Still A Wild Man: An Interview with Aaron “White Owl” Collins of Butterbrain
By Raph Copeland | March 17, 2026
When we did our very first interview for this magazine, there was only one person we reached out to, and that was Aaron “White Owl” Collins, a 40-year veteran of the scene. Exactly one hundred interviews later, we brought him back to catch up. Is it because he is one of the best bass players out there? Is it because I had a poster of his band on my wall in college? Well, yes, and yes, but more because I had the opportunity to go from a long time fan to close friend, and discover that the old saying about never meeting your heroes could not be more wrong.
Collins’ career has spanned multiple genres, from funk metal to hardcore to hop hop to his current band Butterbrain, which throws every type of music at you but the kitchen sink (and when the next album drops, we may get the kitchen sink too). We caught up with him to discuss what it’s like to share the stage with your idol, the realization that the party can’t last forever, and why the music world is so much richer because he didn’t listen to his Mom.
Welcome! Taking it back to the beginning, your band White Trash was signed to Elektra when you were barely out of high school. What was it like for you being a teenage knucklehead from Queens one day and then seeing yourself on MTV the next?
Definitely a bit wild. I was fresh outta high school. Young, dumb and fulla cum. What I wouldn’t give to jump in the Hot Tub Time Machine. Definitely my left nut. Although I’m proud to be still at it 40 yrs later (holy shit 🤦♂️)
You’ve played with some bands – White Trash, Murphy’s Law, Butterbrain - that have had significant turnover over the years. What do you think is the common denominator for people constantly leaving the bands? Are you that difficult to work with? (editor’s note, this question was included as a joke, expressly not to be included in the interview. Aaron answered it anyway)
I WANT to answer that! I don’t think so, i mean- i HOPE not. I think I am transparent and open about what’s expected, especially these days with Butterbrain. I think it’s just hard for others to keep up with a “semi” full time band, and families, and jobs. Especially at our age. For me, it’s a priority in my life. I’m all in. But i don’t think it is (or can i expect it to be) for everyone. We have a pretty solid, dedicated, killer lineup at the moment. So i feel blessed.
As for other situations- Murphy’s Law was one of my favorite experiences. Music right up my alley. Party time (before i got sober) right up my alley as well. I loved it. But it wasn’t my baby, it’s Jimmy G’s baby. And i always wanted my own baby lol.
As for White Trash- we were ALL young, dumb and fulla cum. So lots of blame to go around on that one. I always thought that if we had kept that our home base and made the other projects our side pieces, we would have been wiser. But hindsight is 20/20. As they say, “if my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle”. The management company (Q-Prime) deserves a lot of the blame on that one too. They were so busy sucking Metallica’s balls, that they forgot we existed lol.
After a few post-White Trash projects, you had the opportunity to play bass for Murphy’s Law. What was it like traveling the world and being on stage with NYC hardcore legends night after night?
It was a blast. I got to tour Europe, Japan, all over the U.S. And I got to play with some legendary artists- Bad Brains, The Misfits, T.S.O.L, The Business. I left college but I got a Masters in Punk Rock/Hardcore. And the party didn’t stop til we said when lol.
It’s been rumored that all members of Murphy’s Law receive a nickname upon joining. Did you receive one, and if so, who gave it to you and what was the meaning of it?
I don’t know about ALL members. But mine was Meatball! And to those who were privileged enough, “Meatball Parmesan”. I’ve had quite a few nicknames in my time. White Owl, Dood-E Brown, and of course… MEATBALL!!
Moving to your current project Butterbrain, there was a long gap between your first album and the 2019 EP when the band really kicked it into high gear. Were you focused on other projects, or just waiting for the right time to dedicate yourself fully to the band?
I was in a drug and alcohol induced long term stupor. Basically…
Butterbrain has featured some of your long time friends, including former White Trash bandmates and musicians you went to school with back at Francis Lewis High School. How does it affect the emotional chemistry of the music to have such deep friendships and history with members of the band?
