What artists have been instrumental in
influencing your artistry?
There are really too
many to count, and I'm afraid I'm gonna leave some out but... Johnny Cash, U2,
Dashboard Confessional, Keith Urban, Jars of Clay; and dcTalk was the first big
show I ever [went to].
Where do you see music going in the next
five years?
We all talk a lot
these days about the whole digital thing, which I think is relevant. But we are
kind of acting like [music’s] dead because of the digital thing and because
records don’t sell. Until the ’80s there was no SoundScan, and we all lived, so
I guess what I mean is, music will make it. I see it every day in the hearts of
kids and on their faces—in the ways they mimic their favorite bands. People
will always need music no matter what way they get it.
Do you see artists in your generation
changing the way they approach their art/career as a result of developments in
technology?
I think we all just
have to roll with it. I mean, at least we get to do what we love.
What are your plans for your music
career/artistry over the next five years?
No clue... Make an
Underoath record in a few weeks, make an Almost record this year, try to be as
honest as I can; maybe try and play some country at some point…
What do you hope to see your generation
of artists accomplish in the coming years?
Honesty, more acts
making music because of passion and love and not because it’s cool and gets you
girls and free shirts.
I never knew Johnny Cash, and I haven’t met Bono, but I wonder if Aaron Gillespie might be cut from the same mold. Raw and real. Anxious and honest. Enormous talent, inside a life that points to redemption and grace.
My friendship with Aaron can be traced back to a dead video camera battery and an evening in Detroit on last summer’s “Warped Tour.” I had heard whispers of Aaron’s story, and I decided the best way to hear it would be to schedule some time with the man himself.
Aaron and I sat outside his bus in the dark Detroit night. We jumped straight into it—his music and his story, and where it all started. Unfortunately, the battery in my camera lasted about 10 minutes (I’m not so good at journalism). I expected the conversation to end when the red light stopped flashing, but Aaron surprised me.
The rest was unofficial. It was something better. Real life. We talked about pain, hope, grace, redemption, healing. We talked about music—where it comes from and why it matters. We talked about love—the kind that looks upon a broken, anxious rock star and finds itself inside a humble husband. The story is one of healing and hope—a once-probable disaster replaced by a diamond ring for a good woman and a house full of dogs and drums in Tampa.
His song “Amazing, Because It Is” got me through last summer. It is a song that shouldn’t work on the “Warped Tour.” “Amazing” starts slow and borrows its chorus from a 240-year old hymn. There was no moment on tour that came close to seeing that song come to life every day—grace most at home where you least expect it. And then Aaron’s simple words near the close of The Almost set: “I want you to know that you’re special, that you’re beautiful. I want you to know that Jesus loves you…” Most guys would get booed off the stage, but Aaron’s earned the right to be heard. If they trust you—and if the songs are great—you can talk about anything.
Aaron Gillespie makes it easier for me to believe in God. I think it’s that he’s aware of his own need. It is the place he’s always lived, and I suppose it provides some explanation for his songs as well. If any music should ever be called Christ-like, it should certainly be honest. I’m thankful for the gifts God has given Aaron and for the way he’s using them. Like I said, I’m not much of a journalist, so my favorite part might be that I get to call the guy friend.
Jamie Tworkowski is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit movement which aims to present hope and find help for young people struggling with issues such as depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. For more info, check out
twloha.com.