R: It’s been since 2002 since you released “Cheer Up”, and you are guys are back with “We’re Not Happy ‘Til You’re Not Happy’”. Since the last record, what would you say in what ways you have grown as a musician?
AB: Um… I don’t know, I think I have figured out what works and what doesn’t, and what sounds good to the human ear. And I kind of figured out what I do best now, because we were kind of searching on “Cheer Up” and I think we are moving in the right direction now
R: Do you have a favorite track on the record?
AB: I don’t know I like them all. I think it came out really good. I like “Revolution” a lot. That was my favorite, but it keeps changing. [laughs]
R: You guys put a couple of covers on your album, and one of them happens to be your first single, a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Talkin’ about a Revolution”. When it comes to covers, Do one of you guys come up to the rest and said “Hey we have to do this song” or did you decide as a whole to do a cover?
AB: It’s all my decision. Everything that happens, I am the dictator of the band. [Laughs] But I don’t know. I come up with a song, and if it seems to make sense to me, I don’t know how to explain it. I just hear the song and it makes sense to me and I’m like “Oh! Let’s do that one!”
R: So you are like “I like this song, let’s do it!”
AB: Yeah!
R: Any bands influenced you while writing this record?
AB: I don’t know, I just to listen to lots and lots of music, so I don’t know who really influenced this one, I just listen to whole lotta music! [Laughs]
R: Any new bands or New Cds out there that you are diggin’?
AB: I just got the new Hot Hot Heat CD today and it’s sooo good.
R: I Heard that CD is really good.
AB: Like, the first half is really good, towards the end it’s starts getting a little old, but there are some really good songs on there. It’s awesome.
R: Tour life: do you like it? What the hardest thing for you when it comes to that time of living on the road?
AB: Hardest thing on the road is when the other members of the band don’t shower and they just get smellier and smellier, and it’s DISGUSTING.
R: Yeah, that can be pretty bad.
AB: [makes sick face] bleeeeeeeeeeeeeh
R: Any Rituals before going on stage?
AB: Not really, I think we should do something, something to bring us all together. We all just kinda wander up on to the stage and pick up our instruments. We don’t do a prayer or anything. Like, uh, yeah… [Laughs]
R: Aaron, first of all, congratulations on getting married.
AB: Thank you.
R: Now that you are married, do you find it harder to balance a married life and touring?
AB: It’s hard to go away. It’s hard on the wife when I’m gone. Because you are living life together and everything is cool and all of sudden, you’re gone. And she’s still there doing the same thing you’ve been doing but you are not there. It’s harder because I’m gone and I go somewhere and I’m like doing something and I’m working my way around the country, and it feels like I’m doing something, but she’s just waiting for me to come back. So it’s hard. And she gets mad at me and we get into fights [Laughs]
R: Any career goals you still want to accomplish? Anything you still want to do?
AB: Yeah, I still want to become famous someday and rich! [Laughs] And have a really successful album. But you know, to keep going would be good, making a living doing this.
R: I was talking to some of the fans and they were wondering through out your years in Reel Big Fish, how you fan base just exploded and became very diverse, how do you feel about that?
AB: That’s great. I’m glad it’s not like one type of person. I’m glad we get new fans all the time like younger fans. Instead of that one crop of fans and they all get old and get over it. Some bands have that crazy, obsessed cult following that it’s like the same people from 20 years ago, and that’s like scary me. I’m glad we get new fans, win over people. But we still got those old crazies. But I don’t know, I’m happy that anybody comes to our shows. [Laughs]
R: What are your plans for the rest of 2005?
AB: We are just going to tour….alot. Everywhere, all over the world. Play the new songs and push the album.
R: If there ever comes a time where, God forbid, it’s time to put down the guitar, when the battle is won, what do you want your fans to remember you by?
AB: Uhhhhhhhhhhh I don’t know! That’s a good question! [Laughs] Probably nothing I’ve done so far, so I got to come up with something really good! [Laughs] I want no one to forget me! Just don’t forget me! Remember I was here! And that I said the F-Word a lot….
By Jamie Rocha