Interview: MTV’s I Just Want My Pants Back Music Supervisor

Soundtrack had the opportunity to sit down with Nic Harcourt for an insightful interview. Nic just wrapped up music supervising the new MTV show I Just Want My Pants Back and is currently in the midst of working on another one as well as outside music projects

 

ST: What was your first music-related job?

NH: I guess being the singer in the band Bloop 79, I think we got paid in beer most of the time but I also remember gettin’ a check for one hundred punds once, so I think that can qualify as a job?

ST: What’s your outlook on the record industry today?

NH: The record industry as we knew it is dead. I believe that with one or two exceptions labels are largely relegated to the role of marketing and promoting pop dregs. Having said that, I think that there is an amazing amount of great independent music out there if you’re prepared to look. I love the fact that with the advent of cheap digital recording techniques and self-distribution artists can now control their own destiny.

ST: What current artist do you think will have a long career?  Why?

NH: Jack White would seem the obvious choice here and I don’t think I need to explain why

ST: What current TV show do you think has great music in it?

NH: I don’t watch TV, oh I mean I Just Want My Pants Back and The Inbetweeners

ST: Describe your role as MTV’s Music Supervisor In Residence.

NH: The role is ever evolving but in essence it’s to help define the musical direction of some of MTV’s new scripted shows

ST: What MTV shows are you working on?  What is the musical tone of these shows?

NH: Pants is cool indie music and Inbetweeners has great get your attention songs

ST: What makes a good partnership between a Music Supervisor and the producer of a show?

NH: Umm, communication, and mutual respect

ST: What other projects are you working on outside of MTV?

NH: I host a TV show called Guitar Center sessions on DirecTV’s Audience and 3D channels and also a series of interview/performance podcasts also for GC. I also host a weekly radio show called Connections on 88.5KCSN and kcsn.org Saturday’s 3-6 and just worked as a music producer for the first time cutting an ep for an LA band called Lestrange. It’ll be coming out on Carved records this spring.

 +++ Interview by Ryan Aceto

+++ Follow Nic Harcourt on Twitter | Follow Soundtrack on Twitter

+++ Watch Nic Harcourt discuss music in Episode 2 of I Just Want My Pants Back +++

I Just Want My Pants BackFull Episode