Aaron West And The Roaring Twenties

Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties is the solo project of Dan Campbell, known for his role as the frontman of The Wonder Years. The project began over 10 years ago as a “character study conducted through music.” Campbell developed the persona of Aaron West, an Upstate New Yorker facing a series of personal tragedies, including the loss of his father, a miscarriage experienced by his wife Dianne, and their subsequent separation. This narrative approach allows Campbell to explore complex human experiences and fallibility through music, creating an ongoing story across multiple releases. The project debuted with the album ‘We Don’t Have Each Other’ in 2014.

Over the years, the project has evolved musically and narratively. Beginning with a six-player ensemble on ‘We Don’t Have Each Other’, the band, known as The Roaring Twenties, expanded to a dozen members on ‘Routine Maintenance’ in 2019, and then to 16 members on ‘In Lieu of Flowers’. This expansion allowed for musical exploration across genres like jazz, country, Americana, and lounge music, incorporating instruments such as pedal steel, strings, accordion, banjo, and horns. Campbell maintains a strict chronological timeline for Aaron’s story, ensuring career progression and life events align with real-world years and the protagonist’s development, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic within the narrative. The project has also featured Campbell performing in-character as Aaron West at live shows, enhancing the narrative continuity.

A significant turning point in Aaron’s arc involved addressing his struggles with alcoholism, a theme hinted at in early releases. While initially presenting as someone who merely ceased drinking, the narrative on ‘In Lieu of Flowers’ delves into the deeper work required for healing from trauma and addiction. This exploration includes Aaron checking into rehab, demonstrating a commitment to confronting his past and present challenges. Campbell conducted extensive research, consulting with friends in various stages of sobriety to ensure an accurate and empathetic portrayal of this journey, contributing to the project’s emotional depth and realism.