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Nathan Williams of Wavves
11 November 2026

Nathan Williams of Wavves

Artist Friendly with Joel Madden

About
On this week’s episode of Artist Friendly, Joel Madden sits down with Nathan Williams, the San Diego musician behind Wavves.



Williams started Wavves in 2008 as a solo recording project and has since built it into one of indie rock’s longest-running bands, putting out records through Fat Possum, Mom + Pop and his own label, Ghost Ramp. Last year’s Spun was his first full-length in four years, and his new album, Cherry Soda, arrives November 13.



In this conversation, Williams explains how watching A Hard Day’s Night as a kid set him on a path to make art every day. He shares stories from his unusual upbringing of growing up in a commune, passing on a college soccer scholarship, how a producer once threatened to end his entire career, and why he started his own label.



(0:00) – Starting Wavves in a Parents’ Garage(3:04) – Choosing Music Over a Soccer Scholarship(5:59) – Going Independent and Standing Firm(12:01) – Smart Business and Endless Artistic Hunger(20:06) – Staying Creative Between Tours(29:11) – Next Chapter: New Music and Collabs(31:48) – Building a Healthier Life Beyond Career(36:21) – Two Kinds of Creative Risk
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