We travel out of western Kansas and head closer to the big city of Kansas City for this weeks Spotlight. Aiming Arrows, an alternative rock group out of Kansas City, Missouri kicked off in 2021 and have been going at it ever since. I first came across their drummer Alec several years ago when he was drumming for the 2-piece group Mene Mene. Since then I’ve been following his work with Aiming Arrows and Sylarin and am excited to be able to feature them this week!
“Our name came from having failed to follow through on many musical ideas and projects. We often would be on the cusp of starting something and would fall just short. So, “Aiming Arrows” conceptually comes from trying to set and follow through on goals, music, dreams, etc.”
7eight5: Great to have you spotlight. Introduce yourselves!
Aiming Arrows: We’re a four-piece alt-rock group. We like to do things as authentically as possible and really show ourselves as we are. We try to write music that makes us happy, and apparently Thrice and Incubus make us happy 🙂 We also make ridiculous videos to promote our shows, feel free to tune in for a laugh! Jared Johnson is on Guitar and Vocals, Alec Stockman on Drums, Jacob Newland on Bass, and Emilio Estrada is on Guitar.
7eight5: How long have you guys been playing together?
Aiming Arrows: The band launched with Jared, Alec, and Jacob in the summer of 2021, with Emilio joining the following winter.
7eight5: How did you come up with your name?
Aiming Arrows: Our name came from having failed to follow through on many musical ideas and projects. We often would be on the cusp of starting something and would fall just short. So, “Aiming Arrows” conceptually comes from trying to set and follow through on goals, music, dreams, etc. Plus, it wasn’t taken so 🙂
7eight5: How would you describe your sound?
Aiming Arrows: Our sound blends influences ranging from Incubus, Thrice, A Perfect Circle, and many others. We tend to fall into genres reminiscent of early 2000’s alternative rock with modern influences and production tied in.
7eight5: Who were your influences growing up, and what impact has that made on your music?
Aiming Arrows: Our influences range widely with each member. Jared comes from a background of A Perfect Circle, Incubus, metal core bands, etc. Alec has similar tastes but tends to favor more progressive styles of music (Porcupine Tree, Tool, Periphery, etc.). Jacob has eclectic tastes and is into a lot of math-rock style bands. Emilio is similar with Jared, but favors some different bands.
7eight5: Do you remember your first show? What was that like?
Aiming Arrows: I can’t speak for the others, but mine (Jared) was 98 degrees at a Nickelodeon concert and it was awesome!
7eight5: How have you guys grown since starting to play together?
Aiming Arrows: We’ve really been gelling creatively. Jared is the main song writer, but everyone’s influence and involvement has been growing with each song. It’s been a lot of fun learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses and seeing how each person can best contribute to the band.
7eight5: What’s your social media status as a band?
Aiming Arrows: We try to be as active as possible on social media platforms. Nowadays it’s the best way to grow and maintain a community!
7eight5: What do you do outside of your music?
Aiming Arrows: We all work our 9-5 jobs and maintain other interests. Jared enjoys spending time with his wife, cooking, staying active, and teaches for a living. Alec is in another band (Sylarin) so that takes up most of his remaining free time 🙂 Jacob enjoys going on hikes, camping, and going out with friends. Emilio spends time with his wife and animals, trying new places to eat, and maintaining the best hair in the band.
7eight5: Where do you get influences from when writing music?
Aiming Arrows: Really anything. Sometimes I’ll hear an old or new song and immediately get an idea, sometimes I’ll just sit down with a guitar and try to make a song sounding like whatever mood I’m in. I also like to set challenges to write songs in ways that I haven’t before, like trying to write an entire song with synths and programmed drums before putting guitars and bass. I really enjoy finding new approaches to start a new song.
7eight5: What comes first for you, the lyrics or the music? Or is it more 50/50?
Aiming Arrows: It’s been almost exclusively music first, but I’m really wanting to start trying out going the other way around after hearing some newer artists and hearing about their songwriting process.
Communication is key in everything. Scheduling, conflict, ideas, goals, promotion strategies, and just about everything else is made 100 times easier when open communication is there consistently.
7eight5: Where do you want to be as artists in 5 years? What’s a goal you are hoping to achieve?
Aiming Arrows: Our definition of success changes as the band grows. Right now, we want to be able to put 100 people in venues consistently, hopefully in surrounding cities too! But if/when we meet that goal, who knows?! Five years seems like so long to try to imagine what things could look like. We’ve only been launched for a little over a year and a half, and our plans and goals have changed so much already. I suppose we would just hope to be where we want to be at that moment!
7eight5: How do you go about setting up shows to play?
Aiming Arrows: This is one of the more stressful parts of being in a band. Sometimes we reach out directly to venues and rent the space out, sometimes other bands hit us up, and sometimes a venue hits us up. Any advice from your end?!
7eight5: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned since the band started?
Aiming Arrows: Communication is key in everything. Scheduling, conflict, ideas, goals, promotion strategies, and just about everything else is made 100 times easier when open communication is there consistently.
7eight5: How can people get a hold of you?
Aiming Arrows: DM us on any of our socials! Otherwise you can shoot us an email at aimingarrowsband@gmail.com
The next show for Aiming Arrows is at RecordBar in Kansas City with Six Percent, My Escape, and Fox Paw on April 13th!
