Nick Fowler

Literary Career

After winning a scholarship to Cornell University, Nick Fowler studied Creative Writing and Music, graduating Dean's List. Fowler's first novel, A Thing (or Two) About Curtis and Camilla, was in 2002 published in North America by Pantheon Books, an imprint of the Alfred A. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, and by Hodder & Stoughton in the U.K. where the book became a bestseller. It was called by The Los Angeles Times “a smash, an irresistibly melodic debut” that “resonates like a perfect pop song,” while the Tallahassee Democrat observed "few novels, let alone first ones, deliver...wisdom with as much talent, humor, and emotional force. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird comes to mind." Time Out London called the book "a deliriously funny first novel" with "genius observations.” The New York Times said "…the story is informed by a pretty irresistible delight in its own telling." They called Fowler "an expansive, lyrical, inventive writer" in a full-page lead review that compared him to J.D. Salinger, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, the number one U.K. bestseller, called Fowler's roman à clef “Terrific--full of passion and energy, but at the same time literary, quirky and with the same oblique and self-mocking charm that makes Breakfast at Tiffany’s such a hit.” The Orlando Sentinel said "…this love story is almost too good," hailing it as "…a tribute to the human spirit." A Thing (or Two) received additional praise from Big City Lit, Publishers Weekly, and Book Slut. Fowler's other prose has appeared in The Encyclopedia of Exes (Three Rivers Press/Random House), The Antioch Review, New York University’s literary journal Epiphany, the Berlin-based Pulse, and online fiction journal Vice-Versa. Fowler's poetry has been published in The TriBeca Review, and his journalism in GQ, POZ, Metal Edge, Movie Mirror, and Teen Beat. He has taught fiction writing at New York University, mediabistro and The New School. In 2015 he published on Amazon Kindle Music for Mice and Men (The Extended Release Love Song of C. Peddie Smout) which author Bruce Jay Friedman called "Stunning. Haunting. Fiercely and relentlessly engaging," predicting that the "...book will have a long shelf life-like forever.” In October, 2016 Fowler was featured in The Elegant Classy Gentleman.

Musical Career

At Cornell University Fowler fronted the rock band Sorry 'Bout Your Daughter. After moving to New York City Fowler founded the acoustic pop project Tonto Tonto with Grammy Award-nominated guitarist, songwriter and producer Gregg Wattenberg and bassist Greg Smith (Alice Cooper, Alan Parsons). Hollywood manager Sandy Gallin secured the team a recording contract with Victory/Polygram. Director Paul Boyd filmed the music video for their initial radio single, "Miles Away." Ric Wake produced their debut LP, Mirror for the Blame. The band performed the album's eponymous track on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and toured in support of major recording acts including Bon Jovi, Paul Rodgers, Neal Schon and The Rembrandts. In 1992 Tonto Tonto's song "Real Today" was featured in the slasher film Dr. Giggles, winner of the Special Jury Award at the Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival, as well as in the video game generated by the motion picture. In 1994 Tonto Tonto played at The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Fowler and Wattenberg composed music for and acted in A Hit Is a Hit, the tenth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. In 1995 their song “Sunday” was shortlisted for the International John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

In 1999 Fowler founded the hard rock band MOTHER with guitarist Arthur Lynn, aka A.L.L., and drummer Keith Carlock, (John Mayer, Steely Dan, Sting). MOTHER’s self-titled debut album was signed by Al Teller to Atomic Pop Records, the world's first internet recording label. MOTHER placed music in the Sony Pictures Entertainment production Mercy. Fowler's songs have also appeared in television series, such as "You Don't Remember," featured in 2010 on The CW Network’s 90210. His voice has been placed in national advertising jingles. Fowler's southern rock ballad "Splinter," produced by Andrew Wyatt, was included in the 2011 motion picture Undocumented.

In 2010 Fowler formed the pomp-rock band Maximilian Is King with A.L.L. and keyboardist Rob Clores. Steve Thompson (musician) mixed their Music For The Fire EP, which was placed on rotation on Anything Anything with Rich Russo, a program featured on WRXP 101.9, New York City's then-largest rock radio station. Russo called Fowler's "the best pure voice in New York." Maximilian Is King's debut full-length, Songs To Kill Yourself With, was produced by A.L.L. with drum programming by Carlos Alomar. The album was mixed with additional production by Roy Thomas Baker. In 2011 Fowler began performing live with Grammy Award-winning guitarist and songwriter Steve Stevens, best known for collaboration with artists Billy Idol and Michael Jackson. At New York City's Iridium Jazz Club these sets featured the Les Paul Trio and drummers Anton Fig and Shawn Pelton. In 2012 Fowler contributed vocals to DJ Riddler's extended mix "Hold On Me" featured on Riddler's debut studio album Enigma, released October 2, 2012 on Soltrenz/Strictly Rhythm Records. In April 2013 Fowler performed the song "Sleep Walking" featured in Cutting Edge Group's motion picture The Right Kind of Wrong (film). In 2013 Fowler's power ballad "Road to Somewhere" was a finalist in the rock category for the Song of the Year: Song and Lyric Writing Competition. In October 2013 Fowler signed with 140 Records, the first Twitter-based record label. In the same month he began a residency at Greenwich Village's Club Groove, sister venue of the legendary Cafe Wha, where he performed a selection of funk, R&B, rock, Motown and soul. In February, 2014 three of Fowler's songs were announced as semifinalists in The International Songwriting Competition (ISC). Fowler is an advocate of healing-via-music, playing his songs weekly at in-hospital performances for the charity Musicians on Call.