aaron x lily

[aaron eklund]

Aaron You like sports and outdoor stuff? It’s a talent to know when to quit. But there’s that whole tortured artist thing too. How long does it take to make a song from start to finish?

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Not big on sports, but am big on being outside. I like to hike a lot, or plan runs in new locations. See more of where I am. Depends on how I'm feeling, honestly. Some stay unfinished forever, some take a while. Other times I can scrap, re-write and finish an entire album in about a month...which I just did.

[aaron eklund]

Aaron You play any when you were young? Or instruments and choir? That’s amazing, damn. You even had a moment to really breathe and take it all in? Feel like you made it?

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Definitely more band geek than athlete, my family's all musical. I played violin in school, play guitar and piano now. Just picked the latter up. Had a lot of inspiration suddenly, that was what I did with it. And yeah, a few times. It's easier to believe when someone tells it to me though vs. what I think about it.

[aaron eklund]

Aaron I wish I'd picked up an instrument but I wasn't patient enough at that age. I ran track and played basketball for a minute. Sure, just feels like your day-to-day. A little incline and suddenly you're uphill and peaking.

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Good thing about them is more often than not, it's never too late. And then I'm always wondering what's next. Enough about all this though, which of your favorite craft classes lately has been your favorite?

[aaron eklund]

Aaron Guitar I'm good with and proud of. You adding any more? That was gonna be my next question haha. I'm sure you're tired of being asked that. The one I've gone back to most and longest is pottery, it's just fun. Glassblowing is cool, didn't much care for candle pouring. What would you like to try?

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Not in the cards right now, but you never know! Haha, right now I have a very long tour to get through. I think about it, but try to focus on the present. Honestly have been meaning to get into ceramics. I hear it's really calming...once you figure it out.

[aaron eklund]

Aaron Sure, enjoy the present. Plenty of time for more later. It is, definitely teaches you patience and focus. You'll get humbled by a hunk of clay. Then end up with a hundred coffee mugs and bowls like me.

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Is your kitchen now a mish-mash of glossy dishes? Do you like to cook?

[aaron eklund]

Aaron Pretty much, I’ve tried to make one of most everything at this point. My dog has a food bowl for every occasion now. As I’ve gotten better I keep more, sometimes I give it away or donate. I can hold my own in the kitchen long as there’s a recipe. I only had to start cooking a few years ago after the army. I like southern food and Asian food most. You?

[lily mccarthy]

LILY Ever think it'll get to a point where you start selling? Or does that ruin the fun? Ah, that has to have been a huge adjustment too. I enjoy it, am pretty good at using whatever's in my fridge. Obviously am out of commission for a while though with the tour but stadium catering is surprisingly really good.

[aaron eklund]

Aaron I’ve thought about it before. I didn’t get into it with money in mind, hasn’t been ruined yet. Have you always done music? Yeah I still eat a lot of takeout. Anything you’re missing that you can’t always get easy?

[lily mccarthy]

LILY That, woodworking...sounds like a one stop furniture store. And yeah - though I didn't take it seriously until I was in college. Just home cooking in general, my mom has this autumn soup I always crave when it gets cold but it's rare on the road I encounter a full kitchen. Anything you missed or had to have first when you left the army?

[aaron eklund]

Aaron Haha maybe eventually I'll have a walk-in space where everything's for sale, my hobby surplus. Is that what you went in to study or ended up studying? Yeah, those nostalgia meals. For me it was Indian food. I was practically raised by another family, some Indian folks, so I grew up with some great homecooking.