work, and like everything. So then you take a look at your life, and you go; "well, what needs to take precedence?" You juggle, and I've finally gotten back to the place, and I think all of us have gotten back to the place where we can move touring and music back up to being one of the more important things in our lives.
It's been a long road; you've released seven albums since you formed in what '96. I mean, you've earned that break, right?
Hey, man, if you can tell the record label that! No, I mean, I think the music itself, needed it, you know, the next injection that of creativity from us. It needed a break, otherwise, I feel like we'd kind of phone some of that in and, and the last thing we want to do is make a record where we're just, you know, playing dress up.
Man, I'm doing great. I guess we've been playing rock shows in a strange land and having a great time.
Yeah, you've pulled no punches with a tour title 'About Time', because it is, isn't it?
Yeah, man, it's a wild ride so far, but also, there's some familiarities. Man, we tore up a few karaoke bars last night, in Manchester!
You're midway through this tour, your first ever UK and Ireland jaunt; how have the dates went down so far?
It's been pretty surreal, you know, just the fact that, like, you know, we're 6,000 miles away, and there's people singing the words of these songs, it's just wild. And last night we, for the first time ever, we played a certain song we did for WWE ['Broken Dreams', Drew McIntyre featuring Shaman's Harvest]. That was a pretty crazy response, I guess, people like wrestling over here.
What does it mean to you to come first off to the UK? I'm guessing you have huge influences from bands like Led Zeppelin, and bands like that that hail from the UK.
Yeah. I mean, you know, it's a strange thing to see, the birthplace of that, and trying to infuse ourselves into that sound, and going places where Sabbath came up and all these heroes of ours that kind of really redefined the whole British blues invasion and everything that we just kind of fell into ourselves and fell in love with. So, yeah, it's just what's in the air, what's in the water, and it's been great to soak it up.
You're coming over to Ireland too, and I'm guessing you must be fans of Thin Lizzy, Rory, Gallagher, and Gary Moore.
Oh yeah. I mean, I would say Thin Lizzy is big influence for our latest song, 'Rock and Roll Queen', and a few other tracks of ours. I mean, we got obsessed, absolutely obsessed with them, as you do when you play rock and roll. You just do that, right? And then also, like there's these weird injections of, like, you know, songs like 'The Old Triangle' [traditional Irish song] and stuff like that, like, they find their way into our music as well. So I don't know how it's happened, it's just kind of big old pot of gumbo, man!
Coming to Ireland right after the St. Patrick's Day weekend, it could be no better time to be coming, right?
We're slightly terrified and we're afraid of what the next week after that's gonna be, because you can't beat that. That's peak, you know, rock and roll touring and being able to be in Ireland at Saint Paddy's day! So, yeah, you know, we're stoked because we get to to celebrate Saint Paddy's Day where, like, you know, hopefully the beer is not green, and no one's turning rivers green, and we're just enjoying a few pints, right?
This is your first tour Since 2022; what prompted that break?
Touring the States is great, you know, but I mean, you're playing the same old, same old. It's hard to see that growth. We also have a record we need to put together, and then also, I've got a farm at home, and so those chickens need tending, and goats need tending to, and mules need work, and like everything. So then you take a look at your life, and you go; "well, what needs to take precedence?" You juggle, and I've finally gotten back to the place, and I think all of us have gotten back to the place where we can move touring and music back up to being one of the more important things in our lives.
It's been a long road; you've released seven albums since you formed in what '96. I mean, you've earned that break, right?
Hey, man, if you can tell the record label that! No, I mean, I think the music itself, needed it, you know, the next injection that of creativity from us. It needed a break, otherwise, I feel like we'd kind of phone some of that in and, and the last thing we want to do is make a record where we're just, you know, playing dress up.
Photo; Adrienne Beacco
Part of the band's story has been what you've come through personally, but, sometimes do you think to yourself, you know what, I just want to be known as a good rock and roll singer?
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, to me, everything's always about making the music and it just feels like whipping up a magic spell. I mean, it's like, you're forcing people to feel these things that they didn't a second ago before they turned on and the hit play. I mean, the story is interesting, and all those things, and sometimes, yeah, I just want to be just a singer.
