Dueling Interviews - Aaron Pritchett and Mitch Merrett

Darrin: Aaron,  now that we are in the New Year, what are the plans for the beginning of the year?  Supporting Big Wheel with some tour dates, maybe some writing?

Aaron: There are so many different things to do as the New Year begins and it all starts with the shows. We are booking up the year at an incredible rate and with any luck we will be touring most of it. As for the writing end of things, yes, much writing will be done this year as there are plans for a few different projects. 

Darrin: Mitch. Congrats on the BCCMA Guitar Player of the Year.  Did you think a few years back that you would start picking up awards like these?

Mitch: Well I work my ass off to get to a level where I can be nominated but I don't ever expect those accolades, its really nice to be recognized for the efforts. 

Darrin: Aaron. Country Music is definitely starting to gain in popularity again, with acts like Rascal Flatts, Sarah Evans, yourself and other younger/current acts emerging.  Much like it was in the early 90’s with Brooks and Dunn, Garth Brooks, Shania and others.  The question is, how did it come to you that you wanted to be a Country act, over a rock act or even pop?  Your voice would support all three of those choices.

Aaron: I listened to all formats of music growing up but I started listening to country at a young age and when I would compare it’s form of writing, style of artists and general portrayal of the genre, I found it was one that I related to the most… that, and my mother entered me in a country music contest. I won, started a band from there and never looked back. And thank you for the compliment. 

Darrin: Mitch, you seem to take care of a lot of the business ends of things at times with your solo career as well as with Aaron.  Have you always been pretty business savvy, is it something you learned at Selkirk, or was it necessity? 

Mitch: I think what I learned the most at the Selkirk Music College was a 'finish what you start' attitude, like any business there is a lot of clerical type things to keep on top of and that's always a pain but it has to get done. I didn't always manage AP, when we first started out working together I did a portion then we hired management when the radio and CMT ball started to roll. Those were actually hard times because we stopped playing the circuit in western Canada and that steady money ended, at that time were only doing one nighter's and it took awhile to get that side rolling with enough dates to pay the rent. I do all of AP's management now and until someone 'big' comes along that can take it to the next level I'll continue to do it. New artists think they need things like a manager or an agent right away to start their career and its really the opposite this is the time to really take control and learn about the business.  

Darrin: Aaron, was there a certain approach you took in writing the new CD (Big Wheel)? Was there an overall goal or sound you wanted to achieve with it?  It has an awesome mix of fun, humour, and heart to it.

Aaron: To be honest there was no certain approach to writing this album and when the time came to write, we weren’t positive all that did, or even one for that matter, would make it on the album. When we measured what we had written to what other songs were available we found that our s were more of what I wanted to portray. They are fun, they have humour, they are also touch the heart and that is the type of person I am.  

Darrin: Mitch, how was it to take such a role in co-writing many of the great songs on this album?  Have you taken this much writing responsibility on earlier AP releases?

Mitch: This was the first album where AP and I wrote together seriously, we actually met a writing session years ago before I even played live with him but did very little in the early years. Writing the Big Wheel album  kind of came naturally to be honest I think we had a great confidence going into it and we co-wrote many of the songs with some great Nashville writers and they really helped put a 'finish' on the songs. Aaron is great with melodies and I think I know musically where the songs need to go so I think it works out really well. The next album we may feel a lil pressure but we like the challenge. 

Darrin: Aaron, take us back to the beginning.  How did you hook up with this Mitch Merrett guy, and continue to this day to have him working with you?  How did you find the rest of the guys in the band?

Aaron: Mitch and I met at a song-writing session with a mutual friend and hit it off from there. At that time I had a band that really had no intentions of growing from where we were at that time just playing the clubs and had no interest in recording. I did and I decided to ask Mitch to join the band as the lead guitar player in hopes that there would be a youth movement in the band to release the old, stale and stagnant with young guys with drive. That is exactly what happened. Now, with Mitch’s business sense and all of our talent, this little band has turned into a machine. As for the rest of the guys in the band, they are all long-time friends that we have asked to join us along the way. We are a very tight-knit group and remain good friends. 

Darrin: Mitch, back in 2003 you released an album Instrumental All Stars.  How was Dean Maher to work with. Who are some of the people that contributed performances on the disc?

