ESPN, Rosario Dawson and CMJ are on the “California Run”

Starting today, you can have Neil Nathan’s “California Run” video in one of three flavors: Original recipe, featuring Rosario Dawson, co-star of the upcoming Unstoppable with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine; Light Acoustic version, filmed at Riley McMahon's New Warsaw Studio at Brooklyn Fireproof in East Williamsburg for a Playtime! Session during CMJ; or Sporty edition, where the song was featured on ESPN. All three videos can be viewed at http://neilnathan.com/videos.


The original “California Run” video was filmed in Topanga Canyon and features Nathan’s former roommate, and co-star of Unstoppable, Rosario Dawson. Hip Video Promo (She & Him, Black Mountain, Pearl Jam) spread the word for Nathan and loved the song so much, they recently had him play their 10th Anniversary CMJ Party at Maxwell’s. Nathan played two gigs during CMJ, the other at Knitting Factory, where he was joined by Riley McMahon, who also joins him in the Playtime! Session video on mandolin.

Neil Nathan is no stranger to making music videos. Next up is “Highways” featuring an animated version of himself driving a flying ‘67 Corvette convertible. It was directed by Postage, Inc.. His cover of ELO’s “Do Ya,” which was also featured on the Californication soundtrack, has been viewed 20,000 times on YouTube. “Highways,” along with “California Run” and “Do Ya” can be found on Nathan’s latest full-length, The Distance Calls which was released in August.

The Distance Calls was produced by The Go’s Bobby Harlow and combines the talents of Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather, QOTSA), Kenny Tudrick and Joey Mazzola (Detroit Cobras), John Krautner (The Go), and Ross Westerbur (Deadstring Brothers). The album effortlessly merges jangly pop rock with Nathan’s mellower singer/songwriter side. With a dash of NYC glitter and some good old Detroit fuzz and stomp, it showcases a musician clearly influenced by the ‘70s (without being cliché). Click Here to Read More..

Get Out and Vote! Says Neil Nathan with Inspiring “So Much More” Video

Neil Nathan, a former high school history teacher, may no longer work at New York’s Martin Luther King, Jr. High, but he’s still always looking for opportunities to inspire and educate. The upcoming Election Day is just one of those opportunities. “So Much More” was written for “the angels of American democracy” and is all about the power of individual citizens to bring about positive political change. The video is filled with inspiring images that make any viewer want to rock the vote. “So Much More” can be found on his debut LP, The Distance Calls.

Nathan was featured on the cover of American Teacher magazine for directing Martin Luther King, Jr. High School’s Arts Education program and providing inner city kids with opportunities to intern and attend performances at New York City Opera, Guggenheim Museum, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. His favorite teachers turned rockers are Gene Simmons and Bob Pollard.

Neil Nathan is no stranger to making music videos. His latest, “Highways,” featuring an animated version of himself, was directed by Postage, Inc. “California Run” co-stars his former roommate, Rosario Dawson. His cover of ELO’s “Do Ya,” which was also featured on the Californication soundtrack, has been viewed 20,000 times on YouTube. “So Much More”, along with “Highways,” “California Run” and “Do Ya” can be found on Nathan’s latest full-length, The Distance Calls which was released in August.


The Distance Calls was produced by The Go’s Bobby Harlow and combines the talents of Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather, QOTSA), Kenny Tudrick and Joey Mazzola (Detroit Cobras), John Krautner (The Go), and Ross Westerbur (Deadstring Brothers). The album effortlessly merges jangly pop rock with Nathan’s mellower singer/songwriter side. With a dash of NYC glitter and some good old Detroit fuzz and stomp, it showcases a musician clearly influenced by the ‘70s (without being cliché).
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Neil Nathan's Old Roomie Rosario Dawson Guest Stars in His New Video

Being friends with a movie star certainly has its benefits. Neil Nathan, New York folk-tinged rocker and former roommate of Rosario Dawson (Harmony Korine’s Kids, Men in Black II, Sin City, Grindhouse, etc.) is lucky enough to have his friend appear in his latest music video, “California Run”, which was directed by Ric Serena and Vaj Potenza. The video can now be seen on Dawson’s official site, http://rosario-dawson.net.

Nathan says, “It was such a treat to catch up in between takes. Rosario always inspires. She made me look good when she visited my classroom (Nathan’s a former NYC high school history teacher) and now she’s doing the same on screen.”

