Johnny Aries began his musical career with the Margate, England-based band Two Wounded Birds, who played revved-up surf-rockabilly-punk-with-melody style. Going under the name Johnny Danger at the time, Aries' twangy guitar and evocative vocals were the band's focal points. After the release of a couple of singles and one album, 2012's self-titled affair, the band split. Around this time, Aries had begun playing with like-minded indie pop group the Drums as a live guitarist, as well as a short stint providing live keyboards for '90s revivalists Swim Deep. After a spell spent flying around the world to play gigs with the Drums, Aries moved to New York City to be nearer the Drums' home base and to work on solo material. His first release was a cover of the Smiths' "Back to the Old House" that was released by his new label Frenchkiss in early 2014. His debut album, Unbloomed, which saw Aries leave behind some of his '60s influences in favor of a more '80s-inspired sound, was issued in late summer of 2014.