Meet Seawall Prophet | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Seawall Prophet and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Seawall, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
When it comes to your passion, giving up should never be an option. For me, this is writing original music and performing in front of live audiences. This is something that gives me purpose and brings me joy, so my plan is to do this until my dying breath. I do believe however, that when trying to turn your passion into a living, you have to be more flexible. Business models can change, and if something isn’t working, it is necessary to adapt to the circumstances and try a different approach. It requires patience and persistence, continuously working toward your goal until the right opportunities arise. Plenty of doors will close, but eventually the right one will open.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Hello! My name is Aaron Markland and I am a soul surfer and Singer/Songwriter specializing in beach oriented music, rock, funk, reggae, blues, and acoustic roots. I was born and raised in San Diego [Ocean Beach], and my musical journey started at Point Loma High School when my brother and I formed a hardcore punk band called Soylent Green. After that, I joined the US Air Force as a Pararescueman, then served as a Firefighter/Paramedic in the Albuquerque Fire Department for 12 years. During this time, I performed on the side and recorded 2 solo albums, 1 album under the name MARKLAND, 1 album under the name SELF CONTAINED, and released a single on Wabasa Records. I won Best Rock Album at the New Mexico Music Awards, and was nominated for Best Pop Album, Best Reggae Song, Best Modern Rock Song, and Best Music Video. I’ve had several songs published in the film “Adventures of Miss Fit” [directed by Gregg Simpson], as well as the documentary series “Wonderland” [directed by Noah Tafolla]. In 2019, I decided to leave the fire department, move back to San Diego, and pursue my dream of playing music full-time. Since then, I secured residencies at the Hyatt Regency in La Jolla and The Rabbit Hole in Normal Heights, and can be seen performing regularly all over the San Diego and Albuquerque areas. I am excited to announce that on July 19th, 2022, I signed a record deal with Pacific Records and will now perform and record under the name SEAWALL PROPHET. I am currently finishing my new EP set to be released late summer/early fall 2022. My vision is that Seawall Prophet will be a beach lifestyle brand with an emphasis on surf culture.

My road has been long and it was far from easy, but what I have learned is that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Keep working hard, never give up, and when the opportunity arises, take the leap.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had a friend visiting from out of town, I would start and finish in my own backyard Ocean Beach. OB has just about everything, so there’s really no need to ever leave. First I would take them out surfing at my favorite break: the OB Pier. After that, here are a few spots I would take them to eat: Hodads (Burgers), Nicos (Mexican Food), South Beach (Happy Hour), Blue Water (Seafood), The Holding Company/OB Noodle House (Asian Fusion), OB Surf Lodge (Breakfast). For a night out, I would start with drinks at Pacific Shores; it’s a sick little dive bar with low priced drinks and they pour with a heavy hand. Then I would bar hop down to Winston’s or The Holding Company; there’s always live music with top notch local talent as well as well known touring artists. Other than that, if the Padres were in town I would definitely take my friend to a Padre game at Petco Park; let’s go Padres!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This Shoutout series interview is dedicated to Amanda Piepgras from Amanda’s Adaptive Martial Arts. She does wonderful work helping special needs children.

Website: http://seawallprophet.com

Image Credits
Photos by Troy White, Steve Duncan