Ayden Theis was born a drummer, just like his dad. 

It started as a toddler, banging on pots and pans. His parents put him behind a drum set before he was old enough to remember. And now at age 18, he’s going on a 12-state tour with the Madison-area rock band Power Take Off — that happens to be led by his father, Scott Theis.

“He’s my biggest inspiration, definitely,” Ayden told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “I want to be just like him, like how he was in his early 20s, just having a good time and playing rock and roll.”

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Scott was a drummer in area bands for 35 years. But when his son was born, music had to take a back seat to family life.

He bridged the gap by introducing Ayden to many of his own musical influences. Then COVID-19 pandemic hit when Ayden was going into high school and Scott didn’t want his son to miss out on the formative experiences of jamming out with other musicians.

So they set up a studio in the family basement and started writing songs together. Scott passed the drum sticks to his son and stepped to the front as lead singer and songwriter.

“I thought it was really cool because we could stay home, and we could go in our little studio all day,” Ayden said. ”It was just like a release of a lot of feelings of being stuck at home, having nothing to do all day.”

The Madison-area rock back Power Take Off begins its next multi-state tour in January of 2026. Photo courtesy John Flores Photography

Their songs were influenced by Scott’s childhood, growing up around Theis Brothers Farm on Madison’s far-west side. The family retired the farm last year.

Ayden didn’t have to work the harvests like Scott did as a child, but dad still made sure his son experienced things like riding a tractor, and he developed an appreciation for agriculture.

One of the early songs they wrote, “Keep Truckin’,” was dedicated to farmers and raised money for Wisconsin 4-H.

Now, Power Take Off is moving from the barn to barn-storming across the country. Their next tour will take them through Florida, Texas, Arizona and Utah before returning to Wisconsin for a fundraiser event for the Madison Area Music Association at the end of March 2026.

Being in the band, Scott has found a new appreciation for his second career in music and the treasure of getting to spend time with his son on the road.

“I have enjoyed every moment,” Scott told “Wisconsin Today”. “I know my days are limited, but Aiden’s got such a career in front of him. For right now, we’re just enjoying being with each other, really.”

“You don’t always get a shower every day, but that’s rock and roll, right?”