As a singer, your voice is your instrument, and you have a tone and a timbre that is unique; with the throat cancer diagnosis, was there a concern for you about what that might mean for you as a singer?
Oh, yeah, I mean, the whole time. I remember there was a one point I was talking to my oncologist, and I was just like; "dude, we've got to stop the radiation part of the treatment, because this is doing things to my voice". That is, you know, for the first time in my life, I was losing absolute control of the instrument itself. I had no control over it, it's just cooked. It's like a piece of meat cooked up, you know? I mean, the shock was a bummer. The one thing I'll tell you that really helped me through that period though is, we were making a record at the same time, and really the thing that helped me through it was, I was seeing a vocal coach for the first time, and she'd come to the studio every single day, and there'd be some things I could not do anymore. There's just things that - especially at the time - were impossible. And she's like; "okay, you can't do that shit anymore, but here's something you can do. Let's figure out how to make you do that". And just having that kind of support along the way, and being able to focus on making a record is really the thing that I think, got over the that overwhelming dread of what was happening.
Was the music itself kind of an outlet for you then? Were you channelling what you were going through into that?
Oh, for sure. I mean, all the minor chords are there to get those feelings out, and all the major chords there to get the other ones out. So, yeah, even if I wasn't speaking directly to it, it was heavily influencing things, especially the lyrical content, with the hope and idea that it was going to be a story where we came out on top, and what wasn't beaten by it.
You must have got some comfort knowing that people were going to see what you were going through, and connect to it emotionally.
Yeah, that record for us was a catalyst, because while it was happening, me, a few members of my family and band members knew, and that was it. This was just kept close to my chest. I just wanted to focus on the things I needed to focus on at the time, and fight that, so all of those things like you've spoken of, where they make it into the record, they it translated to the fans, like you said, and that was the catalyst of, they were absolutely relentless and reaching out and, letting us know how they can relate to the songs, and it's affected them in this, in their personal lives, or with their family members, or whatever.
You mentioned latest single 'Rock n Roll Queen', which is something really celebratory. That is, it must be great to just go; "I'm going to sing about a rock and roll queen, and the heaviness is behind me!"
Oh, absolutely, man. I mean, it's that's kind of what the song, the whole song feels that way. And you know, it's got a few like harmony, Thin Lizzy guitars going on, so for us, it's a bit of the worship, just celebrating just the joy of rock and roll itself.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, to me, everything's always about making the music and it just feels like whipping up a magic spell. I mean, it's like, you're forcing people to feel these things that they didn't a second ago before they turned on and the hit play. I mean, the story is interesting, and all those things, and sometimes, yeah, I just want to be just a singer.
As a singer, your voice is your instrument, and you have a tone and a timbre that is unique; with the throat cancer diagnosis, was there a concern for you about what that might mean for you as a singer?
Oh, yeah, I mean, the whole time. I remember there was a one point I was talking to my oncologist, and I was just like; "dude, we've got to stop the radiation part of the treatment, because this is doing things to my voice". That is, you know, for the first time in my life, I was losing absolute control of the instrument itself. I had no control over it, it's just cooked. It's like a piece of meat cooked up, you know? I mean, the shock was a bummer. The one thing I'll tell you that really helped me through that period though is, we were making a record at the same time, and really the thing that helped me through it was, I was seeing a vocal coach for the first time, and she'd come to the studio every single day, and there'd be some things I could not do anymore. There's just things that - especially at the time - were impossible. And she's like; "okay, you can't do that shit anymore, but here's something you can do. Let's figure out how to make you do that". And just having that kind of support along the way, and being able to focus on making a record is really the thing that I think, got over the that overwhelming dread of what was happening.
Was the music itself kind of an outlet for you then? Were you channelling what you were going through into that?
Oh, for sure. I mean, all the minor chords are there to get those feelings out, and all the major chords there to get the other ones out. So, yeah, even if I wasn't speaking directly to it, it was heavily influencing things, especially the lyrical content, with the hope and idea that it was going to be a story where we came out on top, and what wasn't beaten by it.
