The Almost: 1 on 1 with Aaron Gillespie

11th August 2011 by Esther Pinn

Esther Pinn caught up with The Almost's lead singer and guitarist, Aaron Gillespie, (above, sitting on a stool) in lead up to The Big Exo Day on September 17 where The Almost will be performing. For further information about The Almost and other Exo guests, check out The Big Exo Day website!

EP: Why did you decide to come out and play at The Big Exo Day this year?

AG: You know we always love coming out to Australia. It’s such a beautiful spot. The people are great. Whenever we get any kind of opportunity we do. So no matter what we’re doing we try to get out there as quick as possible and as much as possible. So we got the offer actually last summer and yeah we’re really really excited to be out there.

EP: You said you’ve been here a few times before?

AG: Yeah about four or five times. I used to be in a band called Underoath. We came out there a lot for that and then I’ve been out with The Almost probably four times now. So quite a bit.

EP: What do you enjoy most about performing in Australia?

AG: The people are great. They’re just really receptive of music. Especially when it’s an American band and you’re so far from home, people really kind of seem to be excited about what you’re doing. We don’t get over there very often you know.

EP: What can we expect to see from The Almost at The Big Exo Day this year?

AG: Just an honest good time. That’s the plan. So we’ll see what happens.

EP: What music will you be playing for us?

AG: Well we just started writing a new record so it will be a while before we play some of those songs.

EP: Moving on from Underoath, what motivated you to start your own band and to start writing your own music?

AG: Back in the day – I started it in 2006 – I really just wanted to kind of ... it was more musical at first. I really just wanted to play some rock songs and it was kind of my outlet to do that, it gave me an open way to do that.

EP: Do you write all your music?

AG: Yeah me and the band together.

EP: What inspires you when writing your songs?

AG: It’s like anybody else. The whole thing of life. Rock ‘n’ roll is one thing that inspires people. But for me it's Jesus and family and life and just everything around me you know. Life in general. Everything it is.

EP: Amidst touring and your busy schedule, how do you maintain and prioritise your relationship with God?

It has to be first you know. It has to be, must be, always has to be first. And whatever you have to do to make it that way that’s what you need to do you know. Whatever you have to go through, whatever you have to make it through to make it first, then that’s what you need to be doing. It’s kind of where we are right now. Just working as hard as we can to make it first, no matter what.

EP: What message would you like to communicate to young people at The Big Exo Day this year?

AG: There’s freedom. There’s freedom in the Lord, there’s freedom in his grace, in his mercy. We have to say yes you know and how often do we say yes? Not very often. It’s time to start saying yes.

EP: What do you think are some of the biggest struggles that young people face today?

AG: I think honesty is one we don’t hear a lot. Sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll you can talk about that all you want but the reality is we may have faith or may not have faith but for those who do have faith, especially in the young age group that we are speaking about, we’re not really honest about it – we don’t really mention it. We talk about what feels good, we talk about what’s popular rather than who we really are.

EP: Is that the kind of message you really try to communicate through your music?

AG: Yeah. If you know the Lord, be honest about it. I don’t know why we’re not but we’re not. It’s time to be honest about it.

EP: How do you think music can continue to encourage young people to continue their walk with God?

AG: I think everybody likes music in general. Everyone listens to it but everyone’s involved in it. It’s a wonderful, amazing, magical avenue for people to find out the Lord. We need to start using it for that.

EP: What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words “The Salvation Army”?

AG: Thriftstore (aka charity store). But I actually don’t know much about it. I’ve seen it as church but I don’t know much about it to be honest which is really interesting.

EP: I understand you will also be performing at The Salvation Army Youth Councils performing your solo worship album. What we can expect to see from you there?

AG: Yeah just basically coming out and leading worship. It’s different everyday. We just go and lead worship wherever God tells us to. So I’m not totally sure but we’re going to come out and lead worship and see what we get. I kind of just believe in getting out of the way and seeing what God wants to do. It’s kind of where we’re out. The past couple of months we’ve seen a couple thousand people come to know Jesus on the road and I just want to glorify him and get in and move out of the way.

EP: Why do you choose to perform both rock ‘n’ roll and worship?

AG: I got my start as a musician leading worship and it was always something that I knew I was supposed to do and that’s kind of the reason behind that. It’s just something I feel especially in the last few months, for the last couple of years actually. But I think rock ‘n’ roll music has a place too. For right now I feel like I'm supposed to be doing both things and so I am.

EP: What role do you think rock ‘n’ roll plays in Christian music?

AG: You know I think as long as the end goal is Christ... as long as everything is about Christ. It always has been, it always will be but I don’t think we always realise that all the time as musicians. We think it’s about us. You know it’s always been about Jesus and if we keep him number one I don’t think it matters what kind of music. People really gravitate towards music and I think as we’re honest about our faith in our lives and everyone is kind of fighting towards the end goal, Christ always needs to be the end goal – the first and the last.

EP: What will we be seeing from "The Almost" over the next 12 months?

AG: We’re going to make our record at the beginning of next year. So we’re pretty excited about that.

EP: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat and we looking forward to hearing you guys at Exo.

AG: Thank you. Take care.

Comments

Jarrod Newton

August 13, 2011 at 10:23pm

Can't wait for Big Exo Day 2011! The massive Salvo Op Shop is back bigger and better this year, make sure you don't miss out!

Reply