Having just dropped new EP ‘Spectrum’ earlier this month, Atomic Bronco, a modern indie/alt-rock act – more a one-man band and the brainchild of producer and song-writer Kyle Nuss – now based in London, has made his fans, both old and new, very happy. The collection is a blend of slacker-rock, lo-fi and indie style songs, with latest single “Headfirst” being a rare acoustic/punk crossover with a particularly brilliant, high-energy guitar solo thrown in for good measure. PopWrapped caught up with Atomic Bronco to find out the story behind the band name, his favourite track on the new EP and his excitement at hopefully getting on stage in the near future.

Where’d the name Atomic Bronco come from? 

I went through a bunch of options for the band name, and was looking for something that fit my sound. There’s a restaurant in Denver called Atomic Cowboy that I used to go to a bunch, and I really liked that imagery and vibe, so it seemed like a good option to start with. After looking at a bunch of variations, Atomic Bronco was the one that best fit best my aesthetic, and was available on all the social media platforms.

Who, artistically, would you say you’re most influenced by, both as an individual as an artist? 

I feel like I draw inspiration from a ton of artists from all different styles from Queens of the Stone Age, to The Shins, to Calvin Harris, to Disclosure, and on and on and on. But I’d say I’m most influenced by Nirvana, Eric Clapton, and Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. When I first heard Nirvana, it hit me lit a ton of bricks, and I loved how Kurt Cobain approached guitar riffs, how Dave Grohl used the drum set as an instrument rather than something to keep time, and how Krist Novoselic keeps the band together. I feel like Clapton made the guitar speak unlike anyone else, and he always made a point to highlight the history and roots of blues guitar, which I appreciate. His work in Cream really shaped how I approach lead guitar. And finally, I absolutely love how Kevin Parker focuses in on sonic textures and how he produces. My music isn’t as directly influenced by Tame Impala, but Kevin Parker seems like the kind of guy I’d like to hang out with. He always seems so passionate about music, and I can get behind that.

What makes you different from all the bands and artists around today? If you had to sell yourself in four words, what would they be? 

Not afraid to fail.

Is there a story behind your new track “Headfirst” and what made you think it was the right choice as a single release? 

“Headfirst” started as just the intro acoustic riff, which was just me messing around with a guitar tuned to DADGAD. Eventually I figured out that the tempo of the riff was really fast, and I thought it might be cool to do a post punk, almost drum and bass style song, and it just kinda came together. The whole backing had a bit of a dissonant/suspended chord vibe, and so when writing the lyrics, the idea of someone aggressively liking someone else regardless of their feelings came to me, and it fit perfectly. I think it works as single because we can all probably relate to that feeling on some level, and I think it has a head bobbing energy to it as well. 

The song is featured on your new EP ‘Spectrum.’ How would you sum it up? 

‘Spectrum’ was my attempt to explore some new genres, and branch out a bit. It’s still based around an, indie/alt/garage rock kind of sound, but there is some good psych rock, Americana, and punk in there too. I had a ton of fun making it, and I hope the listeners do as well!

Do you have a favourite track on the collection and if so, which is it and why?

I like “Headfirst” and “Cruel”, the two singles, because I do feel like they are the best songs, but my personal favorite might be the last track, “Mindless Fantasy.” It’s got a lot of interesting sounds, and two guitar solo parts that duke it out. Overall, I felt most able to just try anything on that song, and I think that shows in a good way.

How has or did the pandemic affected/affect you personally and professionally? Would you say it helped or hindered your creativity, and how did you cope with not being able to do the things that many artists rely on to maintain their careers, such as touring? 

I would say it definitely helped me; my first album and this EP were both written and recorded during lockdown. Atomic Bronco isn’t my full time job – yet – so I was lucky that I was able to maintain a living outside of music. My challenge now is to create a live version of Atomic Bronco so that when everything is back and open, I’ll be ready.

How do you feel about social media? Are you a keen Twitterer/IG’er or do you prefer to interact with people on a more face-to-face basis? Do you think platforms such as Twitter perhaps have too much power/sway when it comes to their importance for a band/artist today? 

To me, social media is a necessary evil, I’m more of a natural consumer than a content creator on those platforms. I’m much more of a face-to face-person, and I’m sad to see less importance placed on that. I will say that it’s unfortunate that the measure of success for musicians these days is tied to follower counts which ultimately are separated from any music making ability or quality. You could have a stellar album, but if you’re not big on Instagram or Twitter, no label will be interested. But like anything, there are two sides, and the socials are still a great way to connect with fans, but getting those fans in the first place is tough in a saturated market.

Finally then, as lockdown restrictions and regulations continue to be relaxed and venues start opening up again, how excited are you to be able to get back out and see/interact with fans/put on live shows etc? What are your plans for the coming months? 

It’s hard to exaggerate how excited I am to get on stage! As a one-man band I’m still trying to figure out the best way to present Atomic Bronco in a live setting, but once I do, I’ll be hitting the stage as soon as I can!

Give ‘Spectrum’ a listen below and for more information on Atomic Bronco, visit his website or give his page a like on Facebook.