Dawson was also excited to work with her old friend on “California Run,” “I'm so happy to support him and it was a blast to hang, sing and ride together in Topanga Canyon.” Clearly a fan of the man and the music, she says, “I wake up with ‘When The Rain Falls’ and ‘California Run’ playing through my head constantly so I'm glad to have the excuse of being in one of the videos.” The video, which features Nathan hitchhiking his way to his lost love, has Dawson picking him up and bringing him one step closer to the girl of his dreams.




“California Run” is on Neil Nathan’s latest LP, The Distance Calls which is due out August 24th. The album was produced by The Go’s Bobby Harlow at Tempermill Studios and features some of Detroit’s finest musicians: Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather, QOTSA), Kenny Tudrick and Joey Mazzola (Detroit Cobras), John Krautner (The Go), and Ross Westerbur (Deadstring Brothers).


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Rosario Dawson co-stars in Neil Nathan's Video "California Run"

After NYC's Neil Nathan recorded his album, The Distance Calls, in Detroit, it hit him that the entire process had a road-trip style feel to it, which lent to his music and more importantly hit home in the single "California Run."



"I left town to make this record," says Nathan, "and I hope that the record somehow embodies that emotional journey as well." "California Run" is a love song for both a fantasy girl, the state itself and its possibilities. The memorable chorus for such a song that teeters on power-pop, folk rock and stomp, created for a video that lent itself to the pure optimistic charm of the song. Hip Video (a company that has created videos for Goldfrapp, Liars, Born Ruffians and so many more) directors Ric Serena and Vaj Potenza teamed up with Nathan for the "California Run" video, starring Neil's former roommate, actress Rosario Dawson (Harmony Korine's Kids, Men in Black II, Sin City, Grindhouse, etc.). In the video, Neil plays a hitchhiker traveling the dusty roads of California with guitar in hand, in search of his long lost dream girl. Wish we were all so lucky. The video couldn't be more perfect for the story behind the song.

"California Run" instantly make you want to get in your your car, roll the windows down, feel the fresh air and crank up the tunes while you go for an afternoon drive. That's exactly what Nathan wants you to feel when you hear the song and listen to The Distance Calls as a whole.

The Distance Calls is set for release on August 24th. Click Here to Read More..

Neil Nathan Celebrates Detroit-Inspired Album and Video Starring Rosario Dawson

Living in New York has it's benefits. Soon enough, though, us non-New Yorkers will get to hear and see NYC's Neil Nathan. On July 20th, Nathan will be throwing a shindig at Highline Ballroom in NYC to celebrate the New York release of his Detroit-rock-inspired album (produced by The Go's Bobby Harlow) The Distance Calls. In addition to playing songs from the new album (national release date is August 24), fans will get to see the killer videos of the album's lead single "California Run," starring Nathan and his former roommate, actress Rosario Dawson and the video for "When the Rain Falls."

P.S. GLG's Golden Bloom will be playing as well. I might shed a tear that I'm missing this show, so if you live in NYC, you best attend!




“The ‘California Run’ and ‘When The Rain Falls’ videos are two sides of the same coin, that wondrous and sometimes very painful thing we call love," says Nathan of the videos. ‘California Run’ is about the joy of searching for and finding your fated true love and ‘When The Rain Falls’ is about the heartbreak of losing him or her. Co-Directors Ric Serena, Vaj Potenza and I were intrigued by the idea of parallel videos.”

Pirate Vinyl and Green Light Go Publicity Present:
Neil Nathan's Record and Video Release Show
Tuesday, July 20th
Highline Ballroom
431 W. 16th Street, New York, NY
(212) 414-5994
8:00 PM
Tickets: $12 in advance or $15 the day of the show
With special guests Alan Semerdjian, Golden Bloom and Featherweight Click Here to Read More..

Grindhouse Album Trailer Starring Neil Nathan and Bobby Harlow (The Go)

Vintage Grindhouse, Blaxploitation, gritty '70s, and B-movie styles all rolled into one.

Viewed like a new movie trailer you'd see at the theater, musician Neil Nathan found a really unique and enjoyable way to promote his forthcoming album The Distance Calls. Playing off the vintage Grindhouse, Blaxploitation, gritty '70s, B-movie styles, brought to life by contemporary directors such as Robert Rodriguez, the "film trailer" is like a teaser introduction to the "cast" of The Distance Calls. Nathan teamed up with illustrator Ryan Gaffney (who also did the amazing liner notes for his new album) to make the short film. With a deep soul voiceover, announcing the musicians who play on The Distance Calls, it is only perfectly fitting that the hard-hitting Shaft-narrator is actually Nathan himself.

Watch this awesome (I mean, it really is) video and be transported, inspired, and totally entertained. This trailer alone makes me want to listen to the album more and more and more......

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