Mitch: That was a project I've always wanted to do since I got serious about guitar and doing this as a career. I wrote all the songs with my producer on the project Mike Norman, I love working with Mike because when we get together we almost plan out the song verbally and then put the notes together and build it from that angle. He also is able to recognize some the music idea's I come up that I don't see as being a hook or idea and build it into one which is great. Dean is always great he is like another member of the band he knows what we are looking for and nails it. 

Darrin: Aaron, you are getting a huge reputation with your fans, for being such an accessible performer.  Fans consistently speak about the time you spend with them after shows, signing, handshaking, hugging, taking pics until everyone has had a chance to meet you.  Will you still try to do this as popularity gains further, and time becomes tighter?

Aaron: Absolutely! I believe the only thing that could take me away from doing that is if I have another engagement to go to. This connection is so important to me and will never change with increased popularity. I’ve had someone ask me once, “…don’t you think that people will start thinking of you as just a regular guy if you spend too much time with them?” And my answer is that I AM a regular guy and I am still a fan of the artists and their music. This is what I would like to see out of an artist so standing outside for 3 hours to sign autographs for people who are doing the same for me is no problem for me. 

Darrin: Mitch, are you having any thoughts about a second instrumental album, or a solo project in the future?

Mitch: Always thinking of that, I've actually started writing again with Mike and we have about 3 songs etched out that I hope to finish up very soon. Its tough time wise between Aaron and all the other projects I like to get involved in but I'll get it finished.......sometime.

Darrin: Aaron, tell me about how the West Coast swing of the Brooks and Dunn tour came about last year.  What was it like, playing shows with a huge act like that?  Do you have any crazy road stories?

Aaron: Western Canada was very nice to us during our run with Brooks and Dunn. More so than we or the B&D crew ever imagined. Typically, I’ve heard that the “opener for the opener” gets very little people to see their portion of the show and those that are there pay very little attention. Well, that was not the case for us. We never had a crowd smaller that about 75% capacity and they were SCREAMING! Chills went up my spine every time I heard them announce my name and the crowd would roar. As for stories, we never really had time to create many stories other than the fact that we were asked back to officially open for B&D in Sarnia, Ontario in July. On our contract it said we were to start at 10 pm so we decided to stop by the venue to drop stuff off before we went to the hotel to check in. It was 3:00 and as we pulled into the backstage area and were greeted by the crew, pointing at their watches. Apparently, the contract was wrong and our actual set time was 3:30. We had 30 minutes to set up and change before taking the stage. Now normally this is pretty intense but add to the fact that it’s for a crowd of 23,000 and, with the humidity, it was 46 degrees out! Insane but we pulled it off and put on the show of our lives! 

Darrin: Mitch, I know you are a dedicated Music Man guitar player, but what is your gigging gear like?  From amp to effects, strings etc?  You get an amazingly clean sound or the chicken pickin and fingerwork.
(SEE MITCH'S LIVE RIG AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW)

Mitch: It's pretty simple my trusty EB/MM Albert Lee model and a few effects. For years when touring we use backline on shows which means we get gear supplied for us so I learned not to rely on any one amp because it changes every night, more often than not the amps aren't great. Recently I built a rig I can take out when we travel by bus and thats real cool, I have two road cases that house my 2 2x12 cabs and the other rack I have two Peavey Wiggy's and all my pedals are in a rack beside the heads. I use a Keeley compressor, a Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive, and a Maxon OD something that gets my real dirty sound. The pedals are switched on and off via midi by my VOX Tonelab floorboard and all the delays/reverbs/ and other mod effects are in the floorboard. On fly dates I just take either my POD XT or my VOX Tonelab. For guitars its the Albert Lee and an EB/MM Silouette. String are Slinky's 10-46. 

Darrin: Aaron, who are some of the people that have inspired you to write and perform, and have this love of music over the years?

Aaron: This is kind of a short answer and that would be Elvis. He had the ability to take command of a stage and have the crowd eating from the palm of his had at any given moment. It was amazing to see. He had charisma and that, ultimately whether it be with the song I wrote, the recording I did or the show I performed is the one thing that people want to experience the most and he had it down to a T. 

Darrin: Mitch, how old were you when you started playing?  Who were the guitar players you looked up to as you learned to play?  Who are you listening to now-a-days?

