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The Aaron Clift Experiment

Interviewed by Gary Hill
Interview with Aaron Clift (of The Aaron Clift Experiment) from 2014
MSJ:

It’s been a year or so since we chatted. What’s been new in the world of The Aaron Clift Experiment?

So much has happened in the last year: our new guitarist, Eric Gutierrez, joined us in September 2013 and has been a huge boost to the band.  He’s brought a heavier edge to the guitar sound, and brings huge chops in songwriting and arranging.

Early this year, we began writing songs for our second album.  We’re about 2/3 of the way done with the songwriting right now and expect to be finished by the end of the year.  I’ve been keeping a blog at our web site which documents the songwriting process of the individual songs.

MSJ: What's ahead for you?
We plan to record our second album in January 2015 and release it in summer 2015.  We’re running a Kickstarter campaign from September 15th to October 14th to raise the funds to record the album.  The campaign is live at www.aaronclift.com/kickstarter, and we really encourage everyone to go there and contribute.  We have some really awesome rewards for those who contribute, and any contribution helps.

Beyond the release of our second album, we’re looking to plan some tours through the U.S. and Europe.  We can’t wait to share the new songs with the whole world! 

MSJ: What was the last CD you bought and/or what have you been listening to lately?
The newest album I bought was Pale Communion by Opeth.  I’ve been listening to that one a fair amount.  In the last month, I’ve also been listening a lot to Dio.  Ronnie Jame Dio always gets a lot of well-deserved attention for his powerhouse vocals, but I feel like his band is seriously underrated.  I’m really impressed with the musicianship of all of his band mates.
MSJ: Have you read any good books lately?
When I was on vacation in Boston earlier this year, I visited the Harvard Coop, one of my favorite hangouts from my college years at Tufts University.  I was browsing the bookshelves and saw a book with an interesting title: “Why Nations Fail.”  Being a former international relations major (before I switched to music and Spanish) and avid news junky, I was very interested in learning more about the subject of why some countries are wealthy while others aren’t.  So, I bought the book and ended up reading it non-stop over the course of the trip.  It was definitely an eye-opening read and made me think a lot about how much I take for granted living in the United States.
MSJ: What about the last concert you attended for your enjoyment?
Last week, I attended an album release party for my friend, Violinda.  She’s a one-woman orchestra and a real powerful force in concert: she plays violin and uses a variety of electronic gadgets to loop her playing and create a gigantic sound.  I highly recommend her music to fans of classic, experimental, and progressive music.
MSJ: Are there any closing thoughts you would like to get out there?
We encourage everyone to please visit our second album Kickstarter campaign at www.aaronclift.com/kickstarter and contribute.  We can’t reach our goal without you!

 

MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
 
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