Aaron Kusterer on Rock Attitude

Aaron Kusterer had a little chat with Rock Attitude. Check the interview below

Hello Aaron! It’s a pleasure to have you! How did you first get into the rock music scene?

– Thanks for having me! I grew up on rock music. It was always around in some form. When I was a little kid, much of the music my parents had was out of the CCM world (Contemporary Christian Music) and there were a couple of really talented bands like Petra and Whiteheart that drew my attention.

As a teenager, I started working in a music store and that threw open the door to Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Winger . . . literally all the 80s rock I could get my hands on. As I got older and started working professionally as a guitarist, I started to pay more attention to the “how” of shaping a product/sound and in turn, trying to create my own.

Can you tell us about your musical influences and how they have shaped your sound?

– While the aforementioned bands definitely played a role in my upbringing, my influences take on a slightly different look. Sting, Toto, and Bryan Adams definitely have played a role over the years in one form or another. From a guitarist standpoint, I’m heavily drawn to session cats like Steve Lukather, Dann Huff, and Brent Mason. Those are guys that can come up with perfect parts that will fit a song like a glove. I’m all about that.

As for sound shaping, it goes a lot broader—from Def Leppard to Nickelback to Faith Hill. The thread that connects everyone I just mentioned (Sting all the way to Faith Hill) is polish, exceptional production, and quite often, great structure. When I hear something that catches my ear, is polished, intentional, and works extremely well . . . it draws me in. Returning to those songs/artists/players again and again over the years has taught me a ton about presentation, polish, and what can be accomplished with the right mindset. Through that process, a lot of shaping has occurred and still does.

What was the inspiration behind your latest EP?

– Cranking things up loud that excite me! Okay, not totally but that is one element for sure. From a musical standpoint, making things interesting, cool, and exciting is important. That in and of itself, is fun and inspiring for me. That is definitely the little kid in me talking like he is still 7 years old rocking out in front of the mirror. Lol If something sounds good, you’ll often want to turn it up louder (hence the name of the EP—here’s to hoping folks want to turn it up!). Beyond that, I wanted to capture a snapshot of where I was in time with writing and presentation. At the end of the day, that’s what a song/EP/album is—a snapshot in time for an artist.

How would you describe your songwriting process?

– Most of the time, I start with lyrics. I’ve started from the guitar before but I’ve found that starting with a riff/part tends to drag me more into “check out this riff I came up with!!” territory and less into song territory. Fitting lyrics around an existing riff or groove can absolutely work of course but more often, I try to start with a solid lyrical idea first and then go to the guitar or piano to sort out how it’s going to work.

I will frequently adjust lyrics as a song materializes to see what fits and “sounds” best for my voice and for the song. I’ve re-written entire vocal sections of a song shortly before tracking or even during because I’ve realized—“wait, this other part actually sounds better for the song.” Going through that process can be challenging and annoying but it’s how we learn and grow. It’s also why we do demos and that’s something I firmly believe in. Shake it out in the demo and see if it will work!

Are there any specific themes or messages that you try to convey through your music?

– I generally write about things that are really meaningful to me. I’m also drawn to write about things that I feel many people experience but don’t necessarily want to talk about or even acknowledge at times. Sometimes it’s hard to articulate a feeling and so I find it interesting and unique to try to tackle things that are more elusive.

How do you feel your sound has evolved over the years?

– I think it’s something that’s happened very slowly. As I mentioned before, I often love things that are extremely polished and slick. But, as a younger person, it can be hard to recognize what drives that and furthermore, understand that it doesn’t happen by accident.

Everything revolves around the song and often, the song will tell you what it needs. As a result, when focusing on the song—it starts to really influence the overall sound. As I’ve gotten older, I care way more about the song than I ever used to and so I try to write from that and work with the sound that I feel best represents both me as an artist and the song. Coming into that has taken a long time and it’s still a work in progress.

Can you talk about any memorable experiences you’ve had while performing live?

– Sure! It would have to be playing with Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck). At the time, I was working in the United States Air Force Band and we did a show together. It was so cool to be able to play with her! Trading solos with someone of her caliber is a bit like being a passenger in a racecar. You just hold on and pray that you don’t puke/mess things up. Wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re excited about?

– Well, I have several singles that I’m going to release later in the spring. I’m working with Zak St. John (drummer for the EP) and I’m super stoked to hear what he does with them. I just finished up the demos and we are tracking here in a few weeks.

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?

– First off, I hope they enjoy it and find something that they wish to come back to again and again. Second, I hope that it speaks to those that may have a rough time articulating their feelings. Particularly in relationships. For folks that really work hard to stick it out in their relationships, those specific emotions can get rather complex and it’s hard to sort through them. I hope these songs speak to those people so they know they aren’t alone.

How do you handle criticism or negative feedback as an artist?

– It can be hard at times. Artists spend a ton of time and effort in making their songs only to have them obliterated by someone who very likely hasn’t every recorded a thing—only critiqued them. Now, it is important to consider the source and intent—good or bad. There is feedback that while challenging to hear can ultimately help build you/your song into something better. Having a good filter is extremely important. That said, at the end of the day, it’s your art and your record (John Cuniberti told me this—mastering engineer). Make your mark and create. Those that have something to say about it can make their own record the way they want to . . . and guess what, most can’t or never will.

Can you share any advice for aspiring musicians trying to break into the rock music industry?

– A strong work ethic is vital. Be reliable, be on time, play/perform well, and check the attitude at the door. If you’re going after the working musician thing, then play, play, play a lot—and many styles too. Come prepared and be sure to look the part for the gig, within reason. If you’re after the artist side, finish and release your songs. And then keep working on more. Keep refining, keep adjusting, and keep learning. Try to experiment. And definitely don’t constrain yourself to one thing/style. You never know what you might run across.

OFFICIAL LINKS
Linktree (all links including streaming): https://linktr.ee/aaronkusterer
Website: https://aaronkusterer.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkusterer/
Public Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaronkusterer1