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SplatterTribe: So how's your day goin?
Tim
Northern:
It's goin' alright man, I'm
almost through Chattanooga on my way to Atlanta.
SplatterTribe:
We've been dealing with
phone and electric issues the last couple of weeks, so it's
been hectic here.
Tim
Northern:
Ah man, sorry about that. Yeah, that's right Ya'll had alot
of Ice down there.
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""I always
tell comedians that are just starting out that it's
always best to bomb your first time out, because
(then) you know what the bottom feels like."
-Tim Northern |
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SplatterTribe: Well, you live in Louisville, correct? Did the storm affect you any?
Tim Northern: Well, not really, I live in the Highlands. We never really had any power outages. We had spotty power outages. It was spotty. I got lucky. I got lucky during the wind storms too.
SplatterTribe: We got hit both times and there is still not alot of stability in our electric or phone lines.
Tim Northern: Yeah? Man, I didn't get hit at all.
SplatterTribe: So what do you to pass time while your traveling on the road?
Tim Northern: I listen to my satellite radio. I listen to talk radio and get my blood riled up.
SplatterTribe:
Political Radio?
Tim Northern: Yeah, political talk. Left & Right. I listen to both and get all pissed off.
SplatterTribe: Do you use that as some inspiration in your live set?
Tim Northern: No, I don't do any politics on stage. No, I stay away from politics because if you deal with one side you piss off the other side. So I'd rather not do any politics at all man.
SplatterTribe:
So what kind of music do you listen to?
Tim Northern:
I listen to all kinds of music man. Rock, Rap, even Country. I listen to all music man. I listen to all of it.
SplatterTribe:
So is the show in Atlanta a one off?
Tim Northern:
I'm there for a week. There's a new club that's opening and I'm one of the first acts at the club. It's an honor to do that, you know? Just to be the first guy on stage.
SplatterTribe: Is most of the shows you do one offs or weeks or what?
Tim Northern:
Whatever I can get man. I mean, I do one nighters. I do week long one's. Like this (Atlanta show) is Thursday through Sunday. So I do week long, A Room, B Room, weekend rooms, Friday, Saturday. I just do whatever I can, you know. Corporate stuff.
SplatterTribe: So when you travel to all of these cities, do certain cities have certain vibes or is it more of the crowd that night?
Tim Northern:
It's mostly the crowd there that night. There are some towns that are smarter than the others, but I'd rather not say which...(laughs). There's some towns that are hipper than others, but mostly it's just the crowd that is there that night. I get a sense as to what they'll allow me to do. So I play it by ear.
SplatterTribe: With your style of Comedy, does it ever seem like the crowd isn't keeping up?
Tim Northern:
Yeah man, I get that alot. Especially with my style. I'm more laid back, you know? I'm more cerebral. I'm not a cheerleader. You've got to really listen to what I'm saying and you've gotta keep up. Some crowds, they just don't want to keep up man.
SplatterTribe: Do you ever alter your set when it seems they are not keeping up?
Tim Northern:
I'd rather not. I can. I'd rather not...I try to eventually make them come to me. To me, that's more rewarding than to go to them. You give them what they want and they don't respect you. You know what I'm saying? When you give them exactly what they want then they don't really respect you. So I try to make them come to me.
SplatterTribe: So do you usually have your whole set worked out before taking the stage?
Tim Northern: No, I do alot of small bits. My first 5 to 6 maybe ten minutes I pretty much have down and then I just play it by ear.
SplatterTribe: Kind of just feeling the crowd?
Tim Northern:
Yeah, it's feeling the crowd & tryin' to give them a heads up as to what I'm about, immediately. See if they accept it. Then I go from there.
SplatterTribe: So you're originally from Nashville?
Tim Northern:
Hometown. Hometown, yeah.
SplatterTribe: So how did you end up in Louisville?
Tim Northern:
I was always going through Louisville, goin back to Nashville and I was like, "You know what man..... I'm just gonna get me a place here, man."
SplatterTribe: Do you perform much in Nashville?
Tim
Northern:
Naw,
not really. It's just my hometown, really. It's where I
started doing comedy. There was a couple of open mic's there
that I used to work alot, but no, I don't perform there alot.
SplatterTribe: Was your first Stand-Up experience in Nashville?
Tim Northern:
Yeah, Nashville, Zanies Comedy Club.
SplatterTribe: Do you remember what that experience was like?
Tim Northern: Uhm, it was pretty unremarkable (laughs)....and I'm glad. I mean, I'm glad I didn't get a standing ovation because I would have expected every time. I mean, if the first time I got on stage people loved me. I always tell comedians that are just starting out that it's always best to bomb your first time out, because (then) you know what the bottom feels like. And, I mean, it only gets better from there. That was my experience, pretty much.
SplatterTribe: Did you find your style early on or did you evolve to your style?
Tim Northern:
It's something I evolved to actually. I wanted to be a little smarter, you know? I didn't want to do what everybody else is doin. In other words I didn't want to be a typical black comedian because when you see a black comics you think they're all the same...So I wanted to be a little more diverse. My comedy is........you know......what makes me laugh is not the typical thing. So I figured there was an audience out there for that and I figured I would try. I didn't see alot of comics doin what I thought was funny. So instead of complaining, you know, (I decided) I'm gonna do that comedy. So I tried and it worked. So I'm happy with that.
SplatterTribe: What was your first real break as a professional comedian?
Tim Northern:
I don't know if I can think of a single break. I mean, I'm still, in my mind, I'm still tryin to get that break. And in a way I hope it never comes because it will keep me hungry. You know what I'm sayin' ? I hope I never feel like I made it. Even if I was making a million bucks and had a hit television show..
(phone starts cutting out)
SplatterTribe: You there? (silence) Hello?
Tim Northern:
Yeah, I'm here........Can you hear me?
