AWOLNATION began as a creative outlet for songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Aaron Bruno, six years ago when Red Bull gave him free run of their studio in Venice Beach.
Bruno recorded a few songs in the studio and ultimately signed with the label, calling it a “partnership.” With Red Bull, Bruno was allowed to make the recordings he wanted.
Bruno had previously worked with bands, most notably, Home Town Hero and Under the Influence of Giants, and felt at this point in his career he needed a break from the collaborative process and hoped to find a place for some of his more experimental tracks.
With AWOLNATION, Bruno built a “creative free-for-all,” that allowed him to mix genres in a style reminiscent of Beck, blending live instruments, MPCs, Synth, and other electronic elements, to create an electro-pop hybrid that draws from every facet of pop music.
In 2011, AWOLNATION made its full-length debut, releasing “Megalithic Symphony” on Red Bull Records. The album went platinum in the United States and double platinum in Canada, largely on the strength of the hit single, “Sail.”
The following year, the EP “I’ve Been Dreaming” was released, and in January, the group dropped “Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf),” the first single from their sophomore album, “Run,” which was released later that spring.
Since then, the band has been preparing for a fairly monolithic tour in support of Run. SantaCruz.com was able to chat with Aaron Bruno before their show at The Catalyst Club on June 2nd.
You are currently on a 62-show tour in support of your latest album, “Run,” that will take you from Portland to San Diego, via a few countries in between in a little over four months. Will this be your longest tour? Any tried and tested methods of keeping yourself sane on the road?
BRUNO: I think the last trip we went on was a little longer, and as for staying sane it certainly helps to have a whole new record to play live. We all feel pretty fresh right now, although I can’t imagine what it will feel like come December. We are just looking forward to being able to relax on this one a little more. When we were touring the first record we had a lot of real serious busy work, making sure we were getting our name out there and capitalizing on every opportunity we had. We still have plenty of work to do on this one, but we will have more time to enjoy ourselves this time around.
You enjoyed success as a musician and songwriter with other groups before the single “Sail” from your first album, “Megalithic Symphony”, took off. Did any of that prepare you for the pandemonium that came with a track going six times platinum in the U.S., garnering multi-platinum certifications around the globe and also breaking the record for the most weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by an independent artist?
The projects and bands I was with before certainly made me ready. I think of my career before this as the longest rehearsal in the history of time. So when everything started to happen, I felt comfortable, and more importantly, prepared. Even though I had no commercial success before AWOLNATION, I always took a lot of pride in a live show. We got the best we could be at our craft. When we began booking a lot of big concerts, I was confident we would have a devastating live show.
Your new album, “Run,” was just released via Red Bull Records, whom you have been working with since the beginning of AWOLNATION. As an artist who has worked with traditional record labels in the past, how has it been working with a new wave music label like Red Bull?
BRUNO: As far as working with Red Bull, they didn’t know what they were doing at all in the beginning, so it was great. They had a little bit of success with one band overseas. But they did not have success abiding by any formula they wanted to stick to. We made decisions on instinct. I give a lot of credit to my manager, Berko Pearce for that.
Did the success of “Megalithic Symphony” open up new doors and connections for you as you began to work on “Run”?
BRUNO: I’ve kept the same people around me recording and music wise since the beginning, but I have bonded with the other musicians. Legends and people I’ve looked up to a lot throughout my life have reached out to me via friends or text message and have liked the second record, which is really awesome.
You’ve said in multiple interviews the name AWOLNATION comes from the military term “AWOL” (Absent With Out Leave), which was your nickname in high school, as you would disappear from social interactions without saying goodbye because “it was easier.” Has this changed since the band has become more successful? Do people at industry parties ever say, “Where did Aaron go?”
BRUNO: Of course, nothing’s changed. Luckily I’ve been able to do a good job of remaining relatively faceless despite the fame of the band. You won’t see me on a lot of red carpets.
Info: AWOLNATION plays The Catalyst on Tuesday, June 2. Tickets: $25-$100/$28