Mitch: I was in grade 8 when I got my first guitar so around 13 or so. My first influences were the classic metal guys like Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee type players, the metal guys. Honestly I had a tin ear and couldn't figure stuff out that well and it was frustrating but later the music theory education through private lessons really helped and for the last few years at home I use the Line6 guitarport a lot and I really get inside the song and figure out all the nuances of a song and that has really helped out a lot and my ear is pretty good now because of that. I highly recommend that tool for all players out there, go get one!!! As for players today I listen to  a lot of Deep Purple with Blackmore and Steve Morse, Albert Lee still blows my mind. I really dig the side guys as well like Peter Stroud from Cheryl Crow, Mike Campbell from Tom Petty, Lou Toomey from Brooks and Dunn. (he had the greatest tone) 

Darrin: Aaron. The early years, pre-1998.  What was your involvement in music?  Did you know early on that you wanted a career in this industry?

Aaron: I was in a talent search in the early 90’s and that is where my country music chops began. I formed a band soon after and played clubs for many years until meeting Mitch but I always longed for more in the industry and attempted to record and showcase for different labels and writers but nothing of significance ever developed. And as far as I can remember I wanted to be an entertainer. I used to sing around the house and my aunt would always say, “keep singing! You sound beautiful when you sing” and I would get embarrasses and stop. But early on I wanted to be an actor. I did some extra work in movies and tv but the singing bug bit and I’ve been infected ever since. 

Darrin: Mitch, tell me about this new project you are involved with called overdrvn (www.overdrvn.com) I have seen all of the videos on Youtube, and they are very well done, funny, on the spot and informative.  You give some great insight on picking, playing and gear on there.  How did you guys dream this up? 

Mitch: OVRDRVN is a project I work on with a few friends, the idea is kinda like the 'School of Rock' show, we have been posting some short 5 min type lessons on youtube. We teach people how to do such things as, re-string a guitar, how a drummer works with the bass player or how to play and rehearse together in a band. I've also done a series on Country Pickin that has gotten some great feedback from people, we just want to show people all the things to improve on when your a beginning musician.  

Darrin: Aaron, where do you like to gig the best?  Is there a province or a city that just blows you away when you are on the road?  Is there a dream gig that you have always had?

Aaron: I know this may sound stupid but every city we play blows me away. I grew up in a small town so my mentality is that no one will know who I am when I go to their town. But when I see we have sold out a venue and the fans are singing along, it truly gives me shivers and seems so surreal. Every city I play is amazing and I get a rush from nothing else in the world. I don’t have a dream gig but I would say that my ultimate goal in the industry is to be inducted into the country music hall of fame as a lifetime achiever. That is when I can look back and say I made an impact on people’s lives and careers. That will be my career success. 

Darrin: Mitch, you went down to NAMM this year.  What were the highlights this year?  Meet anyone interesting?

Mitch: Well we started off the week seeing Paul Gilbert at the Viper Room in Hollywood and that was fun. The next night we went and saw Steve Morse and the Dixie Dregs and that was awesome. At NAMM we met a lot of guys and caught up with some old friends that I haven't seen in awhile, the highlight is just being there with all that gear it was great. 

Darrin: Aaron, what do you credit with the immense surge in your popularity this year?  The album, the Brooks and Dunn tour?

Aaron: I think that there are many things that have been a part of the success but I would say coupled with the charting success of the singles and being exposed to so many people on the B&D tour that our live show is one not to be missed. We go on stage and it’s raw and real and I think the audience gets it. I never rehearse the stage moves or any choreography, it’s just us and we make it up as we go. It’s funny, serious but most of all it’s real. 

Darrin: Guys, I appreciate having you on the site.  I hope we can do this again.  Are there any people you want to shout out to/thank etc?

Mitch: I always got to thank Ernie Ball/Music Man and Gibson Guitars its nice to have some great companies helping us indie artists out, Canada is a small market but these companies have been supporting us for years.

Aaron: The families and friends of myself and all the crew for being understanding. I would like to thank all our musical friends for helping us and believing in us. And most importantly country music fans.- as I always say and always will that without them then there is no industry for us to be in. Thank you all!

Mitch's Live Setup (See Interview for description)