****Whether coasting placid seas with the enduring hit single “Sail” or cutting waves with “Run,” AWOLNATION frontman Aaron Bruno’s voice has captained him to notoriety. Yet the self-possessed musician eschews red carpet events, preferring to occupy the limelight only during performances. (And he’s got plenty of performances this month.)
The striped T-shirt-clad rocker with the blond mop of hair and piercing blue eyes doesn’t take himself too seriously, thinks that Santa possesses paranormal skills, plays the same guitar as Spinal Tap’s singer and is strangely vocal about his insecurities. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about AWOLNATION’s Aaron Bruno.
1. Aaron Bruno doesn’t go to red carpet events and says he’s not a rock star.
When asked, “What do you do to escape the Internet… now that you are a rock star?” byRed Bulletin last year, he responded, “I’m not a rock star… I’m just a music fan who figured out how to write songs that other people could relate to. And I’m not a celebrity, by any means. If we’re playing a show, people know I’m there, and sometimes people come up to me at the airport or a restaurant. But I don’t go to red-carpet events.”
2. Bruno got a bargain when he purchased an estate in Malibu, California.
ALos Angeles Times article revealed Bruno purchased a retreat on 10 rolling acres complete with a cedar-lined living room, lap pool, art studio and workshop for $1.65 million in December of 2015. The property was valued at nearly $1.8 million.
3. Most people know “Sail” because of a YouTube cat fail video.
Seriously. The low-resolution YouTubevideo featuring a Siamese cat mysteriously lurking around before leaping out a window with wild abandon has over 18 million views.
4. Bruno counts members of Journey and Rage Against the Machine as “mentors and older brothers.”
Does Bruno seek kinship with members of bands hailing from ‘80s and ‘90s that sound nothing like AWOLNATION? Yes. Bruno toldAlternative Nation that he considers Journey’s lead singer, Steve Perry, as well as bassist and vocalist Tim Commerford from Rage Against the Machine as music mentors.
5. AWOLNATION’s guitarist is Zach Irons, son of Jack Irons, the drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers and former Pearl Jam skin beater.
Rock progeny Zach Irons is the new guitarist of AWOLNATION as of December 2015, and Irons and Bruno are also partnering on the band IRONTOM.
6. Bruno thinks that Santa walks through walls.
When asked byLos Angeles how he thought Santa delivered presents to homes without chimneys, Bruno said, “I think he has certain abilities we don’t even know about. He can probably walk through walls, which is interesting.”
7. Bruno’s favorite concert of 2015 was The Rolling Stones.
Bruno toldLive Nation in December 2015 that his favorite performance all year was when AWOLNATION opened for The Rolling Stones, and seeing the iconic band was the best concert he attended that year.
8. Bruno was born 80 percent deaf in one ear.
Bruno toldLos Angeles that he was born 80 percent deaf in one ear. He said that works out especially well “if someone is talking to me and I don’t care what they’re saying, I can just sit with my left ear to them.”
9. Bruno proudly plays the same Gibson guitar as the singer of Spinal Tap.
Bruno toldPremier Guitar his favorite guitar is a custom powder blue Gibson SG — the same guitar played by David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), the singer of Spinal Tap.
10. Bruno is still insecure after attaining fame.
Bruno assuredAlternative Nationthat there was only one difference in his life after he became famous. “Success doesn’t change who you are,” he said. “It certainly didn’t change who I was. I still have all the same insecurities and issues that I’ve always had. The only thing that’s different is that I don’t have to worry about paying rent next month.”