Aaron Orbit

In a video that takes him across the desert and into the deepest depths of the ocean, Aaron’s vocals remind us a lot of Brandon Flowers, and the style of song resembles that of the Killers’ front man as well, with optimistic uplifting choruses and slightly menacing verses.

Aaron is now an independent artist, but prior to striking out on his own, he was signed to major labels with his former acts, 8STOPS7 and LE Meu Le Purr. It was a series of sudden and dramatic changes in his personal and professional life that saw him find his true voice, and decide to go it alone.

‘Agua Mala’, which translates to “bad water”, from Spanish, is a highly personal song, with the video showing Aaron in a full suit, wandering aimlessly across a hot desert. This is intercut with shots of Aaron immersed underwater, as well as shots of a drummer.

The video is the perfect accompaniment for the very moving song:

Every secret has a story to tell
Underneath the skin the tremors are felt
Suffocating till it takes control
until the moment that heart explodes
Aaron Orbit can be found online on Twitter, Facebook, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp. You can download ‘Agua Mala’ from iTunes. Check out his official website for more information about Aaron and his upcoming performances. - Essentially Pop

Aaron Orbit's latest video for the single Agua Mala was just released. The visuals of him walking through the desert are beautifully shot, and are a great visual to the lyrics. Orbit, who has been a main attraction in the Ventura music scene since his debut with Psycho Cafe, has finally found his true calling as a solo artist. His latest work makes us want to hear what's coming up next. We can't wait to see more videos from this unique artist.

Aaron Orbit can be found online on Twitter, Facebook, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp. You can download ‘Agua Mala’ from iTunes. Check out his official website for more information about Aaron and his upcoming performances. - Pizza Weather

Aaron Orbit’s Agua Mala is a powerful alt-rock track that marries a supersonic set of vocals with powerful drums. A synthesizer imbues this single with a 1980s-influenced patina, while Orbit’s vocals shift into something that draws equally from The Darkness, U2, and AFI. Each element of Agua Mala works masterfully to create a cohesive sound without losing their unique tone. The call and response that rises to prominence during the second half of this single gives listeners the push that they need to power through until the end. Agua Mala’s depth makes it incredibly easy to put on the track and find additional twists and turns. An A effort.

Rating: 9.0/10 - Neu Futur

Aaron Orbit
Sunday Morning Murder Songs
It’s been a common practice of late for singer-songwriters to give voice to all their musical personalities on one recording. Whether paying homage to their heroes, attempting to be eclectic or expressing the full scope of their talent, this approach runs the risk of leaving artists without a solid identity, and listeners scratching their heads. On Sunday Morning Murder Songs, Aaron Orbit unabashedly offers a patchwork of inspirations — ’80s-era Michael Jackson, early Elton John, Bowie, Elliot Smith, (Pink Floyd?) held together by a thread of musical theater waxed with cynical humor — and somehow it all works. As a songwriter, Orbit is the perfect ratio of John to Paul. His range and energy as a vocalist bring to mind a seasoned stage performer, and I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t really belong on Broadway. Though not outshone by the high gloss production on some of the songs, Orbit is at his best when the accompaniment is sparse and the emotion raw. The record is like a sampler of local talent, featuring cameos by a who’s who of the area’s best players. Notable tracks: “Screenplay,” “Prove Me Wrong,” “Waiting for Signs” and “Camelot.” — Michel Cicero
- VC Reporter

Miles logged: 4,500. Tires blown: 1. Sets played: 29. Memories made: countless.

Yes, the VenAustin Tour is a wrap. Four Ventura acts — soul band Jeff Hershey and the Heartbeats, rock groups 8stops7 and New Liberty, and Le Meu Le Purr singer Aaron Orbit — made the hot, dusty 2,900-mile trek to Austin, Texas, and back to attend the massive South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. Their collective goals were simple: play lots of shows, raise awareness about Ventura's music scene and network, network, network.

No multimillion-dollar record deals fell into their laps, but they did elicit some interest from a few indie labels, event promoters and managers. "Lots of potential stuff" is in the works. So, fingers crossed.

The acts hit the road March 11 and didn't get back until March 24. Upon their return, Orbit, Hershey, 8stops7 singer Evan Sula-Goff and New Liberty frontman Shane Mac dished about the experience.

What was the favorite show you played in Austin?

Jeff Hershey: The 512 Bar. It was a packed show and people were watching from down below on the street because they couldn't get in. We weren't expecting that much from it and it turned out to be the best show of the tour.

Shane Mac: The 512 Bar. When I got on the ledge and looked down to see people stopped on the street and singing lyrics they'd never heard before, that was a pretty cool moment.

Aaron Orbit: The Frontier Bar because it was the tour's actual showcase and the intimate feel made it ideal for a solo set.

Evan Sula-Goff: Texas Rock Fest Main Stage. It was the last day of SXSW, it was a Saturday night and it was St. Patrick's Day. Perfect combination, plus it was the best introduction we've ever had.

Favorite show you saw?

Hershey: The Cult playing for free outdoors on St. Patrick's Day. Got to see one of my all-time favorite bands with all my friends. Great moment.

Mac: Cherry Bomb. Sixteen-year-old girls raging and rocking out like they're Mötley Crüe. Amazing.

