The Almost Interview

The Gauntlet: What's been going on?

Aaron: I am in my new home in Utah. I am leaving on Saturday to go to The Grammy's for Underoath. Then I do the Save The Day Tour with The Almost and Paramore.

The Gauntlet: Underoath just got back from Europe right?

Aaron: Yes, we were actually just in Scandinavia and shot two videos there with Popcore.

The Gauntlet: So no touring over there?

Aaron: No, the last tour Underoath did ended in November. We did Australia, Japan, and all of Europe. It was a nine week long monster of a beast tour, but it was good.

The Gauntlet: Underoath had it's latest album drop in June, and the band has been touring nonstop since then. When did you find time to write and record for your new side project The Almost?

Aaron: Actually while I was in the studio with Underoath, I had a six week lull. I do the drums and I have to wait to do the vocals while they do the middle stuff like guitars and bass. It takes forever. So instead of me sitting around watching TV, I just wrote a record. I didn't record �Southern Weather� until April 2006 though.

The Gauntlet: �Southern Weather� will drop on April 3rd. What does the title mean? The album doesn't have a southern feel or sound to it.

Aaron: I grew up in the South. It is sort of me looking back at that; my psyche and my family.

The Gauntlet: Is this a side project, a solo project or what?

Aaron: On the record, I recorded everything myself. I wanted to take it out on the road and I didn't want to play everything myself so I got a live band put together. I didn't want to play all the songs that are fully produced on the record acoustically. So what I ended up doing was getting a live band of a bunch of my friends put together. We have already done some touring last December and January.

The Gauntlet: How have the fans been reacting?

Aaron: They have been amazing. There is no record yet so it is basically word of mouth. We were doing the tour to basically test ourselves and see if we can do it live. It was a blast.

The Gauntlet: So is this a touring lineup? Will it change from tour to tour?

Aaron: I don't know yet to be honest. I am having a really hard time letting go. I like to record everything myself. They are all my friends I have known for ages, but I don't know yet.

The Gauntlet: A lot of times when you have hired guns, they are just detached from the music.

Aaron: That's one of the weird things. They have all kind of made it their own. Especially the guitar player and the drummer, they really made it their own which is great. There has been no awkwardness as far as that goes.

The Gauntlet: How have the guys in Underoath taken it?

Aaron: We are getting ready for a tour and that is what is on everyones mind. They tease me a little about it, but they really like the record. Tim helped me write one of the songs. They have been really cool about it. I have been in Underoath for ten years. I am the only original member left in the band. They know I am loyal to them and know that is my first priority in my heart.

The Gauntlet: Was there a need you were trying to fulfill in creating The Almost that wasn't being tended to in Underoath?

Aaron: I don't know if there was a need, but what comes to mind is I really wanted to make a record that was full of simple 'drive in your car rock'. I wanted to make a record that was not heavy or specialized which is what I love, but it is fun to once in a while write a rock tune. I wrote a lot of rock tunes, put it on a record and called it The Almost. I grew up in a metal band. When Underoath started, we were very metal. We were actually a black metal band and not many people realize that. I come from that background. There is nothing worse than watered down rock. I think you'll agree that Dave Grohl is a great musician, I'm not comparing myself to him, but I want to make great music like him. I really wanted to make a quality rock record. I feel like I have and think the next one will be even better. This was just my first attempt at it.

The Gauntlet: If you do another, will you record all the instruments again?

Aaron: I don't think so. I might do the drums. I have this great guitar player named Jay Vilardi. He is the gnarliest dude. He is a few years older than me and is really talented. We click really well. He is kind of like the musical director in the band is literally my right hand man. I just did some B-sides for the label and he recorded all the guitar parts.

The Gauntlet: You obviously have an instant fan base in the Underoath fan, or at least they will be curious enough to check it out. Do you think they will be interested in the music as The Almost is a big leap from Underoath.

Aaron: I don't know. I don't know if they will like the record. Everyone keeps telling me the record is great. I don't want to set some goal and get pissed off if I don't reach it. I don't know what will happen. They might love it or hate it. We will find out. They might listen to the record and think Aaron is a wuss or something. I am not freaking out about it.

The Gauntlet: Underoath took a bit of a hiatus over the summer and dropped off the Warped Tour prematurely. I think it was announced at one point that the band had broken up. Did you just figure no worries, time to concentrate on The Almost?

Aaron: No one ever said Underoath was over. We were on the road from 2004-2006 straight. A lot of things just snuck up on our friendships. It wasn't like anyone was cheating on each others girlfriends. We just needed to go home and find out who we were and where do we go as people. We needed to find out what happened to us. At the end of the day if you aren't friends, what is the point of doing this. So we all went home and figured it out. We have done three tours since then. Next week we will fly out to Florida and start rehearing for out first US tour since Warped. We are going out with Taking Back Sunday. We might be doing some secret shows in May. But right now this tour is 8 weeks long. This tour is forever long.

The Gauntlet: Underoath has always been a touring band. Where will you find time for a new band as new bands need to tour a lot.

Aaron: We can't tour America five times like we used to in Underoath. We aren't kids anymore. I think I'll do The Almost tours to fill in the holes between Underoath tours. I have a few dates in April when we get back from The Underoath tour.

The Gauntlet: I heard you shot a video for The Almost track �Say This Sooner�

Aaron: Yeah, we shot it at this crazy abandoned place. I am excited to see it. I haven't seen it yet. I will probably look like a freakin' idiot. I always look like an idiot in the videos. With Underoath, the video starts and I am always there looking like an idiot. It is hard because I do the singing thing and the drums. It is all good though.

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Tags:  The Almost  , Aaron Gillespie, interviews

Jason Fisher    February 07, 2007