First/Last 'The Essentials'-Earlimart

"Whilst considering the eponymous inspiration for the band name—an impoverished little cowtown halfway between frontman Aaron Espinoza’s birthplace of Fresno and his adopted hometown of Los Angeles, the musical mecca where he was destined to meet band-mate Ariana Murray—LA Weekly once noted that Earlimart isn’t really a place at all, but a journey: As skipper of “The Ship”—both a recording studio and a musical collective that includes emerging stars such as Silversun Pickups, Let’s Go Sailing, Irving, and Sea Wolf, band founder Espinoza has been one of the cornerstones of the Silver Lake music scene since the late ’90s. A studio svengali and in-demand session man, he’s produced records by The Folk Implosion and The Breeders, helmed sessions for Silversun Pickups, and recorded with Grandaddy and the late Elliott Smith.
As Earlimart, Espinoza and longtime bassist, keyboardist and musical collaborator, Ariana Murray, have been local celebrities for years, hailed for a critically praised body of work: 2003’s Everyone Down Here and the accompanying EP The Avenues, breakthrough releases endowed with sophisticated washes of brooding rock and experimental pop; and 2004’s elegiac Treble & Tremble, a gorgeous album which mixed the group’s continuing interstellar pop with splashes of subtle folk and alt-country"

It would be utterly impossible for me to express how much I love this band, so I won't even begin to try. I can put it this way, I can count on two of my fingers my favorite bands of all time still making music and Earlimart is one of them. I will also say that they released their seventh full length, "System Preferences" this past year and as with the previous six, it's just so great. You can find the band at it's official Website, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. A huge thanks to frontman Aaron Espinoza (Guitars/Vocals) for taking a few minutes to participate in this last 2012 edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
The Police, “Synchronicity”.

Your last album bought?
Tom Waits, “Nighthawks at the Diner”.

Favorite album of all time?
The Beatles, “The White Album”.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
I don't care for Sigur Ros.

First concert attended?
Duran Duran.

Last concert?
ZZ Top in Houston.

Favorite concert ever?
The Pixies/Radiohead at Coachella.

Least favorite concert?
Hmm…Earlimart at Nordstroms.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
The first time Earlimart played in Pitt. Back in 2000. We we're booked at this pretty big industrial factory type shed thingy. It was way too big for us. We we're opening for a band called The Waxwings...who had to cancel. Literally...no one was there. Right before we started two guys came in. They said they we're there to see The Waxwings. We played our hearts out for ‘em anyhow.

Thanks so much, Aaron. It means a whole lot you played along, man. Still holding my breath for another Pittsburgh gig. Have a Happy New Year, buddy.