Aaron Gillespie Interview, The Almost Interview, The Almost 2013, Jesusfreakhideout.com Interview

On the heels of their summer release, Fear Inside Our Bones, The Almost's Aaron Gillespie took a moment to chat with Jesusfreakhideout.com's Michael Weaver before The Almost's show at the Granada in Lawrence, Kansas...
This interview took place on: July 22, 2013.

JFH (Michael Weaver): How excited are you about the release of Fear Inside Our Bones?

Aaron Gillespie: Man, I love it. I think it's one my favorite things I've ever done. I think it's real and kind of an honest interpretation of where we are at the time. So, I'm stoked on it, man!

JFH (Michael): Cool. I definitely enjoyed it. Going to the opposite end of the spectrum in talking about that album… How disappointing was that two month delay in the release?

Aaron: Uh, you know… Labels have their things these days; it's a different world these days. Labels merge, they have issues, stuff happens, and you kinda end up in that position and there's not really much you can do about it. Unless you go ahead and put it out and then you get in trouble. You know, because they're not ready so you're gonna suffer. Either way you suffer so it's better to suffer and keep them happy.

JFH (Michael): Yeah. Was that delay solely because of the restructure they were working through?

Aaron: That's it.

JFH (Michael): Gotcha, but it's out now and I think everyone is happy.

Aaron: *Laughing* It is. It is. We made it.

JFH (Michael): To me, personally listening to it, I thought this record had more of a raw feel than Monster, Monster and was a little more southern sounding in the influence. Is there any particular place that came from or was that just what organically came out?

Aaron: Well, we recorded it live and made it what we wanted it to be, you know. There was no going like, "Let's do it this way" or "Let's do it that way." We just did what we wanted to do and it just came out like that. So, yeah.

JFH (Michael): That's cool. So you recorded the whole thing live?

Aaron: Yeah we did it in five days.

JFH (Michael): There's not a lot of people doing that stuff anymore, but I like that sound though.

Aaron: Yeah. It was a wild thought, man.

JFH (Michael): The receptions on it so far… How's that been?

Aaron: It's good, man. Really good. It's the first record I've ever made with either band I've ever been in that hasn't gotten negative reviews.

JFH (Michael): That always has to be encouraging.

Aaron: Yeah, man. It's been really good.

JFH (Michael): As a fellow Florida native, "The Florida Sun" stood out to me quite a bit. It seemed like it was a very open and honest look at your life and career thus far. What was your inspiration? What were you thinking when you wrote that song?

Aaron: Man, it's exactly that. It's kinda like a retrospective of my career and growing up in Florida and my life, you know. I think that when we get caught in music people really, really do respect it and kinda find sanctity and solidarity there. So, yeah…

JFH (Michael): Cool. It seems like everyone writes songs about California and New York so it's good to see someone repping Florida for once.

Aaron: *Laughing* Yeah, there you go.

JFH (Michael): Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy" was kind of an interesting choice to me. What prompted that particular cover?

Aaron: Our producer was really really really, at the time, really into 70's style music. He was like, "Do you remember the Golden Girls guy?" and I was like, "Yeah". He said, "I picked up this song that I want you guys to hear." We just got so into, man. So, yeah…

JFH (Michael): Was there any significance to the changes in the years, or was that trying to make it a bit more modern?

Aaron: I just made it more modern. You know, it wouldn't make sense for me to sing 1950… *Laughs*

JFH (Michael): *Laughing* Exactly. Exactly. Looking over things it seems The Almost was started kind of as a side project while you were still in Underoath. Was it ever a thought, or your intention, at all for this band to become what they have from a success standpoint?

Aaron: Not at all, man. It was really not even a side project; it was just like an outlet for me, you know. It just turned in to what it is and I'm really proud of it, man. I really am.

JFH (Michael): That's cool. You have a pretty busy tour schedule coming up in the summer… Anything going on in the second half of the year?

Aaron: Yeah, we've got a big headliner in the fall. I can't talk too much about it yet, but yeah.

JFH (Michael): You're not making any trips home on this tour, do you think you might make it back in the fall?

Aaron: We're out with Relient K right now; it's actually over in two days and there's no Florida dates on it. There was one and it was a Jacksonville date. That was it.

JFH (Michael): OK. Moving past The Almost a little bit… Can we expect any more of your solo stuff? Any of that worship material?

Aaron: Yeah. I'm making a record in October. I'm not really sure on the release yet, but we're going into the studio in October. So, yeah.

JFH (Michael): That's cool. I actually enjoyed it. I do worship at my church and we've actually done several songs off that album.

Aaron: Oh, that's cool. Thanks, guys.

JFH (Michael): To me, personally, it was something a little more different than the typical worship [music] that's being put out.

Aaron: Yeah. Thanks, man. Thank you.

JFH (Michael): You are pretty accomplished as a drummer, I'd say, but lately you've been playing a lot more guitar, and obviously singing. From a musical standpoint do you prefer the drums, guitar, or do you like having the opportunity to mix everything up?