Nathan December
Encyclopedia
Nathan December is an American rock
guitar
ist, best known for his work as a side musician with R.E.M.
and the Goo Goo Dolls
during the 1990s
. He lives in Los Angeles
, California
.
playing guitar in the band led by Troy, Ethan Hawke
's character. Following a stint in the band Careless (which featured Minor Threat
's Brian Baker
and Mike Malinin
, later of the Goo Goo Dolls), December toured with R.E.M. during the Monster tour in 1995 and played several instruments on the band's follow-up album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi
, much of which was recorded live during sound checks and backstage performances during the Monster tour.
Around this time, he was a member of The Holy Bulls, which contributed a cover of Iggy Pop
's "T.V. Eye" to the 1997 Pop tribute album We Will Fall. He also played guitar on Liz Phair
's 1998
album whitechocolatespaceegg
. From 1998 through 2000
, December played with the Goo Goo Dolls, playing guitar and mandolin on the band's triple-platinum album Dizzy Up the Girl
and the following tour. In 2000, he played on Liars Inc.'s second album, Enemy.
, dc talk
, Paul Thorn
, and Maia Sharp
.
.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, best known for his work as a side musician with R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
and the Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
during the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
. He lives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Music
December appeared in the 1994 film Reality BitesReality Bites
Reality Bites is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Helen Childress and featuring the directorial debut of Ben Stiller. It stars Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Stiller, with major supporting roles played by Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn. The film was shot on location in Austin...
playing guitar in the band led by Troy, Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Green Hawke is an American actor, writer and director. He made his feature film debut in 1985 with the science fiction movie Explorers, before making a supporting appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society which is considered his breakthrough role...
's character. Following a stint in the band Careless (which featured Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
's Brian Baker
Brian Baker (musician)
Brian Baker is an American punk rock musician. He is best known as one of the founding members of the hardcore punk band Minor Threat, and as a guitarist in Bad Religion since 1994 alongside Greg Hetson...
and Mike Malinin
Mike Malinin
Michael Theodore Malinin joined the Goo Goo Dolls in January 1995, after a brief jam session with founding members Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac, who were seeking to replace drummer George Tutuska.-Background:...
, later of the Goo Goo Dolls), December toured with R.E.M. during the Monster tour in 1995 and played several instruments on the band's follow-up album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
New Adventures in Hi-Fi is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was their fifth major label release for Warner Bros. Records, released on September 9, 1996, in Europe and Australia and the following day in the United States...
, much of which was recorded live during sound checks and backstage performances during the Monster tour.
Around this time, he was a member of The Holy Bulls, which contributed a cover of Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
's "T.V. Eye" to the 1997 Pop tribute album We Will Fall. He also played guitar on Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
's 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
album whitechocolatespaceegg
Whitechocolatespaceegg
Whitechocolatespaceegg is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Liz Phair, released in 1998...
. From 1998 through 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
, December played with the Goo Goo Dolls, playing guitar and mandolin on the band's triple-platinum album Dizzy Up the Girl
Dizzy Up the Girl
Dizzy Up the Girl is the sixth album by Goo Goo Dolls, released in 1998.-History:In most parts of the world, Dizzy Up the Girl is the Goo Goo Dolls' most successful album to date, selling over 3 million copies...
and the following tour. In 2000, he played on Liars Inc.'s second album, Enemy.
Composer
December is also credited as a composer on songs recorded by Bijou PhillipsBijou Phillips
Bijou Lilly Phillips is an American actress, model, and singer. Phillips began her career as a model but soon transitioned herself into acting and singing. When she was 13, she started as a model and became one of the youngest people to grace the cover of Interview Magazine and Italian Vogue....
, dc talk
DC Talk
DC Talk is the first studio album released from vocal trio DC Talk. It is the most hip hop-oriented of all of their albums as each later album gradually progressed into a more rock-centered sound. Michael Tait stated that their original goal for the album was to sell 10,000 units. It sold 7,142...
, Paul Thorn
Paul Thorn
Paul Wayne Thorn is an Americana singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues and rock music.-Biography:Thorn was born in Wisconsin, but as an infant his family moved and he was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi...
, and Maia Sharp
Maia Sharp
Maia Sharp is an American singer and songwriter. In addition to her solo career, she has written songs for and collaborated with several country and pop musicians including Cher, Trisha Yearwood, Bonnie Raitt, Edwin McCain, and Art Garfunkel.-Early life:...
.
Post-musical career
During the 2000s, he switched careers, working as an electrician and lighting technician on a number of Hollywood films, such as Iron ManIron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
.