We recently connected with Aaron ‘AC’ Capers and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Aaron ‘AC’ thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
In a way yes, I have been able to make a living from my creative work. Not the way you would imagine, I wish I could say it was from royalties (however that did happen by way of commercial work), I earned most from the experiences I’ve gained as a marching percussionist. These experiences would lend itself to me teaching drum lines all across the DFW, and with my continuously growing experience playing drumset, it made working in Drum Retail that much easier. I no longer work in retail, and teach primarily which is great and rejuvenating to my spirt. The very thing I get the privilege to do at nights, I have the honor of teaching during the day. I can’t imagine me paving a different path for myself, but I suppose if I could do it all over again I suppose I would tell myself to focus more on taking control of my own schedule much earlier in life.
Aaron ‘AC’, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Aaron ‘AC’ Capers, and I’m a local musician who specializes in the Percussive Arts. I’m the son of a bass guitarist (Joseph Capers), and a vocalist (Gayla Capers). My background in the marching arts as a performer stems from the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corp (2008), and as a teacher of the Revolution Drum & Bugle Corp from 2009-2011. I’ve also marched WGI with Surround Sound Percussion from 2005-2008. I departed from the professional marching side of things and taught at a bevy of different high schools programs around the DFW metroplex and served as a performer with the Dallas Mavericks Drumline, Cowboys R&B Drumline, The Cutting Edge Haunted House Performing Groups as a member of Dynamic Rhythm Entertainment, as well as the FC Dallas Drumline. I also drum in a couple of different local bands like Loyal Sally, The Effinays, Further North, King Booty Disco, and the W/ No Name Project, as well as a freelancer for those in need of a live drumming and/or percussionist. Teaching kids to do what I currently do is a passion, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to teach “Life Studies through the Art of Percussion”.
If you are interested, or know somebody that might be interested in taking lessons, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Just visit: ACthatDrummer.net or follow me on the social media’s at @ACthatDrummer
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
Yes and No. Growing up the common thought about drums is that they’re just loud and rather unmusical. I do have a goal, in the sense of changing that ideology for the untrained listener. So much so, that anybody that has a chance to hear me play wont think of me as purely making noise, but instead as an added musical tool to help push the narrative and story the band is attempting to portray for you throughout the duration of the song.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Not sure if it’s a matter of resilience, but I certainly tell you about a young man who made decision to drop out of college and stepped into life on his own. He went from living out of his car, and couch surfing, to taking odd jobs and enough Drumline gigs to pay for his first apartment. Taking enough small gigs ultimately turned itself into larger and larger gigs. That young man now writes this story from the luxury of his living room, in his house.
Hard work, punctuality, attention to detail, and being personable will get you very far. Or at least it’s worked for me this far. Stay tuned to see how this turns out!
Contact Info:
- Website: ACthatDrummer.net
- Instagram: @ACthatDrummer
- Facebook: Aaron ‘AC’ Capers
- Twitter: @ACthatDrummer