Album Cover, courtesy of Tunecore.com 

Ryan: My live show sounds very different from a lot of my recordings, and I feel fans do not get the full affect until they see me live. It's kind of a hard job make a solo acoustic punk set exciting, and I feel I do a damn good job. I've received nothing but praise so far, and I'm being set up on bills with bands like Fat Wreck Chords' The Flatliners at local clubs in Seattle, particularly Studio 7, and it is solely based on praise and attendance from local shows.

The live show is a HUGE part of the gig for a band, and you find a lot of bands that just don't sound quite like the album at the show. It is very disappointing, especially in a day and age where the quality and intonation of a voice or guitar can be changed with the turn of a knob or a click of the mouse. My live performance is worth seeing; I promise.

Isaac: Do you feel you have given it your best when pursuing your musical dreams so far? Why or why not?

Ryan: So, in my mind, I have two images of myself twenty years from now. In one, I'm a choir teacher in a small town, with a house that has a view. I have a successful program, a wife, and a kid. I am also a published choral composer, so that's extra cash on the side. I sit on my deck, take in my view, drink beers, write choral music, and make lesson plans for my classes.

In the other view, I'm writing punk music, supporting myself through that, and seeing the world. Not E! famous, but famous enough to live quite comfortably. The money isn't the important thing. It's all about meeting people I've idolized through their lyrics and hoping to inspire people in the same way that they did me. Seeing all the places there are to see, and getting paid to play live shows on top of that.
 

Studio Seven, courtesy of Kat Rodgers

So because I am at college to be a music teacher, I would say these two ideas are constantly clashing in my brain. This makes it difficult to fully commit. That being said, when I do spend time on my music, it is 100% straight from the heart and, in my opinion, some pretty damn good stuff. I have dedicated myself fully to music, one way or another, and that has helped me become a songwriter that I am proud of, which is the most important thing when pursuing a music career: the music itself!

Isaac: Who do you look up to for your own influences and why?

Ryan: As far as musical influences, there are VERY many. The Bouncing Souls have found a way to get under my skin with very inspiring and meaningful lyrics that get me through more than you can know. For that I look up to them a lot. Alkaline Trio has this way of being so poetic about the creepiest, horrifying, and pitiful subject matter that makes you feel what they're feeling and empathize with them.

They're a HUGE influence. Face to Face has this way of bringing up very intense life subject matter in their music and being so in your face about it. They're a huge influence. And of course, if it were not for NoFX, Green Day, and MxPx, I would never have gotten into this kind of music in the first place. These are all bands that I know front and back, and that's only the beginning of the list. It's all about having a message at the START, and using the music as a vessel for getting that point across.

Isaac: Do you feel that Indie music gets the respect it deserves? Why or why not?

Ryan: I would say it gets respect from the right people. There are a lot of people out there who really have no opinion, in my opinion. They are told what to like, and because they don't know of or look for anything else, they like it. Then there are those who realize the crap they're fed isn't very good, so they go searching. These are the people who really care about the music. These are the people who 90% of the times end up indie music fans.

These are the people who SHOULD be listening to indie music because they actually have a love for it and will support the artists in the right way, fostering and promoting the indie scene the way it should be done. So does it get the respect it deserves? Not from everybody. But do the people who in into the indie scene really care at all about what the other people think. Frankly my dear, they don't give a damn.

Isaac: If you could change one thing about the music business, what would it be and why?

Ryan: The way bands are marketed sickens me. You are told to look a certain way because you sound like so and so. You are told, to an extent, what to write based on what is says in your contract. A lot of people don't even write their own songs; they're given cookie cutter BS from a "hit factory" where people with actual musical talent write the song for them. I think an artist is exactly that: an artist. Because of that, they should be given free range to do what he/she wants. If a band or artist gets popular doing what they want to do, and it gets them signed to a major label, why would a label want to change what made them popular? Why does band A have to wear skinny jeans just to fit in with the emo scene? Artists: BE YOURSELVES! Anyway, that's my shpeal.

Isaac: What type of feedbacks have you been receiving about your music from fans and music critics?

Ryan: Well, the few comments on my iTunes page for my demo are all positive. I have been sending my music to a bunch of venues around Seattle, and I have been getting booked pretty regularly, so I'll assume they liked what they heard. I sent my music to Scrote, a big time producer in LA, and he wanted to cut a demo with me, but I didn't have the money so it was postponed.

He said he liked the harmonies in my songs and my voice in general. That was very cool for me to hear. He has worked with some big names like No Doubt and Holly Palmer from David Bowie, so it was very cool to hear good things from him. So overall, I'd say good things.

Isaac: If you knew that you would never gain fame and fortune with what you are doing now, would you continue to make music? Explain.

Ryan: I will be writing music until the day I die. It's not about the fame and fortune, and it never has been, at least for me. It's about inspiration. When I hear a good song, it's puts me in the songwriter's condition; it makes me feel what they're thinking and feeling at that point, and it helps me learn about myself through their descriptions and experiences.

Without listening to music, I go through these same experiences in my own life, and it's not only fun, but therapeutic to write a song about them. If I could inspire someone and help them to gain a greater sense of self, then I would feel I have done my job. That is why I write and perform music. It drives me, and I know it can drive others.

Isaac: How do you handle negative feedback or negative energy about your music?

Ryan: Take it. It's probably true if someone has the balls to walk up to me and tell me what is wrong with my music. Either that or make it a joke somehow to laugh it off. When I play a live show, I usually crack really bad jokes during and in between my songs if the audience gives off bad energy. So yeah. Take it or make a joke out of yourself.

Isaac: What role do your family and friends play in the equation of your quest of a music career?

Ryan: Everything. I'm lucky to have full support from everybody around me. My friends are always the ones rolling to my shows if it's the first time at a new venue or if I'm opening for somebody big. They're the start of everything. My family knows and supports what I'm doing, and I'm very grateful for everything they've done.

Isaac: What is the best site/s that you can be found on the Internet?

Ryan: http://www.ryan-hyde.com (currently under construction) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Hyde/192640730757737- My Facebook http://www.sonicbids.com/ryanhyde Or buy the demo on iTunes!

Isaac: The floor is yours; final words & wisdom of thoughts...

I'm opened for Fat Wreck Chords' The Flatliners March 27th of last year at Studio 7 in Seattle. I will have more dates to follow this year too. Check out the demo on iTunes, and add me on Facebook if you dig the stuff so we can chat. Thanks for everything everyone!