Wendy Mills interviews Sage Cook and Aera Fox about their shift from a fully produced band project to a more intimate acoustic duo while touring their latest album. They recount meeting in Boulder in 2013, falling in love quickly, and moving to rural Kansas to pursue homesteading, which shaped both their lifestyle and music. Aera’s entry into music began when she learned bass in a week for a benefit show, eventually leading to their current collaboration. They reflect on the contrast between their off-grid life and touring, their deep musical connection, upcoming Colorado shows, and the news that they are expecting their first child.
(Air Date: 4/27/26)
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Transcript:
Wendy Mills:
I’m Wendy Mills, and with me in the studio—this has been a long time coming—Sage Cook of Elephant Revival, and Aera Fox, vocals and bass, originally from Nederland. We’re going to talk about everything in a bit. But first, Sage and Aera have new music out. They’ve shifted toward a more stripped-down, acoustic sound, and they’re here in the studio with us. That’s a beautiful guitar, Sage.
Sage:
Thanks—Jason Bowerman made it.
Wendy Mills:
It’s lovely. And Aera has a beautiful upright bass here. Do you want to start us off with some music?
Sage:
Sure.
Aera:
Yeah. The album we just released with our band, We Dreamed On, is actually pretty heavily produced—lots of synthesizer and creative mixing. We started it about seven years ago, and by the time we finished it, we decided to return to acoustic music. So we’re supporting that record with pure acoustic tones. This song is called All Is Well in the Fallout Fields of Eden.
Music.
Wendy Mills:
That was beautiful.
Sage:
Thank you.
Aera:
Thank you. It’s early for us.
Wendy Mills:
I can’t wait to hear you later in the day, then.
Sage:
That’s our fault—we could have warmed up.
Aera:
We were having too much fun hanging out.
Wendy Mills:
That was wonderful. You can really feel something special in your sound. Tell me how you met.
Sage:
We met in Boulder at the Southern Sun. I noticed her from across the room, and she came up and introduced herself.
Aera:
Basically.
Sage:
I’m pretty shy, so that helped. That was February 2013. We realized we lived a block from each other in Nederland, and our roommates worked together. A month later, they made us a surprise dinner, and that’s when we fell in love.
Wendy Mills:
It sounds like it might’ve happened that first night.
Sage:
Yeah, it did.
Aera:
It was special.
Wendy Mills:
And then you moved to Kansas?
Sage:
Yeah. We decided early on to build a life together and moved to Kansas to start homesteading and growing food.
Aera:
I was ready to try something new.
Sage:
It turned out to be magical. We lived in a very rural area near the Oklahoma border. We planted fruit trees, started growing food—it was a big learning curve.
Wendy Mills:
I’ve heard that can be tough.
Sage:
It was. I had ranching experience, but farming is different. We dealt with pests, wind, poor soil placement—we struggled a lot at first. Eventually, we were living off our own food, though the diet got pretty simple.
Aera:
Eggs and arugula.
Wendy Mills:
That doesn’t sound too bad.
Wendy Mills:
How did music come back into your lives?
Sage:
A friend asked me to play a benefit show and told me last-minute I’d have a band. I asked Aera to learn bass in a week. She did, and we played the show. That became the start of We Dreamed On.
Wendy Mills:
That’s incredible.
Sage:
We toured as a garage rock trio for a while. Eventually, Aera picked up upright bass, and now we perform as a duo.
Wendy Mills:
And the bass is almost bigger than you.
Aera:
It’s a half-size.
Sage:
We’re both small people. Even our house is built small—kind of hobbit-sized.
Wendy Mills:
That’s perfect. Let’s hear another song.
Sage:
Sure. This one’s called Go.
Music.
Wendy Mills:
That’s Sage and Aera on KGNU. You’re on the Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything Part Two tour.
Sage:
Yes, it’s an extension of the tour from our record release last fall.
Wendy Mills:
You’ve been in the Midwest and now you’re playing Swallow Hill on May 2nd and Gold Hill Inn on May 3rd.
Sage:
That’s right, and Longmont as well.
Wendy Mills:
You spent time living off-grid. What was it like returning to society?
Sage:
It’s ongoing. We never fully left music, but after the pandemic we spent about four years mostly on the homestead. Cities can feel intense now.
Aera:
Yeah, it’s a big contrast.
Sage:
Even eating out is different—we’re used to very fresh, homegrown food.
Wendy Mills:
Aera, what’s been the biggest surprise about becoming a musician?
Aera:
It’s been a gradual process. I traveled with Sage’s previous band, so I had some exposure, but growing into the music myself—learning to express emotion through it—has been the biggest journey.
Wendy Mills:
There’s definitely a spiritual element to that.
Aera:
Absolutely.
Wendy Mills:
And you two have incredible harmony.
Sage:
We get asked if we’re siblings sometimes.
Wendy Mills:
I also hear you’re expecting a child.
Aera:
Yes, I’m 21 weeks pregnant.
Wendy Mills:
Congratulations.
Sage:
Thank you. It feels like the right time for us.
Wendy Mills:
Let’s close with one more song.
Sage:
Sure.
Music.
Wendy Mills:
Thank you. Sage and Aera will be performing May 2nd at Swallow Hill, May 3rd at Gold Hill Inn, and in Longmont as well before heading west. Thank you both for sharing your music.
Sage:
Thank you for having us.
Aera:
Thank you.
Wendy Mills:
You’ve been listening to KGNU.
