Singer Aaron Marsh and the boys from Copeland have been pleasing fans live for some time, and after several albums, are finally beginning to receive the radio airtime they deserve in the crowded indie genre. One characteristic a new ear will hear right away is Marsh's almost supernatural one-man harmonies that vary from song to song.

Bassist James Likeness announced his retirement from Copeland on July 18, 2007. XMFan wishes Aaron, Bryan and Jonathan the best as they continue to provide us with the music we've come to enjoy -- and need -- from this unique band of visionaries from Florida.


XMFan: My opinion is that you have one of the smoothest voices in music today, as well as an awesome range to boot. When did you begin to realize your voice would be a powerful vehicle to relate to others through song?

Aaron: I've loved to sing my whole life, but didn't really begin to feel confident until right after high school. I was probably 18 or 19 when I began taking it seriously.

XMFan: Any other vocalists in your family?

Aaron: No, I'm the only one.

XMFan: Which instruments did you learn to play along the way?

Aaron: I started off with the piano while I was about five, then went to a performing arts school where I played trombone in the orchestra. Guitar. Tried the drums. I'm not a great instrumentalist, but can hold my own on quite a few.

XMFan: Copeland's harmonies are incredible. Would you tell us how they come together in the creative process?

Aaron: I do all the vocals on the record, because the harmonies seem to sound a bit smoother when it's "all me." I'll usually bounce ideas off our bass player, James, or the producer, and try to find good but least-predictable harmonies.

XMFan: Let's talk a little about breaking the mold. Exhibit A: Your latest studio album, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. Would you explain some of the steps the band took to keep it artistically pure?

Aaron: I think a lot of it had to do with trying to keep things focused on melody, and keeping things organic and intimate - while still trying to create a sound that was lush and full. It's a balance we're always toying with; trying not to record too much to keep everything pure, but to still fill out the body of the sound.

XMFan: Your fans are very aware of your unique inspirations for the songwriting process. Would you give us one example of how you turned a life situation into a living, breathing song?

Aaron: That's a tough question, because every song I write is about real life - but it's kinda hard to pinpoint one experience. Even within one song, the real life thing pulls from so many different facets in my life, be it loved ones, my restless mind... I guess it's more abstract than specific things or events.

XMFan: Here's an important question. If we were in your living room, what would we be watching on TV or listening to on your stereo?

Aaron: I'd probably be watching American Idol, but I'm only interested when the bad singers are on it. There's a Swedish artist named Stina Nordenstam that I really like, and listen to a lot.

XMFan: Favorite books?

Aaron: I most recently finished a Dan Brown book, but I'm not really a big reader.

XMFan: Over 400 shows in a year and a half. Are you in the Guinness Book of World Records for this amazing feat?

Aaron: We do stay pretty busy. It seems like we're calming down with the number of shows we do as time goes on, but we've been out there pretty regularly.

XMFan: 2007 has apparently been another year where you've needed a map in your pocket.

Aaron: It's been a pretty hectic year so far. (Laughs)

XMFan: What other side projects do you have going?

Aaron: I'm producing a band called Anchor and Braille, which is a side project from the lead singer of Anberlin. We're basically a bunch of friends from central Florida that are having fun writing songs and making music together during or down time.

We've been doing stuff with Invisible Children and UNICEF. I was recently part of a UNICEF benefit that was put together by a bunch of high school kids, and was super-excited about it, because when I think about the insignificant stuff I did while I was in high school, it just blows me away that the kids were so hard-working and thinking globally. All I thought about in high school was, you know, going to the movies or playing music. I'm really encouraged to see the way many young adults are thinking these days.

XMFan: I would have to say the indie sound is alive and well on Columbia Records, thanks to Copeland. It seems like the label gives you the space needed to record your vision, rather than someone else's idea of your vision.

Aaron: We did the album on an indie label, and Columbia upstreamed it. So yeah, we had tons of freedom and were really interested in making our best record yet. We stayed focused and inspired, and our fans have been very pleased from what I can see. I have to say that we have the best fans... Fans that have stuck with us through all kinds of stuff, including tours in VFW halls, basements, birthday parties - you know, those kinds of things. They've been extremely loyal, and if my career ended today I'd feel good about the run that we had.


Copeland's official website is http://www.thecopelandsite.com