elentlessly touring behind a new powerhouse record as the drummer of scene kings Underoath, waiting to release a new record with The Almost where he takes center stage, and running a quickly growing clothing line aptly named Pig Cloth, no one will ever call Aaron Gillespie lazy. At a young age, Gillespie was told that he would never be a good drummer and to not waste his time trying. The past decade has been spent proving those people wrong. Currently on Warped Tour with Underoath, Gillespie took a break from the festivities to answer a few of our questions, even without the comfort of a Slip N’ Slide to return to.

I want to talk to you a bit about the power of music. I remember in particular the first time I saw you with The Almost. When you played “Amazing Because It Is”, the whole room seemed to be lifted. Almost everyone’s hands were lifted in praise. What is going through your mind at times like those?

Aaron Gillespie: It’s strange, I’m well aware that I totally don’t deserve anything in this life, and being able to “lead” a room in song is beyond a blessing, I’m really blessed.

With every new album, it seems that there is always so much pressure on Underoath, yet you always deliver something progressive and original. What do you attribute this steady progression and improvement to?

AG: Well, thanks!! But I believe with my whole heart that Underoath sounds the way it does due to the fact that we can’t ever agree on anything. It takes us two years to agree enough on ten songs for a record. Also, I think that we never really “try” to do a “certain” thing. We just go in and write and what comes out is what you hear record to record.

Sounds like organized chaos. Has it always been this way?

AG: Yeah I think so. I think it’s bad to do anything in a “contrived” way. I really and truly believe that when you don’t “try” things are perfect.

You started in Underoath when you were 14 years old. What have you noticed about changes in the scene since you began playing music?

AG: Man, the scene has changed every year for the last ten years and I believe with my everything it will continue down that path, these days I feel the music “scene” is in a sad, sad place. I feel that it has become more of a clothing style and something you tell people you do and less of a passion, and I’m speaking for me not any members in either of my bands. There are really talented people out here who do things with real passion as well. I want to make that clear so I’m not generalizing.

What do you see as some contributing factors to musicians losing that passion that you don’t see much anymore?

AG: I wake up a lot of days and feel like this whole thing has just become a fashion, a fleeting moment, and it scares me. The media, I feel, in a lot of ways has made all this just a façade, when in real life music is something used to save people. This is a question that could take days or weeks. Life is made up of passion and honesty and its draining to see things in music develop like they have, but here we sit, and I’m sure there is a reason.

I think we all see the scene trending this way, and there are a lot of factors in play, but what advice could you give readers, a way that maybe we can all work to bring some passion and life back into it?

AG: Honesty. Whatever you do, do it for real, regardless of the state of things. People know fake, they do. U2 is here after all these years for a reason, they are real. Period.

The Almost is working on their second full length. What can you tell us about it? Where are you at in the recording process? How has this recording experienced differed from the others?

AG: Umm…The Almost just finished our second record, unfortunately I can’t tell you much about it due to the fact that a lot of things are not finalized artistically and such at this time. However, I can say it is at mix at the moment and we are really excited. I feel this may be the most honest thing I’ve ever been a part of.

Now that you’ve been going with The Almost for a few years now, do you feel like you belong at the front of the stage or do you think your home will always be behind the kit? Was that a difficult transition?

AG: I like both for different reasons, I mean it’s great to be able to reach out and touch people, and connect in an actual, tangible way. As far as drums, I’ve been doing that since I was a little boy so I think I’ll always feel more at home behind a drum kit, and the transition feels natural at times and other times it’s like I’m naked in front of a ton of people, in other words, I’m still trying to get used to it.

Do you feel a different type of honesty and vulnerability when recording Almost songs than when you do with Underoath?

AG: I don’t know, maybe. I feel like with The Almost I’m out front which is totally different and great and also showcasing to my personal mess. So I guess the answer is yes.

Who are your biggest influences as far as drummers go? What about for lyrics?

AG: Dave Grohl is my favorite drummer, and as far as writing goes it’s not always other singers. I get influence from a lot of things; life, books, movies. It’s a bit of a long list.

Care to indulge us on just a few?

AG: Man, I really truly love Donald Miller. He has really vindicated me in a lot of ways, and in more ways than I’ll ever understand. I guess I just love the way you’ll see something and it changes you. There is beauty in the specifics that ruin it, I feel.

You’ve got a wife at home as well as a clothing line. How do you find any time for your personal life when you’re in two hugely successful and busy bands?

AG: It’s hard man real hard, my wife is super, super gracious and I truly see God in her, I can’t explain it, it’s such a beautiful thing. But I don’t that you can ever “properly” do the band thing and be married. I feel that I’m called to what I do and that makes it a bit easier, but I don’t think you can ever really deal with it.

How is Warped Tour going so far this summer? Is it a unique experience each summer or do you feel like you’ve settled into a pretty good routine with it?

AG: Warped is always fun man, its sort of where we got our start and we’ve been so blessed out here. But to be honest I feel like we have really settled into it; great people, sun, fun, so it’s a killer way to spend the summer. The only thing missing is a Slip’N Slide.

What is the funniest or most interesting thing that has happened on Warped so far this year?

AG: Warped is what it is. But two days ago I dropped my phone in a Porta-Potty.  It was bad news. I now have a new phone.

This scene is obviously always evolving and changing with new trends coming and going. Where do you see yourself as a musician in even 5 years? Where do you see the scene going?

AG: Man I don’t know. To be real with you, I’m terrified of the next five years. I struggle constantly with the feeling that the music I/we play will become non-relevant or out of touch, but either way I’m going to keep trying to be true to my calling and what it is I feel is right.

If the day comes where you don’t feel music is your calling anymore, what do you see yourself doing?

AG: Man, you are asking the crazy ones!!! I don’t know, I would hope that I would be allowed to play music forever. When the time comes I would love to go to culinary school.

Whether or not you’re into either of Gillespie’s bands, you can’t deny the fact that this is a guy that truly cares deeply about not only the music scene itself, but the people that make it possible. Whatever is coming down the path for Gillespie, it’s apparent when you speak with him that he is still a kid at heart who is just enjoying the ride as much as we all are. Thank you for speaking with us Aaron.