Thanks for taking time out, Nick. You know, you’re in a business where women obtain the majority of the spotlight. Very few guys can pull it off and you’re one of the lucky few that’s been able to do it. What did you do differently?
I don’t know if it’s anything that I did differently or if I was special. I just took it more seriously. I trained harder. I worked harder at it. I wanted to do more movies. I think I made it based on volume alone.
Do you still take it so seriously or have you been able to loosen up a little since you’re established in the biz?
I’m a workaholic! It actually gets worse every year for me! (laughs) I just got back from Japan. I went over there to shoot a little.
When you say you take things more seriously, what exactly are you talking about?
I always trained like a professional athlete. I worked out a couple of times a day, I eat right. I was never late. I always showed up for work. I never got involved in the drug scene. That’s something that befalls a lot of us.
A lot of the guys just kinda end up being a prop. I guess you prove that if you take it seriously that you can end up being a draw in a movie.
Yeah, it pays off in the long run. LA is a funny town. You can rock the house all you want but you’ve still gotta perform.
It is a job. People probably forget that.
Exactly.
When did you decide that porn was what you wanted to do with your life?
(laughs) I still haven’t made that decision! I was in New York and was working on Wall Street. I played baseball before that. I got hurt and had some shoulder surgeries. I went to grad school and pursued the path that I thought I was supposed to, ya know? It wasn’t for me. I didn’t like it. I was successful at it and made a lot of money but I was never happy. One day I quit and went out to be a model. That’s what I wound up doing for years. I moved down to Miami Beach. I never considered porn. I did a Playgirl spread and then a bunch of porn companies started calling me. I came out to LA and started working for Vivid right away. That’s how I got started.
What would you tell the everyday dude, casual observer that thinks you have the best job on the planet?
I do! (laughs) I’m a blessed man!
Has it got to the point where every day is pretty simple or are you still faced with challenges in your career?
It’s really routine at this point. It’s more about having the discipline to do the same things over and over and not going out and partying and sleeping all day. It’s really difficult to do it for six or eight years and stay consistent. Anybody can be a porn star once in a while. I’m working five or six scenes every week since I started. It’s not slowing down at all.
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about you?
I think I’m misunderstood. Maybe I deserve my reputation a little bit, but my partner at Platinum Blue – Skye Blue – one of my best friends, calls me Wreckless. Maybe I am. All I know is, when I was at home in Chicago in high school and I was thinking about getting the fuck outta that snow storm, I must’ve been thinking about LA. All those times I was training at a gym somewhere else I’d look up and say, “I wish I was training at Gold’s Gym in LA.” I wake up one day and all those things I used to think about were my reality! That doesn’t happen for a lot of people. I try to remain humble and thankful for all of it because if you get caught up in it, it’s overwhelming that it did happen.
That’s cool, man. I think a lot of people are afraid to go after what they really want in life.
Yeah. Here’s the thing: I’d be eating, training and fucking regardless! I just happen to get paid to do those things. I’ve turned my hobbies into my career.
That’s the key to being happy…
Exactly! There’s nothing I’d rather do for money. People tell me I should go back to soap operas. That stuff’s all well and good, but it’s not for me.
I pulled a classic Nick Manning the other day and got off on this chick as I yelled “I’m droppin’ fuckin’ loads!” She slapped the shit outta me, too! It just doesn’t work like it does in the movies!
(laughs) No! No! I get emails from fans who tell me things like that. You’re taking dating tips from me? Fuck! Doing it in a movie is one thing. Doing it with your girlfriend is another! (laughs)
Where did that come from? When did you decide to start screaming things while you were getting off?
I was standing around a bunch of male performers one day and we were talking about names, like Pud Yummy. Somebody said you should yell out “Droppin’ loads!” I just started saying it as a joke. People loved it! The crew would cheer. I’d get emails from fans. If I’m doing my gig and I can make somebody happy, I’m gonna do it.
Have you ever said something so off the wall that the whole crew just loses it?
There was one time that I was fucking Brooke Valentine and Lana Evans. I was fucking them both in the ass. In the middle of the scene I yelled, “You’re a fucking shit disturber!” Dude, at first I heard some snickering then I realized the whole crew was trying not to laugh. Eventually I started to crack up. I pulled off the chick. I noticed that the behind-the-scenes camera was right on my face and I said, “I’m so fuckin’ cool!” (laughs) It’s shit like that that you remember because we had fun. I see the same crews over and over again. You can figure ‘em all out – every time I see that particular crew we laugh about that scene.
You’ve got to work with some of the hottest chicks in the industry. Have they all been pretty cool to work with or have any pulled some diva shit?
I always say I’ll just knock ‘em down like bowling pins! I don’t give a fuck what she does. She’s standing between me and a paycheck! I’m a big, strong physical guy. She can either cooperate or not cooperate. Either way, she’s gonna get banged! Dani Woodward is a friend of mine. She likes to run her mouth a lot. She asked me if I got nervous. I said, “Dani – I’m prepared! I thought about fucking you three days ago when I found out we were working together!” We were doing the scene and she said, “Jesus, Nick! You don’t know you own strength!” I said, “Yes I do, Dani. I know exactly how strong I am. I’m just using it against you!” There are just days like that.
Some days somebody’s gotta take it on the chin!
(laughs) Yeah! I’m gonna finish this scene one way or another and a load will be dropped! (laughs)
Has it been easy to make friends and keep ‘em in the industry?
It’s not so much that. A lot of that is the way I am. I have a lot of acquaintances and very few friends. It’s kinda tough to get close to me. Yeah, there’s some people that have gotten close to me over the years.
As I’m sure you’ve seen on Rock Confidential, we mix it up with rock ‘n roll and porn. That means I’ve got a few music questions for you. What was your first concert?
I think it was AC/DC at the Rosemont Horizon.
Would it be safe to say that you’re a metalhead?
I’m wearing a Motorhead jacket and a Motorhead shirt right now!
I’m sure Lemmy would be proud!
Yeah, Lemmy and I are cool.
What was the last CD you bought or downloaded?
Actually it was one given to me. It’s from my friend Craven Moorhead. His band rocks and the lead singer sounds like Danzig. You should check it out, bro. I listen to it every day. CC Deville called me the other day while I was in Miami. They were all going to see Motorhead. They’re all so fuckin’ sober and serious now, it’s funny! I was in Miami and they were bent out of shape because I wasn’t home to go with ‘em!
Nick, thanks again for taking time out for this. What would you like to say to your fans?
I just want people to understand that I want porn to be cool. Porn in the past has been kind of campy and fun. People mocked it, ya know. This stuff is cool and there are cool people doing it.