We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Dooley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Aaron, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

For me, I don’t think it is a matter of having started sooner, but I wish I had taken it more seriously at an earlier age. Spread my wings sooner and get out of my comfort zone. Developed a musical discipline sooner. I was misguided in my approach for years and I think it hindered my progress. Can’t wallow in regret, though. Gotta keep my eyes on the future and live in the present.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hmmmmm, when did it begin? I like to think I’ve always been passionate about music, be it playing it, understanding it, or learning about the folks who make it. But it was probably a couple years into the existence of my old band, Gay Neighbors, that I started to feel that playing and recording music was my calling; probably around 2015. I really wanted to crack the code and figure out how to sustain myself as a musician.

It wasn’t until 2020 that I finally released my first album ‘Dooley Noted’ and a bunch of stuff started to click. How to approach writers. How to book a show. How to make folks give a damn about the music. I’ve applied the knowledge to my own music and the bands I’m involved with, and I’d be happy to pass the knowledge onto those who are trying to figure it out.

I like to think it’s all paying off. I just released my newest album ‘The International Disassociation of:’ on vinyl thank to Centripetal Force Records, and on cassette through Island House Recordings. In support of the album, me and my band just got back from a two week tour of the East Coast and Midwest. I’m proud to say that I put the whole thing together. It was one hell of an undertaking, and I obviously couldn’t have done it without the help of friends near and far, but it does feel like all the skills I’ve learned through the years have been utilized and put to the test.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2017, I booked my first tour with Gay Neighbors. Aside from being somewhat of a half-assed tour run, I don’t think me and the mates were fully ready for what is involved in touring as a band. To top it off, the touring van I bought completely bit the dust somewhere in Indiana. It was pretty defeating.

The band dissolved shortly after that, and everyone kinda went a bunch of different ways. On top of that, my life was a bummer for a lot of reasons at that time. I wasn’t feeling too good about the future. I had to do a lot of reevaluating of my life.

Flashforward to a year later, I decide to make the move out to Colorado to seriously pursue music. In the five years since coming to Denver, there is much I’ve learned about myself and the bigger picture, putting the knowledge to good use. I like to think it’s paying off.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

That’s a tough one. There’s a lot folks have to do in this age of commodified art. For one, support your creative friends. your favorite artists more than likely started from the bottom, and it was more than likely the support from their friends that kept them going when things seemed pointless.

Steaming needs to be revamped entirely. Masses of people, both creatives and consumers (who are likely unaware and apathetic of the creative process) gotta dump their Spotify accounts. Instant access has devalued art in staggering ways over the last 10 years. Bandcamp, THE bastion for independent music, is going belly-up, having just laid-off 50% of their staff. Things are feeling grim for labels and artists without a major distribution partner. Independent music journalism is slowly vanishing. People have to care about the music.

Basically, if someone’s creative work, the manifestation of their soul and/or psyche, is enriching your life in someway: SUPPORT THEIR WORK. Buy their albums and merch. Go to shows. Turn your friends onto their work. Seriously, independent artists truly appreciate it and rely on fan support to continue. I owe it all to the love of others.

Contact Info:

• Website: aarondooleymusic.com
• Instagram: @aarondooleymusic
• Twitter: @Aye_Doolz
• Youtube: @aarondooleymusic
• Other: Bandcamp: http://aarondooley.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Album cover of ‘The International Disassociation of:’ by Joshua Barnett Album cover of ‘Totem Pocket’ by Traukuu Photo of me playing fretless bass by Michael Mayer All other photos by Ian Singh, Christopher Bruno