10 Quick Ones with AESTHETIC PERFECTION – January 2018

According to a recent press release: “100% independent industrial pop act Aesthetic Perfection has taken the N*SYNC hit single “Bye Bye Bye” from bubblegum pop to sensually tense, dark electronic ballad, pairing minimal synths and brightly expressive vocal styling for a deeply morose aural experience. “Bye Bye Bye” is the first single off of Aesthetic Perfection’s upcoming EP, Ebb and Flow, due out February 2, 2018.”  We get answers to our 10 Quick Ones about new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

I like for my songs to sound minimal on the surface, but for repeat listens to reveal their true depth. I try to sprinkle in a lot of little elements for flavor. Ebb and Flow has a lot of that in regards to the percussion and vocal accents that drive the groove forward. Sometimes I throw Easter Eggs in but if I told you where to look it wouldn’t be much fun!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I knew music was my true calling when I heard “Broken” by Nine Inch Nails for the first time. I must have been 12 or 13 and it blew my mind. I’d never heard anything like it. It was aggressive yet melodic, gritty yet yet the production was clean. It was everything I’d been searching for up to that point. I was like “this is what I want to do forever!”

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Dave Matthews’ Band, Michael Jackson and Queen.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

I’d like to collaborate with producers who understand what it is I’m trying to achieve with the industrial pop movement. It’s really hard to bring people on board with new ideas, so I’d love for someone to see its potential and help me drive it forward in a way I can’t do alone. Producers I personally admire are Diplo, Max Martin, Dave Ogilvie and Rick Rubin. All these guys have eclectic resume’s and understand the true meaning of “vision”.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

I’m not sure how it appears to people on the outside, but I envision Aesthetic Perfection as being “Nine Inch Nails meets Michael Jackson”.

6. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Not sure what bands you’re talking to or what tours they go on, but ain’t nobody on my tours cooking or bringing out the acoustic guitar! Every backstage I’m in is filled with a bunch of dudes on their laptops or phones mindlessly scrolling through social media. How’s that for a rockstar lifestyle?!

7. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

If I weren’t a musician I’d likely be an actor or painter or something else creative. I can’t see myself being fulfilled by anything other than the arts. The only other interest I have is philosophy. I like reading books, watching debates and listening to podcasts on philosophical subjects, but I don’t believe I have the kind of focus required for that work.

8. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

I’ve made so many mistakes throughout my career that it’s difficult to name just one. I wouldn’t take any of them back because they were instrumental in making me the man I am today (who I much prefer to the old one). Those missteps were necessary and I embrace them. One of my biggest mistakes, though, was not taking responsibility for my own success or failure. When things didn’t go well I’d blame my manager or my label or whoever else was convenient. It took a long time to realize that if I want to succeed I needed to take the reigns and be the best producer, best singer, best businessman, best everything that I can be. If something isn’t going right, what can *I* do to fix it? I see new artists make this same mistake over and over again, which is why I started my “Tone Deaf” series on YouTube. I want to help people navigate this treacherous path known as “The Music Industry”.

9. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

If I were to travel back in time and take part in the creation of my favorite records, my influence would change history and make it something else entirely. Every cog in these machines makes a difference, and I absolutely wouldn’t want to be a wrench in any of them. What I would like to be, however, is a fly on the wall for the creation of Marilyn Manson’s Antichrist Superstar or Depeche Mode’s Violator. Two very different records but two records that I feel were defined by the collective of people that made them. Antichrist wasn’t just Manson the band, it was Reznor, Dave Ogilvie and Sean Beavan. Violator wasn’t just Martin Gore like usual, the entire band contributed in ways they never had before and you had Flood at the helm. I’d love to see the processes used in the making of those records and use them to give me ideas on how to approach my own work in the future.

10. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

The best part of being a musician is the chaos and uncertainty. I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from or even if one is coming. But I get to do what I love for a living and no matter how terrifying or stressful things become, I recognize how privileged I am and I am deeply grateful for it.

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Category: Interviews