Most people now know Ari Herstand as the guy who helped them fly with their instruments. His Carry Your Instrument On The Plane... It's The LAW blog post went viral and has been viewed over 250,000 times with over 40,000 Facebook Likes. In just under two years, Herstand's music business advice blog, Ari's Take, has been nominated by the LA Weekly as the best music blog in Los Angeles and has become a go to resource for DIY (Do It Yourself) musicians. Herstand started the blog to help musicians from his own experiences managing his music career. "Before the blog, I was getting so many questions from other DIY musicians on how to get their bands off the ground and I tried to reply to everyone. It got to a point where I just didn't have time to respond to everyone anymore, so I started Ari's Take and just started pointing people there," he explains.
Herstand has played over 550 shows, toured with the Milk Carton Kids and Ron Pope and has opened for Ben Folds, Cake, Matt Nathanson, Joshua Radin, Eric Hutchinson and others. He's had countless songs placed on TV shows and charted in the top ten on iTunes - all as a DIY musician.
"January 15th, 2008 was the greatest day of my life," he exclaims. "It was the day I quit Starbucks and officially became a full-time musician." Living in Minneapolis, he had been cutting his performance chops in a town where it seemed every musician had about one degree of separation from Prince. "It was very intimidating," Herstand admits. "Any night I wasn't performing a show I tried to get out and see a show. For awhile, I was out 4-5 nights a week seeing local Minneapolis music."
Herstand quickly rose to prominence in Minneapolis, consistently filling the 800 capacity Varsity Theater. As a student at the University of Minnesota (for just 1 year), he played the college cafes, bars and clubs and built his following on campus. With 40,000 undergraduates, it wasn't a bad market to target. Word spread about Herstand's popularity on campus and he got a call from a college booking agency. "The funny thing is, I submitted to this agency a couple times, but never could get a response. Then one day I got a call from the president, with a voice that rivaled Barry White's, and he asked if I could play a gig at a university in St. Paul for $1,000. I thought it was a prank. He assured me it was for real. I played the gig and "Barry White Jr." was there and offered me a spot on his roster. He never actually received my submissions."
Herstand started playing colleges all over the Midwest. He showcased at the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) Northern Plains region, in the Spring of 2008 and booked 50 shows on the spot. A NACA record.
That year, he also opened for Ben Folds, played (and booked) a stage at the "World's Largest Music Festival" Summerfest in Milwaukee, released his Whispering Endearments record and self-booked his first couple tours to the coasts and back.
He continued to tour the Midwest and his regional club turnouts kept growing. Soon he was playing packed rooms in a 5 state region. His Minneapolis local shows were always a welcomed return and the Varsity Theater remained his home.
Herstand always toured solo accompanied by his loop station- incorporating the acoustic guitar, keys, trumpet, percussion, beat boxing and vocals. "I started looping because I was bored with the singer/songwriter format. One of the first concerts I went to was the Dave Matthews Band at Alpine Valley. I was mesmerized by all of the intricate elements they incorporated."
After nearly three non-stop years on the road, Herstand needed a change. "I think it was loading into the Varsity in February during a blizzard that I officially made up my mind. No more winter," he remembers.
The song "Minnie and Me" on the new album, Brave Enough, is about falling out of love with Minneapolis.
Herstand moved to Los Angeles in the Summer of 2010 to begin the next phase of his artistic journey (and get away from the cold).
He quickly found a home at the popular Hollywood music venue, The Hotel Cafe.
He continued touring extensively, but after returning from an extended run in the summer of 2012, he realized he needed to take some time off the road and explore what LA had to offer. On a whim, he sent out head shots to acting agents. He hadn't actually acted since he played Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar in a Madison, Wisconsin community theater production the summer after high school. The day after the head shots went out, he got 7 calls. He took some meetings and signed with an agent. So far he has starred in a film by Fox-Japan (out late 2014) and has co-starred on 2 Broke Girls, Touch, Sam & Cat, The Fosters and Fiat commercial.
Herstand grew up in Wisconsin. He went to elementary school in Shorewood (a suburb of Milwaukee) and his family moved to Madison just before 7th grade. The son of a social worker and a guidance counselor, Herstand has always had a strong social justice sense. His song "Who's Deciding" off of his debut, 2005 release, Baby Eyes, and "Do Ask Do Tell" off of his 2010 release, Clean Up EP, promotes LGBT equality - an issue Herstand feels very strongly about.
His high school ska/funk/rock band, Jahaziwoga… don't ask, was a two-time battle of the bands winner at his high school's contest (the other 2 bands were pissed). Herstand played trumpet and was the lead skanker. He picked up guitar his freshman year. He remembers, "The lead singer of our band played guitar and sang a song at a party and my girlfriend swooned a little too hard. I knew I had to learn guitar."
The rest, as they say, is history.
