Exclusive Interview with 'THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER'

The Nightshift Cashier shows up peddling his own distinctive brand of yacht rock noir. simultaneously fascinating and calming. Light and darkness. Day and night. Therefore, make a payment here to The Nightshift Cashier.
Everyone enjoys spending time on the deck during the day, but have you ever sailed at night? You will only be rocked by the moon and the ocean’s rhythm. He’s here to party, and The Nightshift Cashier is the soundtrack to that evening.

The Nightshift Cashier, the creation of Naarm/Melbourne musician and producer Bud Wilkins, started working late and developed his own will. The end result is the upcoming debut EP from a seller of yacht rock noir. The Nightshift Cashier channels his multi-instrumental skills into something that is familiar and new at the same time, and always grooving, by fusing elements of acts like Toto, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, and Boz Skaggs through a darkened lens to create feelings of belonging and unease.

From The Nightshift Cashier’s upcoming debut EP, Burger, Midnight, the story of a couple of runaway musicians who find some money and do what anyone would do: open a burger joint is told. Check out this single and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: I’m The Nightshift Cashier – alter ego of multi-instrumentalist Bud Wilkins (who loves guitar the most). I work a bunch of night shifts and hang out in the shadowy corners of your mind – where the cobweb covered vinyl copy of Aja is. Somehow I always seem to have a guitar handy to tell a story for the night. Bud on the other hand is from Melbourne, Australia, but originally hail from a small island under Australia called Tasmania. Growing up there was pretty quiet, it was a bit of a strange Twin Peaks sort of place back then. My family is heavily musical, and I first started playing drums when I was around four or five – I started by playing drum rudiments on cushions at first. This slowly evolved into being an absolute guitar nerd and a lifelong obsession with playing, writing and recording music.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: I did have lessons in high school from a great Tasmanian jazz guitarist John McMillian. I advanced pretty quickly and was teaching by the age of 17, and also playing plenty of gigs solo and with bands by then as well. That being said, a lot of what I’m into I’ve discovered myself – studying players like John Mclaughlin, Wes Montgomery, Al DiMeola, Nile Rodgers and bands like Steely Dan, King Crimson and Jamiroquai.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER’?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: My first influences were mainly hard rock bands growing up – Kiss, Deep Purple, Queen etc. Since then I’ve nearly dabbled in every genre imaginable – from trad jazz to death metal. However, my real passion is funky beats and cool chord changes, and I find that yacht rock/west coast AOR and its associated artists offer that in abundance. Groups like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Young Gun Silver Fox and Toto are The Nightshift Cashiers biggest influences, along with general life. The name just kind of came to me as a great alter ego, and the imagery that came along with it helps frame stories from more personal places as well.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: The key elements are the groove – without the groove I am nothing. Also chords/harmony and melody are one big melting pot for me and I’m always looking for something interesting that won’t sound typical, but can also bring a feeling of nostalgia to the listener. I like music that challenges no matter what genre, and I hope that my music does that – in a really good to listen to way.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as yacht rock noir?
**THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER**:
I spent years learning guitar parts, and how great artists put together songs. Studying artists like Queen, The Beach Boys, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash and Prince informed me heavily. The transition to The Nightshift Cashier’s style has been a pretty easy one because it’s the culmination of all my musical thoughts and experiences. The yacht rock noir title came to me because I needed something that could describe the music and just didn’t think yacht rock/west coast aor on their own quite captured the darkness I was letting into the music.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER:

I believe that music’s role in these is essential. It’s been used for facets of life long before we knew how to write or record it, and it’ll be used for those when we’re long gone. I believe music has the power to help mold and shape society for the better. The Nightshift Cashier will be launching a political satire concept album at some point (won’t give away too much) so that should tell you what I think! That being said, the other side of the coin is part of the package too, someone’s personal expression is incredibly important too, and if their technical artistry is part of their entire personality and being, how can it not be?

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER:

On a personal level yes – I believe that music, be it composition or improvisation – plays a deep role in my own personal spirituality and fulfillment. Professionally I’m always looking to keep moving forward, this year has been a professional high – between The Nightshift Cashier, being a live jazz guitarist in Melbourne and also being musical director for funk/pop artist Le Fleur – I think next year will be even higher, there’s alot going on.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER:

My creative process is pretty tricky to describe. Sometimes a melody will just come to me, sometimes a groove with some chord changes, or sometimes I might just be messing around and play something I really like while improvising. I really like to use metaphors and narrative to convey my own thoughts and emotions so my lyrics might not be decodable to other people haha. I can also be influenced by images and more aesthetic kinds of things, as well as books and movies – other people’s stories can inspire my own.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your music career so far?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: I’d say going through the covid lockdowns here in Melbourne was pretty devastating, I only played a handful of gigs in two years, and most of them were streaming. It really brought a lot of momentum to a halt, and we even lost some venues and groups due to inactivity. It did make me refocus, and put an emphasis on getting some projects off the ground I might not have had time for otherwise.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

THE NIGHTSHIFT CASHIER: Right now! The Nightshift Cashier, the character and the music is something I’m really proud of, this is the sound of me just doing what I want to do, and only wanting to achieve satisfaction with my music. Personally I’ve got more gigs than ever before, so now is pretty good I’d say.