Nolan Porter


Nolan Frederick Porter is an American R&B singer and songwriter who recorded two albums and six singles in the early 1970s. His best known song is "Keep On Keeping On", a northern soul track popularized in 1978 by the Manchester and Salford band Joy Division when they used the guitar riff from Porter's song for their "Interzone".

Biography

Based in Los Angeles, Porter's first recorded song was a version of Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" released on the Lizard label in 1971. Two other 45s were released on Lizard, including "Keep On Keeping On" before he switched to the larger imprint ABC for two final 45 releases. The first of these, "If I Could Only Be Sure" was covered by Paul Weller and released on his Studio 150 album in 2004 and would become a popular song in UK northern soul dance halls. Porter also recorded "Groovin' " as Frederick II on Gabriel Mekler's Vulture label and earned a small R&B hit. Porter is also married to Frank Zappa's sister Candy.

Album releases

Porter has released two albums. The first, No Apologies, appeared in 1970 on Mekler's Lizard imprint and features songs by Steve Cropper, Booker T Jones and Randy Newman as well as Porter originals. The musicians for much of the album consisted of former members of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. Lowell George contributes guitar parts. Reviewing in , Robert Christgau said: "A black singer whose idiom is rock-influenced soul turns Randy Newman's 'Let's Burn Down the Cornfield' into a song about smoldering sharecropper unrest and finds good ones by David Blue and Booker T. Plus writing wise, witty, rocking songs of his own, songs that belong in this company, many of them about racial identity. Formally, this is the Rod Stewart strategy, and the artistic achievement is comparable. But does he have Stewart's backing on the radio or in the express? Well, no."
In August 1972, Porter returned to the studio to record his second and last album, Nolan The album contained four new songs and re-recorded mixes of older songs such as "Groovin " and "If I Could Only Be Sure". The album and an accompanying single "Singer Man" resulted in few takers. Mekler's labels collapsed towards the end of 1973 and Porter's short recording career came to an end. Material he recorded later in the decade was not released.
Porter continued working in Los Angeles nightclubs as a musician and comedian. He has also performed in clubs in his home country and overseas in Spain and United Kingdom.