Knee deep in a recession, just how are teens making money these days? Well, for senior Aaron Ontiveros making money is just a bonus to what he loves to do. Aaron is the lead drummer for the screamo band Obscure.
Although he has not played the drums for very long, he has caught on quickly. “I have been playing for about a year,” Ontiveros said. “A friend of mine had a set and he taught me how to play.” Originally drumming was just for fun, but he “loved the idea of just being able to beat on something.”
Although he is in a sreamo band he is not very fond of the music.
“Honestly I’m not much of a screamo person,” Ontiveros said . “I’m just in it to play the drums I like it because it gets me in the mood and mellow out. There are a few bands I like though, like A Day to Remember or Aurora Sunset.”
Besides him, the band consists of guitar players Lennin Gaxiola, and Adam Arceo, bass player Criss Mafa Reyes, vocalist Joseph Richardson and drum technician and merchandise guy Anthony Lozano.
“We argue a lot, talk behind each other’s back and book shows without telling each other,” Arceo said.
“We’re like brothers,” Ontiveros said .
The band has played shows all across the valley. “We’re somehow really popular,” Ontiveros said. “People will actually come and ask us to play shows for them.” They have played at a coffee house in Turlock, the Ace of Spades in Sacramento, a church in Ceres and at Dan’s house, a venue here in Stockton.
Performing so much on the road has not really affected his school life. “I still play basketball and get okay grades.” Being in the band has also made Aaron more confident.
“At first I was playing shows, but now having done it for a while I’m like whatever. Its fun getting paid for doing something you like to do.”
Although the band does make money they aren’t receiving the 5-star band pay. “We play a show and get payed maybe $45 bucks,” Arceo said. That $45 is then split between the 6 band members. Doing the math that is about $7.50 each.
The sub-par paycheck does not matter to Ontiveros. “I didn’t join to be famous; I joined for the fun of it. I couldn’t really see how we could be popular.”
Of course, the reason they are popular starts with the music. “I like to go home and write my own stuff, I show what I make to Lennin and we critique it,”Arceo said . “I try to add things I like to hear; a deathcore/ hardcore feel and I contribute lightning fast solo.”
“It’s just noise to me,”Ontiveros said . Aaron would like to play a different genre of music one day but until then he is going to continue to stick with the band. “We’re already out there. Why would I leave?”