You must have got some comfort knowing that people were going to see what you were going through, and connect to it emotionally.
Yeah, that record for us was a catalyst, because while it was happening, me, a few members of my family and band members knew, and that was it. This was just kept close to my chest. I just wanted to focus on the things I needed to focus on at the time, and fight that, so all of those things like you've spoken of, where they make it into the record, they it translated to the fans, like you said, and that was the catalyst of, they were absolutely relentless and reaching out and, letting us know how they can relate to the songs, and it's affected them in this, in their personal lives, or with their family members, or whatever.
You mentioned latest single 'Rock n Roll Queen', which is something really celebratory. That is, it must be great to just go; "I'm going to sing about a rock and roll queen, and the heaviness is behind me!"
Oh, absolutely, man. I mean, it's that's kind of what the song, the whole song feels that way. And you know, it's got a few like harmony, Thin Lizzy guitars going on, so for us, it's a bit of the worship, just celebrating just the joy of rock and roll itself.
Your success has been incredible; you've had 34 Million plays on 'Dragonfly' on Spotify, for example; does that blow your mind?
Dude, it's hard to quantify. For me, like, what does that even mean? I don't even know what that means. You know, it's it's hard to fathom; there's like, a half a billion total views, or listens, I don't even know what that means. It's pretty crazy, but I will say it has to do with the fans, listeners. We're not getting thrown on any like playlists, and we're not doing the thing where, you know, you pay somebody and then they put you on some playlists. I don't even know how to do that. So the most beautiful thing about it is it's fans that are finding this, and whether they just came across it, or they've known for years, and they've put it into their daily lives, because that's a lot of streams. So to me, is what that means is there's this many fans, and then this is part of their life every day.
When you write songs and when you record songs, you don't really know how they're going to be received. Were you aware writing the likes of 'Dragonfly' that it was going to take off?
No man, I had no clue. Matter of fact, we were calling it quits. We'd had enough of disappointment, right? So we just were like; "okay, we've got just have a couple more things to say, so let's do this EP real quick, this little five to eight song, EP", and 'Dragonfly' was on it. I always thought there was something that was just odd enough about it that kind of pulled me in. It kind of brings your attention to it, you know. But we didn't care, we just wanted to just put it in the can, we just had one more thing to make, and then all of a sudden radio stations just randomly started playing it, and so we're like; "well, boys, I guess we can't hang it up yet!" I don't know how long it's been, to be honest with you, since we came out with that record, but still every time there's like; "it's getting too hard to do. Should we be doing this?", the universe just throws a little lightning bolt and says; "hey, here's a little bit more life!"
Speaking of big songs, I wanted to talk a little about your cover of Michael Jackson's 'Dirty Diana'.
So, we were touring back of the day in a just a van and trailer, and there'd be seven of us in there, and there was a community iPod, and so we'd agree on music, and we'd dump the songs in there, and 'Dirty Diana' was definitely on the on the playlist going across the country. And we briefly discussed it'd be a great one to cover, and it was one that everybody for once, agreed on that'd be good to cover, but with no real plans to do so. Then we were in the studio, we had already paid for the time, and we were out of songs, so we just thought; "well, what would it feel like? What would it sound like ? What would the Shaman's Harvest version of that sound like?" So that started getting exciting, . It's faithful, but it's still slightly reimagined. It still feels like us. At the same time, the producer was a real, like he was just tired of life and nothing excited him anymore,, just this old curmudgeon old man, and we got done, he - and this is the first time - he went; "yeah, that one's alright".
It sounds like that was high praise from him, haha!
The highest of praise from him! So we knew at that point, we were like; "okay, it's worth it".
Finally, have you bigger plans going into 2025? Are you going to be on the road a lot? What's happening?
So we're most of the way through demoing a new record. I think our intention is, as soon as we get back to the States, to start throwing them in a can, and then after that do maybe the festival circuit, grab a little bit of touring. And our intention is to come back this way every year to do a month, or whatever we can do,.
I'm guessing this tour is a way of not just finally getting to play the UK and Ireland, but actually reconnecting with touring as you've been off the road for quite a while.