It means ALOT!! The only one currently left is singer/trumpet player Brendan Stiles, but yes, those are my guys. I wish they all could still be part of it, but they all have their own lives, and own interests, so most of the OG’s have moved on. But as I mentioned, the train keeps a rollin’ and we have a killer crew in place now, dedicated and ready to pillage.
One of your musical heroes, Angelo Moore of Fishbone, has recorded, produced and even toured with Butterbrain as a member. Are you still at times in awe being on the same stage with him as he plays songs you’ve written, or are you just completely used to it by now?
Ahh shieeet, yea always in awe, and that’s what helps keep my juices flowing. You gotta have your game on tight when performing and recording with a legend like Angelo Moore. And I always want to strut my stuff and my crew’s stuff, to show him how WE do too. It’s a blessing. I’ve learned a lot from that man. But the best times are when we are having a coffee, shooting the shit together. He’s just a cool dude. A friend. A super talented one at that. A lifer. An inspiration.
Butterbrain has a strong visual identity, having released over a dozen videos. Are there a few that stand out to you as particularly meaningful?
ALL of them!! They each capture a moment in time. Especially the last batch, where we let some of our band mates and buddies get involved creatively. But perhaps for me- 93 Million Miles From The Sun. It was during the pandemic, so everything was done remotely- from the audio to the video, which was mostly filmed on our phones. Those motorcycle scenes are my favorite cause it was me and Matty riding thru NYC and Brooklyn with hardly anyone around. It felt kinda magical. Even tho the audio and video were a bit subpar, it was more about the feeling of the time. I edited that shit on IMovie from my shitty laptop that kept crashing. But I was being productive while stuck at home (editor’s note: we were hoping for perhaps a different answer, but … no, that’s fine).
Returning to nicknames, you were known as “Dood-e Brown” in the early days and are now more commonly known by the moniker “White Owl”. What are the meanings behind these nicknames, and were there any precipitating events that led to them, or anyone specific who laid them on you?
Ah shieeet. I shoulda looked at ALL the questions first lol! You’re good man!! You should do this for a living. As I was just mentioning earlier: Dood-e Brown came from me and my brother being knuckleheads and probably smoking a ton of weed with White Trash. He, my older brother Ethan, was given “Sugar Brown” (a simple reverse of the Rolling Stones song) by ME. And somehow he came up with Dood-e … a play on… well .. for some reason we thought The Brown Brothers was cooler then the Collins Brothers.
As for White Owl- that came from the blunts, White Owl cigars. I was never really a blunt smoker when I did smoke weed, but for some reason it came from the Skarhead crew and stuck. If you’re a punk rock and or hardcore, you better have a nickname lol.
Your sobriety is a large part of your life. Would you say you’re still the same wild man you were in your teens and twenties, or has maintaining that abstinence slowed you down a little, on stage and off?
GOOD question. I feel less of a wild man in real life. More of a wild man on stage. I feel much more present and connected, which makes me a bit more “responsible” in my day to day life. And when I get on stage, it’s time to let that all go, and be a kid again.
If at your funeral (sorry, but we all have to go sometime), you could have two songs played – one written by you and one not, which ones would they be and why?
Damn!! Let’s see … by me- Chasing Ghosts. Not by me- A Day in The Life (Beatles). (Editor’s note: Chasing Ghosts is a tribute to Aaron’s brother Ethan, an amazing guitarist and significant influence on him. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Ethan’s passing. Our interview with Ethan’s son Luke from the band Third Rail Shock can be viewed here).
We know there’s one really big Butterbrain fan out there, and you got to play in front of her recently during your run of shows in Florida. What has her support meant to you, especially given her influence on you as a musician herself?
HA! It’s nice, special. We’ve lost a lot of family members over these past few years. All of my immediate ones. It’s just me and mama left. I think she’s FINALLY appreciating that i am an “artist”. I think she would’ve preferred law school but, hey …
Official website: https://www.butterbrainnyc.com
Bandcamp: https://butterbrain1.bandcamp.com
Band Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterbrainnyc
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/white_owlny
To mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of Aaron’s brother and bandmate, we’d like to include a link to the Ethan Collins Memorial Tribute, by Chris Arbisi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfpEKEEgjmQ