“Lots of people assume you may go there and simply coast. And you then’ll come out as John Mayer…”

Noah Levine is speaking about Berklee School of Music, the world-renowned Boston music faculty that has been the crucible for everybody from Steve Vai and John Petrucci to St Vincent and sure, that man John Mayer.

Mayer lasted simply two semesters at Berklee earlier than deciding he wished to chart his personal musical path. It was an analogous story for younger Austin guitarist Levine, who left initially of his second 12 months in 2022 when he bought a name to go tour a document that he’d performed and recorded on earlier that 12 months.

You might need heard of the document, it’s referred to as Stick Season, and during the last 18 months the album and its title monitor megahit have turn into a worldwide musical touchstone because the world seemingly entered its unhappy people period, catapulting Noah Kahan from enjoying 1,000-seater venues within the US to headlining two nights at London’s legendary Wembley Area.

Sat stage proper for the entire thing has been 21-year-old Noah Levine – who along with being Kahan’s touring guitarist, contributed some guitar elements to the Stick Season document and co-wrote Dial Drunk off the document.

We sit down with Levine the morning after that first Wembley present, and regardless of being on the highway virtually continuous for the final 12 months, he’s fresh-faced and stuffed with power in a means that solely people who find themselves 21 and dwelling their goals might be.

“It at all times appears like a dream that I’m about to get up from,” Levine admits. “It’s such a surreal feeling, as a result of anybody who experiences success within the music business has additionally skilled an extended line of no’s. And naturally, that was my story for some time.

“And it’s bizarre being conditioned to listen to these no’s each time, after which abruptly all these sure’s are coming in the direction of you, and also you’re getting all these wonderful experiences. It’s exhausting for it to really feel actual. Like, I’ve by no means had a track that I wrote be screamed again at me at Wembley Area. And so there are occasions I’ve to take out my in-ears and simply take it in. It’s an unimaginable feeling.”

Stick Man

The story of how a child from Texas who was barely out of high-school ended up enjoying guitar on the viral hit of 2023 is a testomony to the more durable you’re employed, the luckier you get. Raised in a supportive suburban household in Austin, Levine’s mother and father tried him with numerous sports activities searching for one thing extracurricular he might throw himself into, earlier than an opportunity encounter along with his dad’s previous Aria opened up the world of guitar and music to him.

Levine threw himself into music, studying from his dad initially, then when he bought a Tascam eight-track recorder for his eleventh birthday, he started creating his personal music. Briefly order music turned his main aim in life, and to achieve that aim, all roads led to Berklee.

“Earlier than I had the maturity to look previous it, my aim was to get to Berklee School of Music,” he explains. “That was the aim for me. I used to be like, I’m going to get there, and I’m going to get a scholarship as a result of I can’t pay for college. And my means of doing that was making an attempt to do every part.

“So I bought concerned in a jazz band at my faculty, performed saxophone in my highschool, bought concerned with the choir, and I used to be doing extracurricular music stuff. I had my very own band with my very own music. I used to be making an attempt to push ahead. And I believe via classical coaching and jazz coaching and, and modern music, all of that has form of been an enormous melting pot for me to discover ways to perform as a musician.”

And get to Berklee he did – although after all, he didn’t keep lengthy. “I wasn’t there lengthy sufficient to begin taking the courses that I actually wished to take,” he displays “However it made me a greater musician. When you’re there you realise that it’s a must to be placing in probably the most work on the similar time.”

Regardless of the undoubtedly nice networking alternatives Berklee supplied, it was really an unbiased connection that led to his gig with Noah Kahan. When he was in high-school he’d successfully finished a weekend of labor expertise with Gabe Simon – a Nashville producer and author who has labored with everybody from Submit Malone to Kacey Musgraves. It was solely two days, however the expertise lit a hearth underneath Levine. “I left these two days with him fully impressed,” he enthuses, and he wished extra.

“I very persistently, for about eight months, borderline begged him for an internship – to let me simply come shadow him” he chuckles. “I instructed him, ‘You don’t must pay me, you don’t must discover a place for me to remain. You may even put me within the basement throughout the writing periods. I simply need to watch you’re employed and see the way you do it.’

“And I wore him down, so he let me come for 2 weeks in 2022 in August, which was when Noah was ending his document with Gabe. Noah got here all the way down to Nashville to complete the final couple of songs, and Gabe ended up having me play guitar on the remainder of that document, and lay down the guitar solo on Homesick.

“I went again to Berkeley after that to begin my second 12 months there, after which 4 weeks in, I bought a name asking if I’d drop out to return tour with Noah. Watching it being combined and made in Nashville, I knew it was going to be enormous. And I’d by no means felt that means about music earlier than. Like, I had that intestine feeling that this was going to be one thing.

“The unique plan was I used to be speculated to go on the autumn and winter tour with Noah, after which I instructed everybody I used to be going again to Berkeley after. Now right here we’re a 12 months and a half later, and it’s getting larger and greater. And now I like this household that I tour with, and I really feel like I’ve realized a lifetime’s value of classes within the business.”

