THE AIMLESS NEVER MISS

By Julia Cooper; Photo by Luke Judd

While unpredictability can bring instant allure to a rock band, when it comes to a full-length debut release show, the last thing a frontman wants is uncertainty in his lineup. But for Jonny Latimer, guitarist and vocalist of San Francisco’s The Aimless Never Miss, playing with a rotating cast of musicians is all part of the fun.

On the heels of a label offer from Devil in the Woods, Latimer received friendly leaves-of-absence of sorts from longtime Aimless players Rosie Steffy (moog, piano, vocals), Ross Giffen (guitar) and Winston Goertz-Giffen (drums), who all still drop in on occasion, but have shifted their priorities to other bands and ventures.

The September showcase for Aimless’ self-titled debut saw Latimer and other core member Andrew Macy (bass) calling up Steffy, Giffen and Goertz-Giffen onstage, along with more recent addition, almost full-time drummer Eric Kuhn, to celebrate Aimless’ past, present and future. “It’s a little weird because we don’t really have a solid band,” Latimer says. “Everyone is in other projects and helps us out with stuff.”

As it turned out, the music musical chairs made the night even more special and proved that Aimless’ mutable roll-call works – Latimer had survived the turnover unscathed and, in the process, kindled new musical possibilities. “Our lineup, or our alumni, is getting to be a pretty big group of people,” Latimer says, “and that’s awesome because it’s a group of people you can continue to pull from for inspiration.”

If anyone understands band multi-tasking, it’s Latimer. He’s played with a dozen Bay Area groups already, including The Rum Diary and current projects Shuteye Unison and Built for the Sea, whose own CD release and European tour followed the unveiling of Aimless’ debut. “It’s kind of this juggling act that we all do,” Latimer says about contributing to multiple projects, which is why he maintains an open-door policy for musical allies.

This liberated go-with-the-flow M.O. materializes in the Aimless’ new record, an indie rock powerhouse bursting with dense guitars, melodic drift and spirited vocals. The follow-up to two EPs released last year on Tricycle Records, The Aimless Never Miss was recorded over a year and half with help from engineer Adam Myatt (of Form and Fate) at Oakland’s Sharkbite Studios.

The record was a long time coming for Latimer, a Bay Area native whose high school songwriting project transpired into the Aimless after a move up north to study philosophy at Sonoma State. Linking up with Goertz-Giffen’s Ted the Block, for which the roles were reversed and Latimer played drums, he was brought into the fold of a circle of musicians who began to show interest in his songs. In 2005, the project snowballed and the focus shifted to The Aimless Never Miss, the band deciding to relocate to San Francisco and the East Bay.

While competitive circumstance may characterize other scenes, in the Bay Area, Latimer finds himself among a family tree of support and potential collaborators including his current bands, Kuhn’s Silian Rail and Myatt’s James and Evander. His goals for Aimless remain clear: put out as much music as possible, fill up one’s imagination, have fun and always support friends. “It’s really inspiring because every time one band puts out an album, we all listen to it,” Latimer explains. “We all get really stoked on it and we want to put out an album that’s just as good. We kind of feed off of each other in that way.”

Latimer is eager to record the next Aimless album and hit the road – once he figures out if he’ll bring along an extended cast of Aimless characters or keep it a three-piece this time around. And though uncertainty frightens some, fresh perspectives and musical freedom prove a mightier muse for The Aimless Never Miss. “Ultimately, you’ve got to not put all your eggs in one basket,” Latimer says. “Try not to focus too hard on the logistics of music and just have fun.”

www.theaimlessnevermiss.com