Our staff is full of lively members, but none more so than Mr. Aiden Gromley. Many of you have probably encountered him before, either in or out of school. He’s one of the most bombastic personalities on our team, and has a cheesy joke for almost any occasion. He also has a deep admiration for music, having enjoyed nearly every genre you can think of as well as having made his own.

Music is an extremely crucial component in Aiden’s life. Similar to other people, music offers him a relief, a break from the stresses that come with everyday life. In simple terms, an artistic form of escape. Currently, his favorite genres include “alternative rap and alternative rock,” two genres that break away from what people are typically used to and offer a fresh perspective on their more traditional counterparts.

As many may know from reading his articles, Aiden is a very skilled and creative writer, and music is something that allows him to enter into and explore creative avenues. In his free time, he enjoys creating stories and using music as a means to “zone in” on things that require his attention.

In a basic sense, music has fundamentally changed him in positive ways. Most people put on music for background noise, as well as to set a mood. However, they often forget to actually listen to the deeper meaning behind the son’s lyrics. For Aiden, listening to music allows him to enhance his own life experiences by living vicariously through other’s music. For example, one of his favorite artists, Kid Cudi, is someone who frequently talks about how he can relate to his fans and how he doesn’t want them to make some of the same mistakes he’s guilty of.

In terms of his journey of exploring music, it primarily remains one of self-discovery. Although it was mentioned that his interest in alternative music styles is accredited to his friend, Nick, who produces music. In this way, music has opened doors for him in his life that has allowed him to network with others. Aiden also dabbles in creating his own music from time to time, but remarked that it’s difficult to become inspired in Erie because there aren’t many local artists who he can relate to. Currently, he is taking a break from music since the demands of life greatly strain his concentration. When he does create new music, he mainly adheres to alternative rap with elements of rock, but is open to doing “almost anything.” The only genre of music which he can’t resonate with as well is country, despite claiming that listening to it live is significantly better.

As it stands, music is something that has taken a great hold of Aiden’s life and has helped shape him into the person he is today. His message and journey of musical discovery is one that can be appreciated and adopted by all, as it is one about determining what kind of person you want to be by observing the great and poor qualities of those around you.