(guitar music) - Welcome to South Plains Sessions presented by 24 Frames.

This is our way of bringing some of the great local Lubbock music straight to you guys, in the 24 Frames time slot, Saturdays at nine, which is what you're tuned into right now.

And joining us tonight is Aaron Smith.

Aaron, thank you so much for being here.

- Absolutely, man.

- He is one of Lubbock's favorite local musicians, but it's not just local.

We export our musicians, and Aaron, you've just been on a European tour, right?

- Yeah.

- Can you tell us, tell us a little bit about that.

- Yeah, I was lucky enough to go out there and play drums for my friend Daniel Payne, and play with an international country band.

So that was awesome, we was out for two months, went everywhere from Spain all the way up to Sweden, so.

- Wow, what is the fans' response?

I mean, I've known that Europeans love country music, - Love folk music, - Right.

- love Americana.

What is the response you get when you're on the road, in Europe, with the music?

- I think it's exactly what you think.

Like, uh, these people really dig roots music and Americana music, so much where they're just really interested in American culture and they love a song, like stories with songs, excuse me, songs with stories in 'em.

- Oh, right.

- That people can relate to, and so, I think it's really cool to see that that's kind of a universal thing, it's not just here at all.

- Absolutely, do you get anyone who says, oh, Lubbock, I know Lubbock.

- Oh, absolutely, everyone goes Buddy Holly, Buddy Holly.

- Aah.

- Waylon Jennings, everybody.

But one of the best experiences there is we played at a metal festival in the Netherlands.

- The international country band, play, - Yes.

And so we were the only country band playing at a metal festival, and it was complete packed, and people were circle pitting around, I mean it was crazy, it was a blast.

- That is awesome.

Well, they can rock in the Netherlands.

- Oh, they don't play around with, - No.

They can get pretty heavy over there.

- Totally.

- You know, tell me a little about you.

You had drum with The Goners, you played a lot of different capacities across the city, what is the local Lubbock community like?

And the fact that you kind of traverse it, not only in, you know, different instruments, but also in different bands and stuff.

What is the sort of, what is that special magic that we have here in our community?

- I think we're lucky enough to be a small music community, so everybody knows each other and everybody likes playing in each other's bands.

What's funny, the band that plays for me is Slow Relics, and I actually play drums for Slow Relics, and so, sometimes we'll play songs, and then me and Singer would just switch, and he would go play drums, and I'll play, and that's just how it's done, like it's fun, and everybody does it around here, so.

- That's awesome.

- It's, yeah.

- And that's one of the things we've seen on the show, is just, not only the friendships, but the collaborative nature of the music scene, in Lubbock is really remarkable.

- Yeah.

- And there's not a lot, I mean don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's someone out there, we won't name their names, (laughter) but it's very ego-less, there's not a lot of - Yeah.

- Ego, a lot of people are just there to support each other.

- Yeah.

Yeah, I agree.

I know that the songwriter community at the Blue Light's a big thing, and I believe there is a group of eight or nine of them that just went on a camping trip, and I think it was like a songwriting retreat.

And so, there's just pictures all weekend of that, and I think that's pretty awesome.

- Incredible.

Building each other up, that's what we, that's what 24 Frames South Plains Sessions is all about, and I'll get out of the way and stop flapping my gums, we're gonna turn it over to you, and Aaron's gonna jam out.

- Cool.

How's it going everybody?

Thanks for tuning in, my name's Aaron Smith.

♪ She comes in like some old friend ♪ The one you long to see ♪ She baptizes dirty hands ♪ Beneath crystal sea ♪ She'll tuck you in to your bed ♪ She'll touch you till you're asleep ♪ Make you realize the prize ♪ Lies beneath your feet ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ I merely just flow-ow ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ Like some unwanted ghost ♪ Throwing times through my head ♪ Forcing pills down throats ♪ I guess it was fun, but I'm done ♪ It's time to let you go ♪ Kisses felt like Summer ♪ So deep, so passionate ♪ And now I free, so I plead ♪ Get out of your net ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ I merely just flow-ow ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ Like some unwanted ghost ♪ Maybe you know that I need you ♪ You're living off of me too ♪ The doll in you cruel to tool ♪ It leads me back to you ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ I merely just flow-ow ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ Like some unwanted ghost ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ I merely just flow-ow ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ Like some unwanted ghost (clapping) - Thank you.

Cool, I'm gonna try out some new ones today.

I think that's a weird time to try a new one, when you're streaming online in front of people.

♪ I see you caught up in another's arms ♪ And I'm wondering what just went wrong ♪ Do you ever ♪ Call him by the wrong name ♪ Now I been trampled ♪ I been tried ♪ But Lord I'm missing ♪ Your lyin eyes ♪ Do you ever ♪ Call him by the wrong name ♪ I never knew ♪ A heart could be so cruel ♪ But here I am ♪ Pining for you like a fool ♪ I got the runaround for far too long ♪ But Lord I just can't seem to get along ♪ Do you ever ♪ Call him by the wrong name ♪ I got the runaround for far too long ♪ But Lord I just can't seem to get along ♪ Do you ever ♪ Call him by the wrong name (clapping) - I got two more.

I'm gonna do another new, a new song.

And it's a little slow, so I apologize.

♪ I never meant to ♪ Do you harm ♪ I chose to save you ♪ From this ♪ I saw my demons ♪ Creeping ♪ Your way ♪ I could never ask you ♪ To stay ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ Keep on thinking ♪ To another time ♪ I swore you turned ♪ Water to wine ♪ I saw you chasing ♪ Another life ♪ I saw you chasing ♪ Others in line ♪ That wild soul ♪ Tucked inside you ♪ They never saw ♪ They never cared ♪ They never knew ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ Keep on thinking ♪ To another time ♪ I swore you turned ♪ Water to wine ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ I didn't choose ♪ Today ♪ Keep on thinking ♪ To another time ♪ I swore you turned ♪ Water to wine ♪ I swore you turned ♪ Water to wine (clapping) - Cool, thank you.

This is gonna be our last song, thank you guys for having me, thank you 24 Frames, Paul, Daniel, Jon, I love you guys.

This is a little different, I guess, from my normal stuff.

♪ Climb in ♪ Let's go for a ride ♪ The people inside ♪ They can't see us speak ♪ In here ♪ The radio is high ♪ The stars in the sky ♪ Hear 'em listening to me ♪ I'm about to spill my heart ♪ I'm about to throw it away ♪ Aren't you tired of other people ♪ Telling you what you should be ♪ I don't want this all in places ♪ I don't want you judging me ♪ Let me say this first ♪ I have a tendency to burn ♪ But you are the one my heart is aching for ♪ I'm about to spill my heart ♪ I'm about to throw it away - Thank you guys.

(clapping) - Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Aaron Smith, thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you.

- Thank you for tuning in to 24 Frames.

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24 Frames Presents the South Plains Sessions is a production of Texas Tech Public Media.

Thank you man, that awesome.

♪ Touch you till you're asleep ♪ Make you realize ♪ The prize lies beneath your feet ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ I merely just flow-ow ♪ So why the hell you stay here ♪ Like some unwanted ghost ♪ Throwing times through my head ♪ Forcing pills down throats