Aaron Lee Tasjan is one of those artists that your favorite artists gush over. A masterful songsmith, able to traverse genres and styles with ease, he’s also an empowering voice in the LGBTQ community and activist who uses his voice to create safe spaces for those who have felt like outsiders in their communities.
On his latest album Stellar Evolution, Tasjan mines his own past struggles as well as stories of those who have faced the bigotry that remains rampant in parts of America, for songs that still manage to be as catchy as some pop songs you would hear on the radio or a Top 40 playlist. Now on tour and coming to Los Angeles’ Moroccan Lounge on May 14th, Tasjan took some time to discuss his new album and tour.
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The Indy Review: I really enjoyed your new album and the diversity of sounds you explore while still keeping the themes and narratives cohesive. How has the response been, and have any reactions to it been surprising to you?
Aaron Lee Tasjan: My favorite thing so far, has been the families that have come out to the shows. It’s been so heartwarming to see this music having a cross-generational effect on people. It’s also been really great to see that the parents of young queer folks are finding that they are able to bond with their kids via the Stellar Evolution album and tour!
IR: Stellar Evolution deals with some very dark and personal subjects (drug use, homophobia), but often with upbeat, pop-leaning melodies (“Cry till You’re Laughing” sounds like a lost Beatles song). Was this juxtaposition something you sought from the beginning, or did the songs develop from a more somber/melancholic direction?
ALT: Thats a balance I’ve always struck in my music. Journalists and listeners alike seem to recognize this juxtaposition each time I release new music. But it’s something I’ve always done. I think it’s bc I was so captured by melodies and harmony from a young age. Lyrically, you can’t deny the heaviness of the times we’re in. There is so much dehumanization happening all over the world. One thing about dark times though that I feel is often overlooked is that people still experience joy during those periods. And my music always reflects the complicated nature of humanity in that it’s showing what is joyful, funny, heartbreaking and transformative to me all in the same song.
IR: Have you found any of these songs to be emotionally hard for you to perform live, due to their subject matter and closeness to you?
ALT: “Nightmare” is challenging from show to show. I tell a lot of stories about my songs both to give context and I’ve found that my audience enjoys hearing what inspired me to write the song while they find their own meaning in it. Sometimes, I can’t find it in me to tell the story around that song each night. But I do play it at every show. It seems to be a song that is deeply resonating with folks.
IR: Because Stellar Evolution has such an expansive pallet to it, was it hard to find a touring band that could recreate the songs properly for a live setting?
ALT: Yes! But we did it! This current lineup of my band is special. We’ve got Ramblin Rob Heath on drums, Erica Blinn on guitar/keys, and Jeff Ratner on bass. Everyone is singing their butts off and the harmonies and playing is bananas. I’ve been very fortunate to work with Mark Miller (front of house engineer) for the last 6 years. He really gets into the records and helps us get a lot of those sounds live. I never go for an exact recreation of the studio takes in concert bc to me concerts are special and need to have their own unique vibe every night. But I can tell you for sure, we are pulling off this album live in a very cool way that will definitely please anyone who’s hoping it will sound a bit like the album.
IR: Your current tour does not include the south, where you’re from. With songs like the powerful “Nightmare” (My favorite on the album) and “Horror of it All”, that are clearly inspired by growing up bi-sexual/queer in the south, would you have any apprehension playing tracks like those in that potentially hostile environment?
ALT: We actually have played a few shows in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee on the first leg of this tour. I have LOVED seeing all the queer and Trans folks at those gigs. It really warms my heart as a queer person myself to see in real time the community I’ve built and continue to build around this music. I couldn’t imagine dimming my light in any way on this album, particularly in spaces where I feel like people need it the most which includes the South. There are a lot of us folks who live in the South. If you look at the actual statistics for how many people identify as bisexual but aren’t out bc it isn’t always safe or easy, there might be more of us than there are straight people down there! That’s why bi, queer and Trans representation is so important to me. Our community needs and deserves its heroes and touchstones.
IR: I thought “I Love America Better Than You” was hilarious and poignant. If you get the chance to tour abroad for this album, how do you think audiences overseas would interpret the song?
ALT: Love this question. I really think they’re gonna love it. When I first went over to Holland, it was 2006. So many people were asking me about how we came to have George Bush as the president. They follow our news and stories it seems and seem to appreciate it one they encounter one of us who has thought about all of this for more than 2 seconds.
IR: On the 14th, you’re playing my home city Los Angeles at the Moroccan Lounge. How have your experiences playing in L.A. been in the past?
ALT: I’ve had some magical times in Los Angeles for sure. Headlining the Troubadour on the Silver Tears tour. I played the Wiltern once and during the show me and Patty Griffin sang a Tom Petty song together and then I played a solo version of my song “12 Bar Blues” and got a very nice compliment about it from Joan Baez afterwards!
My first band, Semi Precious Weapons used to play Safari Sam’s and had some wild times over there. We also did the Key Club once with Steel Panther. Shew, it’s been some times! Very excited for the Moroccan show. It’s a really small place and I haven’t played LA for years so I wanted to give that town something special. We’re gonna have some guests but you have to come to the show to find out who!
IR: “Dylan Shades” is definitely an iconic song on the album and in its imagery. Has it inspired any new merch designs for this tour?
ALT: Thank you! It’s probably my favorite song on the album. I think you may see some “Dylan” shades on the merch table at some point but we have some incredible The Drugs Did Me bucket hats and Pants sweatpants to offer up in the meantime!
IR: Anything else you would like to tease for this upcoming tour?
ALT: Our Nashville show earlier this month was beautifully reviewed by the Nashville Scene who said “When you sorely need to feel you belong somewhere, an Aaron Lee Tasjan show is a very good place to be.” That’s exactly what I want to be as a songwriter and touring artist: a community for sweet souls with good hearts who love music.
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Grab tickets to Tasjan’s Moroccan Lounge show here, or catch him on one of his other upcoming tour dates! And if you haven’t listened to Stellar Evolution yet, check it out now!
The Indy Review 