Today's guest is Aaron
Boyer. Drummer from the awesome Fuzz/Stoner Rock crew – Valley Of
The Sun, who released a superb new album called Volume Rock earlier
this year.
Signed to Fuzzorama
Records (Truckfighters Record Label). Valley Of The Sun profile has
steadily been rising over the last couple of years thanks to great
albums such as Volume Rock and their acclaimed live performances.
The band are about to
head out on an European Tour with DOT LEGACY. I was given the chance
to catch up with Aaron before he travels to Europe with the band.
This is what went down....
Hi
guys. Thanks for doing this interview. Hope things are well with you
today. How is the mood in the Valley Of The Sun camp. Excited for
your forthcoming European Tour.
Aaron:
No problem, always glad to do an interview! We're excited for the
tour as well, counting down the days until we leave.
You
have a tour with Dot Legacy happening soon. What can people expect
from the tour.
Aaron:
Our last tour was all in Germany and Switzerland. So people at those
concerts were able to see the band as a 4 piece, we've recently added
a second guitar player. This tour is focused on territories outside
of GSA, so it will be the first time for these fans to see the band
as a 4 piece. As far as Dot Legacy, they're 4 French guys who jump
around like crazy on stage. I think all those who come out will have
a great night of rock and roll.
How
did the tour with Dot Legacy came about. Were you fans of their music
before arranging this tour.
Aaron:
One of the guitar players for Dot Legacy is named Arnaud. He's been
on every VotS tour, doing jobs from sound-guy, driver, and even
playing bass on one tour. I also co-own a booking agency and
backline company with him called Total Volume. We've been friends
for years but our bands have never shared the same stage, so we
wanted to rectify that situation and put a tour together with both of
our bands.
You
toured Europe already earlier this year. How was that reception to
that European Tour.
Aaron:
That tour was only in Germany and Switzerland. The reaction was
great. We've spent the most time in Germany over the years so we've
built a really solid fan-base there. It was a lot of fun, but I'm
really looking forward to hitting many more countries and cities on
this tour.
What
were your favourite moments from that European tour.
Aaron:
Towards the end of the tour we played in Frankfurt. It was a normal
show, but that night I woke myself up with a massive fart. We all
had a good laugh for about 10 minutes. It was hilarious. And that
same night, Adam our guitar player, decided it would be funny to
cover a passed out Ryan with these caramel corn puff snacks. When he
woke up he had no idea how or why he was covered with these things.
That was probably my favorite night, we were exhausted from being on
the road for 3 weeks and all a bit slap happy.
Will
you be performing dates in the USA after you return from Europe.
Aaron:
We have one concert in the USA after we get back, but that's it. The
US market is far different than the Euro market. Bands that can sell
out 500 person rooms there play to 100 people a night if they're
lucky here. It's crazy; you'll see a band travelling in a nightliner
there, but when they're in the USA they're in a shitty 20 year old
van that breaks down. If you don't have a major label behind you in
the States you are struggling.
You
released your superb new album – Volume Rock earlier this year.
Congrats on another great album.
Have you been pleased with the responses so far.
Aaron:
It's my favorite album we've put out. It's the record I've always
wanted to make with this band, I guess the third time is the charm.
It received a lot of good reviews, but we haven't played live enough
over there to really gauge the fan response. Honestly, at this point
I feel like we're constantly trying to beat our first EP, "The
Sayings of the Seers". People really loved that EP and it's a
battle to try to one up it.
Was
it an easy or harder process recording Volume Rock compared to your
previous album.
Aaron:
It was a really enjoyable experience. Our previous bass player who
was with us for years had to leave, he was offered a career promotion
that was too good to pass up. So Ryan and I decided to write and
record this album with just the two of us. We don't have the same
taste in music, but we were able to perfectly blend our tastes and
styles and make an album we both really love. Many people don't know
this, but "Sayings" was also recorded by just Ryan and I.
Did
you do anything different when recording Volume Rock.
Aaron:
We really didn't do anything differently. We worked at the same
studio with the same producer as our previous albums, so everybody
already had relationships with each other and knew everyone's work
styles. It was an enjoyable experience. The only different approach
was that the aim was to make a straight forward rock album in Valley
of the Sun style. Our last full length we tried to push some
boundaries a bit and the songs weren't as easy to catch on to, we
wanted to make this one as easy to digest as possible.
