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Aaron Comess
(August 2005 Issue)
Spin Doctors, Joan Osborne, And Some Jazz When Spin Doctors
parted ways with Epic Records
several years ago, many wondered if we'd
ever see another album from the guys who seemed to rule the
early-'90s
airwaves. After instant initial success, the future turned iffy, to say
the least. So when Aaron Comess and
singer Chris Barron started working
on new tunes in 1997, they weren't even sure the material was destined
for a
Doctors record at all. Of course, it was-two years later. With
new personnel and a recharged battery, Spin Doctors walk down
the aisle
once again with Here Comes The Bride.
Recorded in Comess's Manhattan home studio, Bride, which
marks
a return to the peppy funk-rock of the group's past, is seasoned with
tinges of salsa and hip-hop. Working at
home was refreshing, says
Comess. "We had a great time. We'd write something and immediately
start laying down
tracks. It was just a really creative environment.
For instance, I'd wake up at three in the morning with an idea for a
song
and I'd just go down and hit 'record.' And not worrying about
spending fifteen hundred dollars every day took the
pressure off." In
addition to co-writing and co-producing, the drummer also played many
of the bass and guitar parts on the
LP.
Later, when Chris Barron lost his voice due to a paralyzed
vocal cord, the band sadly had to cancel a summer
tour and promotional
blitz for Bride, which was released on Universal. Aaron says that even
though he'd love to be out
pushing the record on which he worked so
hard, he still has plenty on his plate. Recently at his home studio
Comess
produced and played on tracks for Joan Osborne, including the
singer's track for the new Kevin Costner film, as well as her
duet with
Issac Hayes on "I'm Just A Bill" for the Schoolhouse Rock album. And
Comess still heads out for jazz gigs
whenever possible. "People know me
as the drummer from Spin Doctors, but when I'm not out on the road, I'm
in
some smoky little jazz club here in Manhattan. I've always loved
jazz, and I try to get out and play as much of it as I can.
I'd really
love to do my own jazz record someday." With that home studio up and
running, we bet it'll
happen.
Michael Parillo
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