A. J. (otherwise known as Aaron) Sharma has been making music since he beat up boxes, and has recently released a new album, which is gaining some traction in far-flung corners of the world.
"I began constructing songs around a cardboard box drum kit I built up in the corner of our garage in Invercargill, - pre-high school days - taking notes and singing away by myself: The Troggs meet Buddy Holly."
Aaron's brothers Robin and Mark have both featured in the Dunedin music scene, popping up in various bands over the years, and Aaron says music was all around them growing up in Invercargill.
"Yep, lots of sing-alongs, with spoons and guitars, very Kiwi styles.
"Ten Guitars, that sort of thing."
Aaron Sharma says his new album, The Road Back, has been garnering attention from around the world.
"Yeah, I've had a trickle feedback on sales. I got a positive review from NSW recently, ...
"I've sold the copies of the first pressing of The Road Back. The new pressing should actually have liner notes.
"Copies are turning up in far-off fields - Germany, Greece, and the US."
With another album in the works he has been back to the studio, which he says went well.
"I had a productive session with Thom Bell earlier in the year, a track from which should appear on the German branch of Powertool Records' Bulletholes 4 upcoming compilation.
"I've also been working on new material, trying to learn an Alistair Campbell poem, and looking towards recording with Forbes Williams, sometime during this winter."
That said, A. J. is pretty much a solo musician's solo musician.
"I did some shows last year with a drummer on board, which really did give a different energy, but, alas, I'm just doing solitary shows for the time being."
He says describing his style of music can be potentially problematic.
"After all this time I guess I'm still working it out as I have tended to trip in and out of different hoops so to speak.
Singer-songwriter is kind of it. As to what that singer-songwriter is up to, is an ongoing mystery."
Catch them
A. J. Sharma, The New Self, and Death By Silo play at Chicks, in Port Chalmers, tonight.