You've
hooked up with Fuzzorama Records (Truckfighters Record Label) once
again to release your new album. Why did you choose Fuzzorama
Records.
Aaron:
We've been friends with the Truckfighters guys for years now. And
we have a contract with them for multiple albums ;)
Did
you have offers from other record labels.
Aaron:
We had some licensing offers, but nothing that we felt happy with.
The music industry is a tough place, and realistically no deal is
that great anymore. I've got friends who have been on major labels,
going on massive tours and walked away penniless. When we signed the
deal with Fuzzorama we were happy with the terms. This is by no
means a job for us, it's a very expensive hobby that let's us travel
a bit and meet some awesome people.
You've
played Truckfighters a number of times over the last few years. I saw
you guys in London back in 2014 and you kicked ass. Made me a fan of
your band that very night. Was that intimidating
supporting a band such as Truckfighters who have a brilliant and well
deserved live reputation.
Or did you just focus on your own thing.
Aaron:
We've known them since 2011 when we did a USA support tour for them
that I booked. It was their first time in the States. Our music is
different as is our live show. Dango jumps higher than anyone in
VotS, but they've never had a drummer who performs as crazy as I do,
so it's cool ha-ha
You
can't let other bands intimidate you, you just have to go on stage
and own it. If anything, knowing you're playing with great live
bands drives you to up your performance.
Did
the guys provide any helpful advice during your time supporting them
and working with them over the last few years. Not a bad choice of
guys to have fighting in your corner.
Aaron:
They've been great to work with and have provided us a lot of help.
I'm happy that we've been able to have the relationship with them
that we've had.
Well
Adam thanks for doing this interview. All the best for the European
Tour. Hope you have a blast.
Before you go do you have anything to say to your fans.
Aaron:
Thanks for doing the interview! I'd like to encourage all of our
fans to come see the band this tour. We'll be taking a break after
this run and won't be back with the regularity that we have been for
the last couple of years.
Words
by Steve Howe and Aaron Boyer
Thanks to Richard at
Sheltered Life PR for arranging this interview. Thanks to Aaron for
taking the time out to talking to me. You can buy Volume Rock here.
Links
-----------2016 European Tour-----------
UK dates presented by Snuff Lane
22/9 Manchester, UK Rebellion Manchester
23/9 Bristol, UK The Mothers' Ruin
24/9 London, UK The Unicorn Camden Live
27/9 Malle, Belgium Jeugdhuis Babylon
28/9 Ghent, Belgium Muziekcentrum Kinky Star
29/9 Caen, FR La Demeurée
30/9 Nantes, FR La Scène Michelet
1/10 Paris, FR Espace B Paris
3/10 Poitiers, FR @le cluricaume cafe
4/10 Olten, CHF Le Coq d’Or
5/10 Munich, DE @ 8 Below
6/10 Berlin, DE Urban Spree
7/10 Halle, DE Rockpool eV
8/10 Chemnitz, DE @Zukunft
11/10 Cluj-Napoca, ROM @The Shelter
12/10 Bucharest, ROM Fabrika
13/10 Sofia, Bulgaria Mixtape
14/10 Larissa, GR @stage club
15/10 Athens, GR Death Disco
UK dates presented by Snuff Lane
22/9 Manchester, UK Rebellion Manchester
23/9 Bristol, UK The Mothers' Ruin
24/9 London, UK The Unicorn Camden Live
27/9 Malle, Belgium Jeugdhuis Babylon
28/9 Ghent, Belgium Muziekcentrum Kinky Star
29/9 Caen, FR La Demeurée
30/9 Nantes, FR La Scène Michelet
1/10 Paris, FR Espace B Paris
3/10 Poitiers, FR @le cluricaume cafe
4/10 Olten, CHF Le Coq d’Or
5/10 Munich, DE @ 8 Below
6/10 Berlin, DE Urban Spree
7/10 Halle, DE Rockpool eV
8/10 Chemnitz, DE @Zukunft
11/10 Cluj-Napoca, ROM @The Shelter
12/10 Bucharest, ROM Fabrika
13/10 Sofia, Bulgaria Mixtape
14/10 Larissa, GR @stage club
15/10 Athens, GR Death Disco