Orbit: Dead Sara. I just happened to walk in on them. It's a cool thing when you hear about these bands but you've never actually seen them. Then you run into them by accident. That's how much music there is down there.

Sula-Goff: The Cult. (I loved) hearing The Cult's lead singer Ian Astbury sarcastically call Matthew McConaughey a living legend.

Best food you ate?

Hershey: Ross' diner on the outskirts of Austin. A family-owned-and-operated restaurant since 1974. Ross Jr. even greets you at the door while Ross Sr. rings you up.

Mac: Death Metal Pizza, which is a supercheap, late-night slice place for drunk people.

Orbit: Is Lone Star Beer a food?

Sula-Goff: Ross'. I thought Ross and Ross Jr. do a good job when it comes to home cooking.

Craziest thing you saw or did?

Hershey: Sang a Samhain song at the Fandango Party with a live karaoke band.

Mac: Almost getting into a fistfight onstage with a drunk local in a bar in Loveland, Colo., and having the cops show up.

Orbit: Rolling into town at 10:50 a.m. to play an 11 a.m. set after a 15-hour straight drive while trying to sleep on the floor of the van.

Sula-Goff: Craziest was probably seeing Armand from New Liberty doing karaoke of a Motörhead song and then spitting beer out on the stage and over his head. He won the competition.

Worst moment of the tour?

Hershey: Having a set cut in half because of how long it took the sound man to set up.

Mac: Realizing that it was over.

Orbit: Being first on an outdoor stage when no one was there yet and the sound system was still being figured out. (There was) lots of feedback and I only ended up playing three songs.

Sula-Goff: Blowing out my voice after three shows in one day and the day and a half of vocal rest I had to do after. Was bummed out thinking about all the fun I wasn't gonna be able to have.
- VC Star

If there’s any justice in the music world — and judging by what’s on the radio and MTV, there is not (but if somehow, somewhere there still is) — Aaron Orbit would be widely considered one of the most important artists in the world. Till the scales of justice are balanced, however, we’ll have to settle for the fact that Orbit is one of the most important artists in Ventura County. The eclectic singer-composer, who boasts an ample discography — from solo projects and the numerous bands he’s been in — is celebrating the vinyl release of his tremendous EP M.E.C.O. with a show this weekend and a small national tour via hatchback. We sat down with the candid Orbit to discuss the release, the tour, his artistic journey and how he addressed a personal tragedy through songwriting.


VCReporter: First and foremost: Didn’t the EP come out last year?
Aaron Orbit: It did come out digitally, but I never pushed it. Now I am. First time as a hard copy. I’m doing vinyl and CD. It’s actually the first thing I’ve pressed on vinyl.


So you’re doing a local show to support the release, then hitting the road but only to a few cities?
It’s a tour for sure, but there are only a few dates booked right now, and all are far from each other. Tennessee, New York, Chicago. Then back to Ventura to open for the White Buffalo at the [Ventura] Theater.


Driving to all those dates? That’s a 24-hour drive between shows!
Yup. Me and Armand [John Anthony] going cross-country. Just taking a hatchback.


Sounds like the makings of a Dumb and Dumber buddy road trip movie.
It could very well turn out like that. We’re not ruling anything out.


It seems like your model has been to be really busy then disappear for a while.
Well, I’m not taking a break or anything. You work on things for so long and all of a sudden it gets done and it’s go time.


You’re solo, your recordings include a full band but you’re touring as a duo? How does that work?
Basically it’s backing tracks with me on vocals and a live drummer.


Sounds like karaoke.
It’s not. (Laughs.)


You’ve devoted your life to music. Any bitterness about the fact, you still can’t make it your full-time job.
I had more bitterness in my late 20s. Then you get over it. You think, “Stop it. This is my job. This is what I do. This is why I’m here.” There are ups and downs all the time. The reality is, I’d go nuts if I wasn’t playing music.


Describe the EP. It feels like a real statement.
It’s mellow. It’s the most personal I’ve ever gotten. I like being abstract and writing about weird shit, but I like when it comes from a personal place too. I feel like I’ve been writing the best stuff I’ve ever done.


If you’re comfortable talking about it, I want to ask you about the tragedy of losing your younger sister. Have you addressed that at all in your music or is it too personal and painful to write about?
I didn’t address it at all on my first record, but I did on the new EP. The song “Dive,” it’s pretty much about that. When I wrote it, I almost changed it. I thought it was too personal but I decided, fuck it. I needed to write it.


Was it a difficult process to write about something so personally devastating?
Yes and no. It’s easy to write how you honestly feel but it’s difficult to put it out there.


Most artists who’ve written as much as you have tend to get writer’s block at a certain point. It seems as though you’ve avoided that.
All that shit with the old labels and bands, it was ultimately a journey to find yourself as an artist. It’s a weird feeling but I think I finally found myself as an artist and who I am as an artist.


If your music career ended today, would you be happy with what you’ve accomplished?
I would. I think I’ve done some all right stuff but I’d be bummed I didn’t do more. (Laughs.)


You’ve seen it come and go in the local music scene. What’s your take on it right now?
There are some great bands in town. Everybody supports each other. People are working. The bands right now have a lot of different sounds and styles and I think that’s rad.


And how about the venues?
I don’t want to go into that. (Laughs). - VC Reporter