"Krone" interview

Nothing, Nowhere: unfiltered, genuine, authentic

No more hiding: Joe Mulherin aka Nothing, Nowhere. is increasingly going on the offensive.

(Bild: Jonathan Weiner)

When introverts take to the stage as extroverts, there's always a lot of self-conquest involved. Joe Mulherin aka Nothing, Nowhere. released four albums in 2024 and has fought his way out of a maelstrom of mental inadequacies. Now he is finally fully independent.

When Joe Mulherin leaves his home in Vermont, the first thing he does is go to his chickens and collect the freshly laid eggs to give to his visitors, neighbors or friends. Mulherin has been vegan since his first year of college and has never smoked, drank alcohol or used drugs. Now 32 years old, he is the epitome of a shy and introverted person who prefers to stay in his rural abode and let the stress of the world pass him by. "Life in the country is unfiltered," he tells "Krone" in an interview, "no billboards shouting at you, you don't hear any sirens or street noise. It's a very simple, pure way to live. Artists are usually said to have particularly fine antennae. Perhaps I need this peace and seclusion to extend my antennae and find real inspiration for my music."

Finally set free
Joe Mulherin is not known to the public, but Nothing, Nowhere is. Under this banner, the American has been creating music that cannot be categorized into styles for almost ten years. The foundation is his love for punk rock and nu-metal of the millennium years. Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy or Senses Fail, plus modern trap and rap quotes, and recently country music, which is so hyped in the USA, has also crept into the sound mash. In this country, the artist performed in the Vienna Arena and at Nova Rock before the coronavirus pandemic, and almost exactly two years ago he played at the Grelle Forelle. A lot has happened since then - he has broken away from his former major label Warner Music to continue his career as an independent artist. In 2025, he has released no fewer than four albums, the latest of which, "Cult Classic", was released just before Christmas. Stylistically? Everything. Rap, emo, country, a bit of metal, indie rock. Boundaries are there to be torn down.

The glue that holds everything together is not to be found in the sound, but in the lyrics. Nothing, Nowhere. has suffered from depression and panic attacks for many years and is only too happy to let the negative experiences and shortcomings of his life flow into his lyrics. "I don't think of my music in genres. When I wake up, I feel like one thing, then another. I just follow my mood and then see what comes out of it." Acquaintances have helped him on the difficult path to the limelight. For his album "Void Eternal", released in 2023, he worked with top stars such as Will Ramos (Lorna Shore) and Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy. "I have great friends, but they live a different life. I can ask Pete how you cope at a festival gig in front of 20,000 if you don't know the situation, because he knows how to get through it. In the music industry, you experience similar things that people from outside can't sort out with you."

Urgently seeking help
The music business itself is both a curse and a blessing for the sensitive artist. The decision to move away from the major label in favor of more independence was a well-considered one, but at the same time he feels at home and secure in the artificial world. "I gain self-confidence with every album, which is worth a lot. There's a little more light at the end of the tunnel every time, even if we're still a long way from the world being brightly lit." In 2018, Nothing, Nowhere. even had to cancel shows because his mental state wouldn't allow it. This was the right time for him to seek therapeutic help for the first time and join Buddhist monks to meditate. "I needed time to process all of this and deliberately took time out at the time. I had to figure out what I could take and what I still enjoyed."

Mulherin's love of music was always so strong that he was able to overcome any hurdles that arose. "I didn't want to let mental setbacks stop me from continuing. Leading a life as a musician and, at best, being able to survive on it is more than winning the lottery. It's incredibly important to me that I continue to do everything I can to not let anything or anyone get in my way." At the worst times, Mulherin would lock himself in his house for up to four months, only seeing the sales clerk at the neighboring grocery store when he needed to buy food. "Playing in front of hundreds or thousands of people and going on tour with other people was absolutely unimaginable. Somehow it worked and if I can advise others going through something similar, it's to keep fighting. Being able to make music is worth everything. And when you sometimes have to pedal hard in life, you appreciate the good things even more."

No more mask needed
Away from art, Mulherin tries to keep her body and mind fit. Training sessions at the gym are just as important as the right approach to spirituality. "At some point, you get to know yourself and your quirks. My brain works in a very special way. I can't tell you what I've eaten two hours after breakfast, but I know exactly when I wrote which song and where. I'm just a guy who wants to survive in this world - like all of us. Embracing spirituality is like showering your mind." Like his surroundings, Mulherin wants to be unfiltered and genuine as an artist. There is no room for kitsch and a few extra grams of compositional fat in the music of Nothing, Nowhere. "I don't have to hide anymore and I see that as a great strength. I used to hide behind a mask and not show myself. Those days are over. I want to make music and connect with people. Then home to my chickens. That makes me happy."