Previously known for his role as frontman of Ghostland Observatory, Aaron Behrens, makes his debut as a solo artist with his new project, Aaron Behrens and the Midnight Stroll. Behrens new project features a style but elicits the same amount of energy and passion devoted listeners craved from Ghostland Observatory. Along with a new album, Behrens has a new label and will be going on a coast-to-coast tour this fall. Be on the look out for shows in your town!
Vinyl Mag has the newest single from The Midnight Stroll, “Keep On Rising.” If you enjoy it as much as we did, you can download it FUH FREE at Applauze.com.
Check out our interview with Aaron below!
Vinyl Mag: What challenges have you faced in breaking away from your former group and starting a solo career and a record label?
Aaron Behrens: Probably just reconnecting with my fan base. I think that’s the hardest thing is trying to communicate and help them understand why I would do such a thing and to just reconnect with them in order to show them my new thing. Not even my new thing – just my other creative outlet. I feel like people think they know who you are. They think they’ve got you figured it out, and then you switch it on them – which I love to do – so you should always expect that. It throws them, and they’re like, ‘I was so used to this way,’ but this is another dimension of me so, yeah – getting across the point that I’m a multi-dimensional character.
VM: How have you changed as an artist in this transition?
AB: I’ve just been able to learn more, just different ways of doing songs, and I’ve gotten to work with other musicians that have opened some new doors creatively for me. I think I’ve gotten better as a musician, as a singer, as a writer with this new angle. So it’s helped me refine my craft.
VM: With the release of your new Skeleton Farm Records label, what style do you hope to maintain, and what is your role with the label? How did you get involved? What is it like to be on the producing side?
AB: I don’t care what style to maintain in this record label. To me, it just has to be good, it has to be right, it has to be what I feel like is good and right. I don’t care what kind of package that comes in. When I hear it, when I see it, when I feel it, I’ll know I wanna be involved with it. Yeah, that’d be stupid for me to freakin’ go off and be like, ‘It has to be this way, this is what’s selling, this is what’s right.’ No, it’s an artistic venture. You know, I understand it’s a fine line between what’s artistic and what sells, but I just want to put out what I think is cool. We shall see how that works out!
VM: What is your role with the label?
AB: Well, basically my role is….it’s my label. I just want to develop a pipeline for people to check out music that I think is cool and bands that I think should be heard. I just want to develop a pipeline and a connection from the label to them. And I can put out my own tunes and program my own channel.
VM: What is it like it to be on the producing side of music?
AB: It’s great! It’s cool. It’s what I love to do. I love to come up with the idea – the concept – and push it. And let’s figure out how to get it sounding the way we want. I’m very new to it, because in Ghostland, I wasn’t such on the production side, so with this new project, I’ve definitely put on that hat a little bit more in watching Jonas [Wilson, co-producer] do his thing, too. Kind of learning stuff and knowing my angle and knowing my shape in the room. Knowing how to fit in and work as a team. That’s the really cool thing about doing productions with other people. It’s a team effort. I enjoy doing it a lot.
VM: Obviously, you’ve been very busy with your time away from Ghostland Observatory. Do you have any other creative outlets that you may have been working on, or still are?
AB: Uh, no. Not really. I’ve put a lot of energy into The Midnight Stroll. I’ve put all my energy into it, other than what I give to my family and friends. So no, there’s no time to be dibble-dabbling in multiple things. I really am a type of person that I really have to focus on one thing and one thing alone to get it accomplished, so all my energy has been focused on this project.
VM: What advice can you give a striving, blooming artist as they begin their musical career?
AB: Be real with yourself. Be brutally honest with yourself, and freakin’ reach for the stars! Go big, do everything that comes into your mind creatively. Even if it sucks, at least you have the opportunity to learn from it. Don’t be afraid. Fuck fear! Be brash, be bold, and project from your heart. So, there you go, advice for the newcomers: ‘Welcome, I’ve been waiting.’
TOUR DATES
09/11 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
09/12 – Utopia, TX @ UTOPiAfest
09/13 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
09/14 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
09/17 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
09/18 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
09/19 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
09/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
09/21 – Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s
10/01 – El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace
10/02 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
10/03 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
10/04 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
10/05 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House
10/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ School Night at Bardot
10/08 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
10/10 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
10/12 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/15 – Missoula, MT @ Stage 112
10/16 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
10/17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
10/18 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10/25 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
11/05 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
11/06 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
11/07 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
11/08 – Nashville, TN @ High Watt
11/09 – Asheville, NC @ The Millroom
11/11 – Charleston, SC @ The Pour House
11/12 – Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
11/13 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
11/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ MilkBoy
11/15 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
11/19 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
11/20 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Altar Bar
11/21 – Lexington, KY @ Cosmic Charlie’s
Nikki grew up in an imitation German town in Georgia by the name of Helen. It wasn’t until middle school that she started to get interested in the arts: painting, music, and writing. She wrote in her diary, sketched in art class and listened to regretful music. By high school, her tastes became a little more refined. She found Fiona Apple, Lou Reed and Giant Drag, and they remain her favorites in college. She was accepted to the University of Georgia in 2012 and is currently majoring in English. Upon moving to Athens from a town with more trees than people, Nikki was a bit overwhelmed. However, there is certainly no lack of inspiration in Athens, and she appreciates its love for the arts and its service as a platform.