Can a young body be home to an old soul? While the two seem incompatible, that isn’t only possible — in relatively rare instances, it’s also a refreshing reality. Even better still, there are local examples of the combination at play.
Long before Peterborough’s Nicholas Campbell picked up a guitar for the first time, there was young Jimmy Bowskill, whose insatiable love of the blues brought him from Bailieboro to Peterborough stages, his guitar standing taller than his then boyish frame.
Campbell, 19, has followed a similar trajectory, his genre of choice being rockabilly — a style of rock ‘n’ roll that dates back to the early 1950s, blending country with rhythm and blues. Within a year of taking up guitar at age 10, Campbell was gigging, taking lessons from Peterborough guitarist Emily Burgess along the way. To say he learned well is putting it mildly.
On Friday, March 1st at Toronto’s famed Dakota Tavern, backed by his band The Two Metre Cheaters — Rob Foreman on stand-up bass and Matt Greco on drums — Campbell will launch an 11-date tour release of the trio’s second album, Gonna Have A Ball Tonight.
Most fittingly, the tour will wrap up Saturday, April 13th at Peterborough’s Market Hall. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show, with Blue Hazel guesting, cost $35 at the box office and online at www.markethall.org.
The new album, which features the singles “Here Alone,” “I’m Sorry,” and “Prisoner” (featuring Melissa Payne), comes just two years after the band’s debut disc Livin’ And Other Western Ideas.
VIDEO: Nicholas Campbell & The Two Metre Cheaters at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern
While that first album featured the predominant elements of rockabilly, western swing, and honkytonk, Campbell says the new collection, recorded by James McKenty, is anchored by a more “hardcore” rock feel.
“The first album was kind of a thrown together project during COVID,” recalls Campbell. “We were sitting around and said ‘Let’s have some fun and make an album.’ I don’t want to say it was a test run, but it was a really good first-go.”
“This album, I wanted it be specifically (recorded) live off the floor — here’s the lineup of songs, specifically in this order. With the first record, we were just kind of flying by the seat of our pants, like ‘Here’s nine songs that I’ve written, let’s record them.’ This one I was kind of conceptually writing for an album.”
“The first album was western and country heavy … a lot of western swing and classic country stuff. With this one I was really trying to capture the energy of authentic 1950s (rock ‘n’ roll) records.”
Not hurting matters in the least are the album contributions of the aforementioned Payne and Bowskill as well as and Shai ‘Cookie’ Peer. Such support, says Campbell, is a most welcome byproduct of the Peterborough music community that he’s “grateful” to be a part of.
“Having connections and being part of a music scene that’s so supportive is wild,” says Campbell, who has returned the favour on more than a few occasions, most recently at Burgess’ release of her new album Arrow at Erben.
“Seeing how someone else does a CD release and how they put together their show helps me. You learn how to do things right.”
The new album continues a post-COVID momentum for Campbell that’s still building.
Before Christmas, along with others, he joined Blue Rodeo on stage at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Earlier last year, he received the Peterborough Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist Award — a distinction he shared with Irish Millie, another local musician whose star is rising. In the meantime, live performances have been plentiful, winning Campbell more followers of the genre of music that he has loved since day one.
“I have so many younger folks coming out to shows and they’re like ‘What do you call this music? Is it country? Is it rock?’ I like to broaden it and put it all under the roots umbrella, but rockabilly specifically is really a niche. I put my all into making it as authentic as I can.”
Reflecting on when the music first took hold, Campbell says “getting a couple of shows under my belt” only increased his passion for both the music and performing.
“By the time I was in like grade seven or eight, I was dead set on being a musician. I was like ‘I’m really going to dive into it and be a worker.’ I’ve been fortunate to have since picked up other instruments and broadened my musical versatility, playing bass and pedal steel, which has created opportunities to play with others.”
VIDEO: “Hot Rod Daddy” – Nicholas Campbell & The Two Metre Cheaters
Making the ride all the sweeter for Campbell is that he’s taking it alongside Foreman and Greco.
“Back in April 2020, just as COVID happened, we were sitting around, not doing anything,” recalls Campbell. “So one day my folks called Matt, Rob, and Brandon Humphrey (who co-wrote three songs on the new album) and said ‘Come sit in the driveway and play.'”
“We were getting into it and having a ball. I think it was Rob who said ‘Look at us … we’re the two metre cheaters’ (a reference to COVID distancing guidance). I thought that was clever. When the time to be able to play shows again came around, I didn’t like being called just by my name. It’s the band too. So we became the Two Metre Cheaters.”
Thrilled to be playing again in front of audiences, Campbell says he considers himself “pretty lucky. Not everybody gets to do this.”
Meanwhile, for those worried that success might go to this youngster’s head, well, cast that worry aside — there’s no ego here worth noting.
“My music conductor in high school put it in a really interesting way that I always come back to: Taylor Swift could be a really mediocre piano player but a fantastic person, whereas Herbie Hancock could be an insane professional jazz piano player but a totally nasty person with a huge ego. I admire Taylor Swift over Herbie Hancock.”
“I’m not the only guitar player out there, I know that. But I’m pretty confident. I like to think I know my worth, but I know everyone else’s worth as well. I’m not like ‘Nobody can touch me because I’m the best.’ I’m not the best. I just want to support everyone else.”
For more information about Nicholas Campbell, visit www.nicholascampbellmusic.com.
