Nate hofer

Solo experimental/ambient pedal steel guitar

 

A different approach to the iconic instrument

Nate Hofer is a solo artist from the Kansas City area known for his ambient and experimental music on the pedal steel guitar. His music, a unique blend of improvisation and “accidental” composition, is strongly informed by both Brian Eno and Buddy Emmons.

Although Hofer has been an active participant in Kansas City’s music scene since the late 1990s, performing, recording, and touring with country and indie bands such as Rex Hobart and the Misery Boys, The New Amsterdams, Phantoms of the Opry, and Starhaven Rounders, his forthcoming album Decommissioned marks his first solo release, showcasing his experimental approach to ambient solo pedal steel guitar.

Decommissioned delves into the depths of experimental pedal steel guitar, recorded inside a decommissioned Atlas F missile silo site near Wilson, Kansas.

 

Analog

Recorded in a decommissioned missile silo and now on 10" clear vinyl. Packaged in die cut sleeve, letterpress-printed in four color CMYK and spot color, numbered edition of 250. Includes four color CMYK letterpress insert of Nate Hofer's photographs of various decommissioned missile silos located in Kansas. Digital download card included. 

Order Decommissioned on vinyl from Bandcamp.

Digital

Hear Hofer’s debut album EP Decommissioned. Now streaming on all music platforms.

Media

In May of 2024, Nate was featured on NPR for his release of Decommissioned.

In August of 2024 Nate spoke, played, and showed photography in a TEDx presentation in Kansas City about his EP Decommissioned.

Videos

 
 

photos

Artist photography by Dan Videtich.

View fullsize New acquisition (a gift from my parents): “Border Cantos” by Richard Misrach and Guillermo Galindo. Images of the southern border, the wall, immigration, and issues surrounding those who support the humanitarian efforts there and those wh
View fullsize Excited to announce that a photograph from my photo series 'One and a Half Acres' titled 'Hotel-10, Walker, Missouri, 2020' will be part of the @kcscp 'Current Works 2022' exhibit at @leedyvoulkosartcenter December 2 through January 28. 🚀 The exhib
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Nuclear Missile Site KC-60 – Gate Entrance (2022) 🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿 I remember the Cold War and it was scary as shit. So it's reassuring to me to see weapons sites like this one beautifully overgrown with nature. However, today we
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Nuclear Missile Site KC-60 – Viewed from the Southwest (2022) 🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿 The long rectangular shape is the missile storage, staging, and launch site part of the property. Beyond it to directly to the east are support buildin
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Nuclear Missile Site KC-60 – Flooded Stairway to Missile Storage (2022) 🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿 Visible here is the rainwater runoff that has flooded this former nuclear missile storage bunker. It is located directly below the launch are
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Nuclear Missile Site KC-60 – Protective Berm and Support Buildings (2022) 🌿🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿🌿 Three support buildings for missile assembly and warhead storage. The half-circle berm helps to protect the missile assembly building (
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Nuclear Missile Site KC-60 Launch Area 🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿 Directly below the surface are three horizontal missile storage areas or magazines. And thus three doors for the missiles to be loaded out before each would be launched. 🌿🚀🚀🚀?
View fullsize No time to print but… you get it.
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Missile Site KC-60 – Earthen Berm Path (2022) 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿 I walked the top of this half-circle earthen berm used to protect the weapons assembly building. The berm top was recently mowed by the private owner
View fullsize Decommissioned Nike Missile Site KC-60 – "Clean Your Weapon Here" (2022) 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🚀🚀🚀🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿 A stenciled message for Army soldiers at the Nike site's barracks building. Today it's protected by much overgrown. The site was ope