Ash Muses On Working With Indie Producer Aaron Ruse, The Nature of Hope and Inspirational Brownies
We recently caught up with Ash at HUSH lounge in Ventura, California to get his take on working with Chicago based Producer/Engineer Aaron Ruse.
NEWS:
What made you decide to work with Aaron?
ASH:
Well, we had a short list of producers we wanted to collaborate with and Aaron’s name was at the top of the list. We are quite honored to be working with a guy of his pedigree. He is Mohammed Ali, the Dali Lama and your mother all rolled into one. This guy maintains a zen-like state while kicking your ass into next week and he’s baking you brownies while he’s doing it. He’s quite a phenom.
NEWS:
Were the brownies of a, how shall we say, “inspirational” nature?
ASH:
(Cackles loudly) Let’s just say that Aaron’s talent is inspiration enough.
NEWS:
We heard through the grapevine that you were scheduled to meet Aaron in a hotel bar to discuss the possibility of collaboration and that you ended up recording right there, on the spot!
ASH:
There is some truth to that. We ended up taking over the entire third floor of the historic Biltmore Hotel in downtown L.A., however, nothing from that session is on the record.
NEWS:
How would you compare working with Aaron on the Give Away Your Hearts record to the last project you recorded.
ASH:
Let me tell you, the last producer to which I was chained was a self-aggrandizing, ego-maniacal fiend from the depths of Hades and I would just as soon chew off my own arm than to ever work with that @$$hole again. Aaron was Mother Theresa by comparison.
NEWS:
Didn’t you self-produce the last project?
ASH:
Precisely.
Look, seriously, collaborating with Aaron is akin to dropping the kids off at Grandma’s house. You know that he is gonna care for your musical babies like his life depends on it and they may even get treated to a little extra inspiration from the kitchen. You just hope that by the time he’s done they want to get back in the car with you.
Speaking of kids, his daughter is heartbreak on a stick. She is the loveliest little angel and Aaron better carry a big stick when she gets older. She certainly should not be allowed to hang around guys like us.
NEWS:
That brings me to my next question: There is talk circulating that this project is a bit darker than previous records you’ve made and we are wondering what kind of themes you might be exploring this time around?
ASH:
Are you referring to Joel’s Blue Shade Witness project or the 11th Hour Band?
NEWS:
Both, actually.
ASH:
Yeah, Give Away Your Hearts certainly occupies a different head-space than other bands we’ve been in and both the music and lyrics really reflect that.
There is a certain ideal that can be painted in broad-stroke but the clarity fades upon closer inspection. This project is broad in ambition but rather nuanced in terms of the subjects it explores. To put it another way, false hope can only take you so far and this is the sound of it’s dying gasp...
(Ash pauses for a moment then breaks into self-conscious laughter.)
I wonder if I could sound any more morose or any more obtuse? This record is about letting your illusions die in order to make way for a hope that is rooted in reality. Do you suppose that’s a bit more clear?
NEWS:
Thank you for your time, Ash and good luck with the new record! We look forward to talking again.
ASH:
The pleasure and inspiration are all mine.
Monday, March 3, 2008
