Nathan Larson (musician)
A post-punk guitarist who traded angular riffs for haunting film scores, crafting sonic landscapes for independent cinema.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American film music composer, musician, author·Birthday: September 12·Generation X
Biography
Nathan Larson's artistic journey began in the dissonant, thrilling noise of the Washington D.C. post-hardcore scene as the guitarist for Shudder to Think. His work with that band was defined by unconventional song structures and a fearless artistic approach. When the group disbanded, Larson didn't retreat; he reinvented himself. He dove into film composition, teaching himself the craft and developing a minimalist, atmospheric style that became a favorite of directors like Karyn Kusama and Derek Cianfrance. His scores for films such as 'The Company of Men' and 'Boyhood' are subtle forces, enhancing narrative mood without overpowering it. Parallel to this, he has maintained a career as a novelist and collaborates musically with his wife, The Cardigans' singer Nina Persson, proving his creativity is as boundless as it is difficult to categorize.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nathan was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nathan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Nathan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the lead guitarist and songwriter for the influential post-hardcore band Shudder to Think.
- Composed the acclaimed musical score for Richard Linklater's groundbreaking film 'Boyhood,' which was shot over 12 years.
- Wrote the tense, atmospheric score for Karyn Kusama's directorial debut, the cult film 'Girlfight.'
- Authored several novels, including 'The Dewey Decimal System,' a post-apocalyptic noir thriller.
Did You Know?
He is married to Nina Persson, the lead singer of the Swedish pop band The Cardigans.
He composed the theme music for the HBO series 'The Wire.'
He was largely self-taught as a film composer, learning by doing on early projects.
He and Nina Persson have a musical project called 'A Camp' and have released albums together.
“I'm drawn to the beauty in dissonance, the melody in the wrong note.”
