#168 - Microwave (Nathan Hardy)

Behind the Vinyl

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it” These words are what Nathan Hardy of Microwave lives by. You can hear it in his songs through the raw emotion that comes out in Microwave’s lyrics. Experienced writer’s often say you have to listen if you ever want to say anything worth while. Basically, in short, it means you have to read and experience other styles in order to develop your own. The same could be said for Hardy who reads often. It comes in forms of books and poetry. It all helps him consistently develop as a writer and a person. People often believe that listening to solely music will make someone a better musician but Hardy has found this fulfillment through literature. However, several years ago all music came to a halt. In 2019 Microwave put out their hit record “Death is a Warm Blanket.” It seemed like the beginning of what would be a fast climb to the top for the band. They were on the heels of going over seas to tour and really built a fan base that showed a consistent love for the band. Those dreams were quickly crushed when the pandemic officially locked everyone away at home and forced the music industry to find new ways to reach an audience. Hardy specifically took a step back from writing so that he could see the next move for the music science. It was unclear when and how touring would even return. After waiting about two years to see what the landscape of music was turning into, Microwave played several huge shows that struck some motivation in them again and resulted in new music. In 2022 Microwave released their first single since 2019 - a refreshing sign for the band’s passionate listeners. Since then several other songs have been released and all signs points towards this only being the beginning. Hardy has such a unique way of looking at different life topics. Especially music as a whole. Listen to this interview because Hardy was a great conversation and taught me a lesson or two.