Aaron Barrett

Aaron Barrett
Barrett performing with Reel Big Fish on the 2010 Warped Tour
Background information
Birth name	Aaron Asher Barrett
Born	(1974-08-30) August 30, 1974 (age 42)
Genres	Third wave ska, ska punk, alternative rock, punk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, vocalist, songwriter, producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, trombone, synthesizer, organ, celesta, slide guitar
Associated acts	Reel Big Fish The Scholars The Forces of Evil The Goodwin Club

Aaron Asher Barrett (born August 30, 1974) is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter of the American ska-punk band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry.

More recently Barrett formed The Forces of Evil (now defunct) with former members of Jeffries Fan Club, The Scholars and Lone Raspberry. The Forces of Evil sounded similar to Barrett's main band, although lyrically they were much more pessimistic. The Forces of Evil ceased touring and playing in early 2005, and several members went on to play with Reel Big Fish.

Barrett is also featured in Serious Awesomeness, a DVD by The Aquabats, interviewing attendees of an Aquabats show outside of The Glass House in Pomona, California, calling himself "Joe Famous"; he is also seen briefly on stage with the band. Barrett also made a cameo appearance in the music video for "Come Back Home" by Suburban Legends in an Elvis Presley costume and a cameo appearance in the music video for "I'm OK, You're OK" by MxPx as a doughnut-shop employee. Aaron has been dubbed as "the sexiest man of ska in 2009".

Barrett plays a variety of guitars. Of his more famous guitars are his white Gibson Les Paul Studio with a decal of the devil smoking a cigar on the body (now owned by Brian Klemm of Suburban Legends); his black, sticker slapped Gibson SG; and his U.K. made sunburst Gordon Smith Graduate with matching headstock, which he currently plays. On their live DVD commentary, Barrett comments that he paid $2000 for his Gordon Smith, and it is the best sounding guitar he has ever had. Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free was recorded with both Barrett's Gordon Smith and an Ebony Les Paul. The clean guitar on Reel Big Fish's album, Fame, Fortune and Fornication was recorded with both Brian Klemm's Fender Telecaster and Max Beckman of Half Past Two's American Deluxe Fender Telecaster. Other guitars that Barrett has played include a blue double-neck Ibanez, featured in the videos for "Take on Me", "The Set Up (You Need This)" (briefly), and on the cover of the album Why Do They Rock So Hard? as a silhouette. He also plays various Ibanez and Gretsch guitars in the videos for "Everything Sucks" and "She Has A Girlfriend Now", and on the sleeve of Reel Big Fish's first album Everything Sucks. More recently, Barrett played both a black Fender Jazzmaster (with which he recorded parts of We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy). He also played a dark blue Gibson Archtop and a Fender '98 Black Tornado in the video for "Don't Start a Band."