Raif Gork, frontman of the local Boulder band The Dick Nixon’s, is bringing back rock ‘n’ roll to the Boulder music scene.

The Dick Nixon’s are a newfound band established in Boulder. Lead singer, Raif Gork, channels the rockstar within him when he takes hold of the stage, singing classic songs of the 60s-90s.

Gork comes from a long line of musicians. His grandfather, mother and father all had their heydays and achievements related to music.

“My granddad had two top singles in the fifties,” said Gork. “I think one was under his name and the other was under his group called The Cardigans. Not the Swedish band, but some guys from Tennessee.”

“My father was always a singer,” he added. ”He really enjoyed early rock ‘n’ roll music. He was in a punk/rock college band in Auburn, Alabama. My mom’s side of the family is also music-oriented. She has been on the board of a few local music festivals in the south (which) had some big artists performing.”

Drumming was the first instrument Gork learned how to play when he was 5 years old. Growing up, he sang in his Christian elementary school choir and being around a lot of instruments piqued his interest. Gork learned other instruments throughout his life, but singing is his passion above all.

“The bass was another instrument I learned a bit early on,” he added. “Then I learned the trombone in band in high school. I have been trying to learn (the) keyboard and the guitar, they are coming along, but singing is my main thing. A lot of instruments go hand in hand, you just have to find what you’re good at.”

He did not always believe in himself as a musician. Starting a band was a farfetched idea because he was not sure that it could form into something as special as it became. Joining a band his senior year of high school changed the game for him and he saw how great it can be once the group got out there and started performing.

In Boulder, Gork met other students who were inspired by music. In January 2022, they launched their band, The Dick Nixon’s, which he is now the frontman of.

“It was a lot of fun coming up with the name with my bandmates,” Gork laughed. “A lot of humorous and inappropriate names were thrown around like Dick Minor, Nick Dixon’s, Dirty Dick and The Nixons, but The Dick Nixon’s just stuck and we settled on that as a group,” Gork said.

The group dabbles with genres and songs that shaped the 60s-90s, performing hits like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “Alive” by Pearl Jam and “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks.

“Our genre floats between hard rock, grunge and metal,” Gork said. “I would like to take it heavier but I like older alternative and classic rock. Boulder is a big jam band place, but I’m not a big jam band guy.”

“We are a bit all over the place, but that is the fun of it, playing what we want and not having anything specific,” he added.

The Dick Nixon’s have some singles on the way and frequently perform all over Boulder, even at the iconic The Fox Theater on University Hill. They can also be found playing at fraternities and local bars. Their next show at The Fox is in November.

“We have three original songs, ‘Chevy Baby’, a song about a truck, ‘Watergate’, and an unnamed one that’s about a biker chick,” Gork said. “We’re trying to release some singles within the next month or two.”

Gork is a huge fan and advocate for heavy metal and rock.

“People still really want it, I went to a metal show at Fox and it was sold out,” he said. “It was crazy, there was stage diving.

“There is a great metal influence in rap that few people know about while rap dominates the charts,” he added. “I don’t know if rock will make a resurgence because I don’t think it went anywhere, it’s just coming back into people’s heads.”

He is inspired by rock n’ rolls favorites like The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Nine Inch Nails, Black Sabbath and Tame Impala to name a few

“I was raised on this music by my parents,” he said. “I can think back to two unforgettable songs from my childhood, ‘Pinball Wizard’ by The Who and ‘Heartbreaker’ by Led Zeppelin. I thought they were so cool.”

His favorite album of all time is Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys.

“They are some of the most influential musicians of all time,” he said. “Brian Wilson wrote that album and I think he is a genius.”

Brian Wilson is the co-founder of the iconic surfer rock band, the Beach Boys. The group has 4 number 1 hits and 15 top ten hits.

Though Gork is not sure what is in store for his music career, he is enjoying his final year at Boulder with his band. He’s exploring the idea of moving to Nashville and trying to break into the music scene there.

“It’s my dream to be a successful artist. It’s awesome to get paid, but even if I’m not, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I would do it for free.”

“Moneys cool and all but I just love to play,” he added. “It’s my main distraction from everyday life. If I’m not listening to or playing music, my mindset is not as strong. I enjoy feeling like I have a soundtrack to my life.”