The beginnings of this journey took Angie all around the Southeast with various bands until he began his solo career in 1996. It was at this point he released Out of the Everywhere, eleven songs "written to be written" as Angie put it. "The allure and pursuit of a record deal was exhausting. I felt in me the need to write for the sake of writing, to find the snapshot of my life and sing it." Angie toured along the East Coast in support of Out of the Everywhere and acquired another snapshot:LISTENERS ... fans that would stay loyal far beyond his wildest dreams.
In early 1997 Angie met music producer Matt Serletic (Matchbox Twenty, Santana, Aerosmith, Edwin McCain) and the two quickly began a creative partnership that would lead Angie to the office of Clive Davis and subsequent record deal with Melisma/Arista Records. "Isn't it always true?" asks Angie, "As soon as you let something go, everything opens up. I was in pursuit of music, just music and everything else found me." The outcome of everything finding Angie was The American, a departure from the stark and sometimes bare Out of the Everywhere. The American was filled with songs still lyrically driven, but surrounded by the lush landscape of Matt Serletic's production and pop sensibility. "How many times do you get to work with someone like this?" Angie said, "I wanted to hear everything, the orchestra, a thousand guitars and sometimes one lonely voice."
The album was released in the spring of 2000 and Angie toured in support of the first single Spaceship, whose video aired on VH1. Opening for Matchbox Twenty, the tour took Angie and his band around the country. "I was curious to see things beyond my established stomping ground. I wanted to see what my songs meant to people whom I had no history with...You know, to be that guy you have to sit through until the band you bought the ticket for takes the stage." What Angie saw was amazing and kept him on the road for eighteen months in support of two more singles and his growing fan base. With label support waning and the departure of Clive Davis from Arista Records on the horizon, Angie would find himself independent once more.
"I had to ask myself, what would I do with freedom, with independence?" The answer to Angie's question was his third release Weapon of Mass Construction. Released March 2002, this album consisted of eight cover songs and two new originals. "People ask me, 'Why covers?' I just felt I had a moment in time I might not find again...a chance to record songs that had influenced and entertained me." With songs by artists ranging from Neil Young to The Beastie Boys, Weapon of Mass Construction both entertained and surprised fans.
In keeping with the changing landscape of music, shortly after the release of Weapon of Mass Construction, Angie found that he not only had a unique voice but also one that was to reach a larger audience. Faith Hill was musically introduced to Angie's song Cry. "It was amazing to have an artist like Faith even choose the song, but to find out that it was the first single and the title track ... overwhelmed me."
As Faith Hill's recording of Cry climbs the charts, Angie continues to write new songs (new album due January 2003) and perform live. From his beginnings as an independent solo artist to a major label artist to a poignant and insightful songwriter, Angie Aparo continues to enjoy his ever-changing landscape.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.angieaparo.com/main.htmlTrack List:
1. Man In The Box
2. Nature's Way
3. Rocket Man
4. Nazi's On My Radio
5. Don't Let It Bring You Down
6. Imagine
7. Champagne Supernova
8. Fight For Your Right to Party
9. Rotten
10. The Water Is Wide
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