NUFFER on Poking Fun at LA Through “Deadbeat,” His Upcoming EP A-OK, and a Newfound Love of the Padres
[UNPUBLISHED:] So excited to get to chat with you today, NUFFER! For any readers new to your music, can you give a quick introduction and tell us how you got started in your music career?
[NUFFER:] My name is Jake Nuffer aka NUFFER. My music career started at a very young age. After I beat Guitar Hero 1 on Expert mode, I decided to give the real thing a try. I started playing in cover bar-bands at 12, then moved to real bands in high school. Eventually I went to jazz school in New York and dropped out my junior year to tour with the band I was in. I gained some confidence in who I was and eventually started writing my own music for fun which turned into NUFFER.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I want to give you a major congratulations on your upcoming EP A-OK. How are you feeling as we get closer to release day?
[NUFFER:] I’m feeling very excited to get it out there in the world instead of it just living on my laptop. Some of these songs are almost 2 years old at this point and I’ve been dying to share them. I'm also ready to start working on new music too.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Your latest single “Deadbeat” pokes fun at the people who stay stuck in their hometowns forever through breezy indie melodies both nostalgic and modern. What was the process like creating “Deadbeat?”
[NUFFER:] The song is really just poking fun at myself. It came from a feeling of complacency when living at home in San Diego. My friends had all left and I felt like I was rotting and turning into what I feared the most. I found empathy during the writing process and how easy it is to fall into that.
[UNPUBLISHED:] The video for “Deadbeat” lays into the song’s point even further as you play up some classic SoCal tropes. What was the thought process behind the video?
[NUFFER:] Spending time in New York I realized there are many uniquely strange things about the west coast that don’t always translate to other people. I compiled a bunch of inside jokes and corny LA imagery to poke fun at California culture, going as far to grow a mullet. It’s a light ribbing, showcasing the negatives of staying in my hometown and moving to LA.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have any fun stories to share from the video’s creation?
[NUFFER:] There are so many things that we ended up cutting out of the video. The most ridiculous thing we spent a ton of time on was trying to put my Volvo on 4 dollies and spin them around to make it look like I was doing donuts while singing out the hood. It took so many tries, (and was slightly dangerous) but very funny when it completely failed.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What does the A-OK EP mean to you?
[NUFFER:] A-OK for me is about breaking away from the many things that have held me down for years. At jazz school, I felt like I had gotten too deep in the weeds and was starting to over intellectualize music. It made me feel like I was never good enough. I wanted to go back to what made me love music in the first place, simple songs that gave me that childlike serotonin boost.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What was the process like in putting together this EP?
[NUFFER:] It was a long process for sure. The music and the recording was a journey and a half. I wrote about 20-25 songs and narrowed it down to 7. I would pick the good ones, take them to my producer/friend Alex Agresti and he would add the things the songs needed, and then would go to my brother's house to record industrial guitar tones. It took a lot of trial, error, and mediocre songs that ended up in the garbage, but I think I found my voice and I’m proud of the end product.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Out of curiosity, what do you have on repeat lately?
[NUFFER:] There are a lot of things I’ve had on repeat lately. I keep going back to this song I love, “Low Dogg” by Micachu and The Shapes. My friend dba James is releasing solo music right now that is incredible. Lastly, I’ve been listening to The Pharcyde a lot in the car because it’s just perfect driving music.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Outside of your music career, what do you like to do for fun?
[NUFFER:] I like to support other friends in music, go to shows, and try to be a healthy part of the music community around me. With friends, I like to cook and play Nintendo 64. My vice as of late, that’s almost the opposite of music, is being into baseball to an embarrassing degree. It started as a joke supporting the San Diego Padres with my brothers but now I’m obsessed and watch every game.
[UNPUBLISHED:] With A-OK about to be released, what can fans expect next from you?
[NUFFER:] Hoping to be on another show very soon and continue playing around the LA area. I already have new music in the works, so definitely keep an eye out for that too!
[UNPUBLISHED:] As you’ve grown and changed throughout your music career thus far, is there any advice you wish you had been given when you were first starting out?
[NUFFER:] I have a million different answers but I’ll keep it to three. First is don’t laugh or smirk onstage when you make a mistake on guitar, 99% of people don’t notice or even care. Second is to not be so hard on yourself. You’re going to play empty rooms and fail countless times but it is a crucial part of the process. The third is to try to have fun because the best music comes from when you’re enjoying it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Is there anything else you want the reader to know?
[NUFFER:] Super grateful for everyone who’s listened so far and hope you like my cheeky EP. Go Padres!
