Talking Writing

S6E5 - Nic Brown: Making Peace with his Musical Past

Published: December 3, 2025

Duration: 49:58

In this week's episode, TW Creative Director John Vogel sits down with drummer and author Nic Brown to talk about his memoir Bang Bang Crash (Counterpoint, 2023).

Despite being accepted to Ivy League colleges, Nic opted to pursue his band Athenaeum straight out of high school. They signed to Atlantic Records, landed a few hits, and played extensively before Nic decided to leave to group in 2001 to pursue different styles of music and reclaim his opportunity to go to college.

While attending Columbia University, he joined up with the band Skeleton Key, headed by bass player...