Absolutely, I mean, we were actually talking about this last night, about how, sometimes at home we would be like; "man, we're only playing a four or five hundred cap room. That's kind of a bummer", but here we're just so excited, like we're so in love with the fact that people actually came. We don't feel jaded. Everything's just like a breath of fresh air. It's even just seeing how things are done in a different way, instead of just these tired things that we've kind of all grown accustomed to. Man, if you can combine the feeling of newness while making art, I think that those are the ingredients to make great art.
Catch Shaman's Harvest on the road now.
Dude, it's hard to quantify. For me, like, what does that even mean? I don't even know what that means. You know, it's it's hard to fathom; there's like, a half a billion total views, or listens, I don't even know what that means. It's pretty crazy, but I will say it has to do with the fans, listeners. We're not getting thrown on any like playlists, and we're not doing the thing where, you know, you pay somebody and then they put you on some playlists. I don't even know how to do that. So the most beautiful thing about it is it's fans that are finding this, and whether they just came across it, or they've known for years, and they've put it into their daily lives, because that's a lot of streams. So to me, is what that means is there's this many fans, and then this is part of their life every day.
When you write songs and when you record songs, you don't really know how they're going to be received. Were you aware writing the likes of 'Dragonfly' that it was going to take off?
No man, I had no clue. Matter of fact, we were calling it quits. We'd had enough of disappointment, right? So we just were like; "okay, we've got just have a couple more things to say, so let's do this EP real quick, this little five to eight song, EP", and 'Dragonfly' was on it. I always thought there was something that was just odd enough about it that kind of pulled me in. It kind of brings your attention to it, you know. But we didn't care, we just wanted to just put it in the can, we just had one more thing to make, and then all of a sudden radio stations just randomly started playing it, and so we're like; "well, boys, I guess we can't hang it up yet!" I don't know how long it's been, to be honest with you, since we came out with that record, but still every time there's like; "it's getting too hard to do. Should we be doing this?", the universe just throws a little lightning bolt and says; "hey, here's a little bit more life!"
Speaking of big songs, I wanted to talk a little about your cover of Michael Jackson's 'Dirty Diana'.
So, we were touring back of the day in a just a van and trailer, and there'd be seven of us in there, and there was a community iPod, and so we'd agree on music, and we'd dump the songs in there, and 'Dirty Diana' was definitely on the on the playlist going across the country. And we briefly discussed it'd be a great one to cover, and it was one that everybody for once, agreed on that'd be good to cover, but with no real plans to do so. Then we were in the studio, we had already paid for the time, and we were out of songs, so we just thought; "well, what would it feel like? What would it sound like ? What would the Shaman's Harvest version of that sound like?" So that started getting exciting, . It's faithful, but it's still slightly reimagined. It still feels like us. At the same time, the producer was a real, like he was just tired of life and nothing excited him anymore,, just this old curmudgeon old man, and we got done, he - and this is the first time - he went; "yeah, that one's alright".
It sounds like that was high praise from him, haha!
The highest of praise from him! So we knew at that point, we were like; "okay, it's worth it".
Finally, have you bigger plans going into 2025? Are you going to be on the road a lot? What's happening?
So we're most of the way through demoing a new record. I think our intention is, as soon as we get back to the States, to start throwing them in a can, and then after that do maybe the festival circuit, grab a little bit of touring. And our intention is to come back this way every year to do a month, or whatever we can do,.
I'm guessing this tour is a way of not just finally getting to play the UK and Ireland, but actually reconnecting with touring as you've been off the road for quite a while.
Absolutely, I mean, we were actually talking about this last night, about how, sometimes at home we would be like; "man, we're only playing a four or five hundred cap room. That's kind of a bummer", but here we're just so excited, like we're so in love with the fact that people actually came. We don't feel jaded. Everything's just like a breath of fresh air. It's even just seeing how things are done in a different way, instead of just these tired things that we've kind of all grown accustomed to. Man, if you can combine the feeling of newness while making art, I think that those are the ingredients to make great art.
Catch Shaman's Harvest on the road now.
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