Going It Alone

After all, Noah hadn’t been resting on his laurels ready for his likelihood – he’d been carving out his personal area of interest as a solo artist earlier than Kahan got here calling, and it’s one thing that he plans to throw himself again into as soon as his touring commitments lastly wind down. He admits that pushing pause on his private musical ambitions hasn’t at all times been straightforward although.

“It’s irritating within the sense that I like to at all times be transferring,” he admits. “And I like to at all times have one thing within the batting cages and able to go. However I simply must be affected person, as a result of I spoke to my agent earlier than I joined with Noah, and I used to be like, ‘Hey, this artist factor is and at all times shall be my ardour – is that this going to steer me away from that?’ And he stated, ‘That is solely going that can assist you, simply take this, and it’s gonna be value it.’

“And it has been. The individuals I’ve met and the experiences that I’ve skilled whereas on the highway have been irreplaceable. And as we attain the top of this Stick Season cycle, I’m beginning to put the items collectively and at last writing the music that I need to be making now and gathering my crew and making an attempt to make an excellent transition.”

Being on the highway and having a front-row seat for an artist blowing up at a pace and measurement that almost all musicians can solely dream of has additionally been vastly helpful, and given Levine the prospect to understand the grind that comes earlier than success much more.

“On one hand, I get to play on stage with a few of my greatest buddies now, and then again, I get to observe a masterclass each evening of an unimaginable individual doing unimaginable issues the appropriate means,” he says of Kahan. “It appears like a type of issues the place it’s an in a single day success – and the current stuff has been – however that dude’s been grinding and dealing exhausting for a lot of, a few years.”

Hole-body Pursuits

Over the course of his time with Kahan, Levine has used a wide range of devices – from Gibson semis to Telecasters – however in current months he’s settled on a Heritage H-530, a guitar that displays a lifelong love of guitars with a little bit of air in them.

“The primary guitar that I went and acquired for myself was an Ibanez Artcore, a type of semi hole ones,” he explains. “I used to be actually into the Beatles at the moment, and I wished that hole physique tone. However I used to be 11 and will not pay for 335 or one thing! So I discovered that and I used to be like, ‘Sick! This appears cool. And I’m positive it sounds wonderful!’ And it did. I’m grateful for each guitar that I’ve come throughout, in my lifetime as a younger musician, as a result of every instrument has gotten me to the place I’m now.”

The 530 is clearly a way faraway from that humble Ibanez, but it surely got here to Levine in probably the most sudden vogue.

“That is the story of each guitar participant, however I had no intention of shopping for a guitar after I walked within the room,” Noah says, shaking his head. “It was a brand new store in Kansas Metropolis, I used to be there for Thanksgiving. And I used to be simply making buddies with one of many store house owners and he was like, ‘You bought to play this factor, we simply bought it in…’

“I’d by no means heard of Heritage earlier than,” he continues. “However I picked it up, and it was possibly one of the best feeling guitar I’ve ever performed. And I purchased it instantly, regardless that I used to be in no place to purchase one other guitar! Issues had simply actually taken off with Noah, and so I had plenty of corporations sending me guitars and so my girlfriend was like, ‘Okay, you’re finished with getting extra guitars?’ I used to be like, ‘Yeah, positively!’ After which I purchased this factor. And I find it irresistible.”

Some musicians might need used their rising profile to try to blag a free one, however so impressed was he by the 530 that he put his personal cash down there after which – a ringing endorsement in a world the place gear corporations aren’t shy about giving out freebies to influencers and artists.

“And it’s a type of emotions like when , ,” he enthuses. “When lots of people are in my place, there’s an angle to form of like, attain out to the corporate and be like, ‘Hey, I like this… can I’ve one?’ However there’s one thing to be stated about, like, if an organization is making a fantastic, nice high quality instrument, then that’s anyone I need to help. I’d really feel unsuitable if I really fell in love with how a guitar feels and performs, after which ask them to offer it to me totally free. If they provide I received’t say no! However I need to help the individuals which can be doing issues proper, y’know?”

The 530 has since been joined by a Customized Core 535 on tour, and can possible see loads of work on Levine’s solo materials when the ever-expanding Stick Season touring cycle lastly involves an finish. As we wind up our chat we ask him whether or not he’d want to focus purely on his personal creative endeavours or head into the studio with Kahan, his reply is grounded and philosophical.

“I like working with Noah and it’s an exquisite factor the place it’s not an either-or,” he explains. “He and I wrote Dial Drunk, and in addition wrote some songs for my artist challenge collectively. On the finish of the day, it’s not an unique factor. It’s not him or me. He’s additionally very conscious and supportive of my creative endeavours and the issues that I need to do and has identified that from day one.

“And so it’s as much as him. I used to be honoured to work on the final document with him and be an enormous a part of these songs. If he needs me again, I’ll fortunately be a part of.”

However one factor’s for sure, he’s not going again to Berklee any time quickly.

Editor’s observe: Guitar.com and Heritage Guitars are each owned by the Caldecott Music Group