After a successful $13,544 Kickstarter campaign Herstand went back into the studio in the Spring of 2012 to record his latest album, Brave Enough. He returned to Minnesota to work with long time engineer/producer/friend Paul Marino. Marino arranged for Herstand's "favorite drummer on the planet," Dave King (The Bad Plus), to play drums on the record - along with many other world class musicians.
The record is about moving to a new city with an old love. Herstand wrote the optimistic "San Vicente Blvd" after his first visit to Los Angeles: "I had left Minneapolis when it was negative 5 and snowing. I arrived in LA and it was 80 degrees and sunny. I thought, yeah, this is gonna be ok."
The album explores the trials of temptation, life on the road and the pain only true love can produce.
"I grew spiritually and emotionally through this process and came out not necessarily stronger, but more compassionate with an understanding of what truly is the most important element of life: love. Love is what continued to fuel me even in the darkest moments of this journey and love is what continues to inspire me as a musician; as an artist."
Herstand has released 6 albums to date:
Brave Enough - March, 2014
Recorded in Minnesota
Produced by Paul Marino and Ari Herstand
Mixed by Paul Marino
Mastered by Bernie Grundman
Clean Up EP - March, 2011
Recorded at The Pearl in Minneapolis, MN
Produced by Ari Herstand
Mixed by Paul Marino
Mastered by Scott Hull at Masterdisk in NYC
Live at The Pause - February 26, 2010
Recorded live at The Lion's Pause at St. Olaf College on March 8th, 2009
DVD/CD package
Produced and Mixed by Paul Marino
Whispering Endearments - Sept 12, 2008
Produced by Chris Kalgren and Ari Herstand
Engineered by Paul Marino
Recorded at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in NYC
One Take (live) - February, 2007
Recorded live at the Varsity Theater and The Pause at St. Olaf College
Baby Eyes - December 9, 2005
Self produced debut album
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Dik Shopteau at GoDikGo Studios in Minneapolis, MN
Sleep
Ari Herstand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Six in the morning
I?m all out of dreams
4 hours ago I went to sleep feeling
the morning will bring peace
Here I melt another day
another way holding just warming your heart as you sleep
Frost has begun
on time as scheduled
I thought this year might be a change
The presence of winter
burns through my finger
touching the window sill?s glass
Here I melt another day
another way holding just warming your heart as you sleep
First night in ages
I dreamed of the places
you and I will travel in time
Who you are I?m not sure
but that doesn?t matter
When we?re old we?ll both feel the same
Here I melt another day
another way holding just warming your heart as you sleep
Sun has now seeped
right through my window
The frost has left a light glow
Inches from simple
Miles from smiles
I sit staring hopelessly and wait
Here I melt another day
another way holding just warming your heart as you sleep
I won?t let go
Sleep
We?re all alone
Sleep
The song "Sleep" by Ari Herstand describes the feeling of waking up early in the morning after a restless sleep, and how the day starts with a sense of detachment from reality. The singer is all out of dreams, having gone to bed with the hope that the morning would bring peace. However, the presence of winter and frost outside his window serves only to remind him of the fleeting nature of life, as he sits in quiet contemplation waiting for something more.
The lyrics create a dream-like atmosphere that reflects the uncertain and introspective mood of the singer. The song speaks to the universal experience of feeling alone and isolated, but also hints at the promise of hope and renewal that comes with every new day. The use of repetition in the chorus emphasizes the sense of holding on to something intangible, with the singer seeking comfort in the idea of just warming someone's heart with his presence.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the transience of life, but also on the comforting power of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Slipped out of bed
I woke up quietly and left my bed
Six in the morning
It's six o'clock in the morning
I'm all out of dreams
I had no dreams during the night
4 hours ago I went to sleep feeling the morning will bring peace
When I went to sleep four hours ago, I thought that I would feel peaceful in the morning
Here I melt another day another way holding just warming your heart as you sleep
I spend another day slowly and warmly, holding a feeling that I hope comforts you while you sleep
Frost has begun on time as scheduled
The frost has started on schedule
I thought this year might be a change
I hoped that this year would be different
The presence of winter burns through my finger touching the window sill's glass
The feeling of winter burns through my finger as I touch the sill of the window
First night in ages I dreamed of the places you and I will travel in time
For the first time in a long time, I had a dream of the places we will travel in the future
Who you are I'm not sure but that doesn't matter
I'm not sure who you are, but it's not important
When we're old we'll both feel the same
No matter what happens, we'll both feel the same when we're old
Sun has now seeped right through my window
The sun has come through my window
The frost has left a light glow
The frost has left a gentle glow behind
Inches from simple miles from smiles I sit staring hopelessly and wait
I'm stuck feeling hopeless and waiting for something, just inches away from finding simplicity and miles away from happiness
I won't let go
I refuse to let go
Sleep
Sleep
We're all alone
We're alone
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.