Dear Leader

The story so far starts in a recording studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts during the most severe winter in over 100 years. This is where DEAR LEADER, the brainchild of Aaron Perrino - begins to germinate within the walls. What started off as a fun side project had bestowed him the verve to put his band on hiatus and embark on his first solo recordings.

Hailing from Buffalo, Perrino relocated to Boston in pursuit of its fertile music scene. After several failed attempts to join existing projects, Perrino formed the rock trio The Sheila Divine with college friends Shawn Sears and Jim Gilbert in 1997. By late 1998, The Sheilas (as they were called) released their debut EP 'The Sheila Divine' on Boston's Cherrydisc Records to much acclaim. It wasn't long before the press poured in and suddenly, their shows started selling out. The band took top honors at that year's WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble which subsequently landed the band a record deal with Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner wasted no time and capitalized on the percolating Boston buzz: they released their debut full length 'New Parade' and put the band on tour opening for The Manic Street Preachers, At The Drive In, to then be hand picked by Morrisssey as his opening at. TSD have shared the stage with Travis, Coldplay, No Doubt, Primal Scream, David Bowie, and in were one of only a handful of bands ever to play in Communist China. After several US and European tours, Perrino was unfulfilled and decided to get a new perspective.

In February of 2003, Perrino holed himself up at Moontower Studio, a small recording room located in the same building as a Karate dojo. Perrino started to craft stark, raw-hewn songs with producer Darren Ottraviani that captured a spirit reminiscent of early Echo and the Bunnymen, and Joy Division. Slowly, songs of lost love, absent allies, frozen dreams, and new beginnings began to grow within the studio speakers at night. These first sullen recordings seemed to mesh perfectly with the cold weather outside. Capitalizing on an exceptionally prolific period, Perrino would write during the day, try the songs out that night at solo shows, and if they still felt good, record them the next day in the studio. As Moontower songs took shape, Perrino then hooked up with sonic wonder John Dragonetti of Jack Drag. Taking over the in producer's chair, Dragonetti turned these sessions upside and inside out, gradually morphing into what was soon to launch the future life of DEAR LEADER.