Given the current state of the music industry, it’s often hard to know if a band creates art, or if they’re a manufactured product designed to sell. Half of the time at shows, it’s hard to tell if a band is playing for real, or if they’re playing to pre-recorded...
I often wonder about the tipping point of bands. At what moment in any given successful band’s career — in conjunction with marketing, public relations, and relentless touring efforts — did they enter the forefront of public consciousness, and what caused...
What is the definition of a successful band? A band that graces the covers of mainstream magazines, or is success defined as consistent touring, playing in front of 20 kids per night? Trap Them vocalist Ryan McKenney has little concern for mainstream notoriety...
A year ago this December, As Blood Runs Black posted a demo version of a song with a new vocalist, who ironically quit the band merely a few weeks after joining. Their next vocalist, who was introduced in February, left the band in August in the midst of a tour with...
The sun calmly sets over Southern California’s vast land, while security escorts me to Circa Survive’s green room. The dim silhouettes of transplanted palm trees against the starbust sun, gently swaying with arid Santa Ana winds, bid me farewell like...
Out of the hundreds of interviews that I’ve done for Ryan’s Rock Show, only a select few have truly been fascinating. While some bands may see a Ryan’s Rock Show interview as a cheap exchange of public relations, for me these interviews give first-hand insight into...
First week numbers are in for All That Remains’ new album For We Are Many — the record sold nearly 30,000 units in the first seven days of its release, landing at number 10 on the Billboard 200. That’s a pretty crazy number considering I don’t...
If you’ve been a Ryan’s Rock Show reader for a minute, you may remember the interview I did a while back with Death By Stereo. I got into a pretty long discussion with the dudes about the early Orange County punk scene, and how a small community of kids...
I’ve been really diggin’ this band called Orbs. So much to where my daily summer routine goes like this: wake up and listen to Orbs, pee, listen to Orbs while eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, post news on Ryan’s Rock Show and pick up hot...
Last October when I did this interview with Thursday, Geoff Rickly talked up Touche Amore and claimed that they were one of the best hardcore bands in LA. So the other night while I was watching “Blossom” reruns and getting drunk on Four Loko, I randomly...