September 28, 2006, 9:32 am : Doing Road Trips You Meet Crazy People
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[4]mments
Alright, everyone reading this has done a road trip, and everyone has probably had to stop in a sketchy place. Do a little HOVER, and COVER, if you know what I mean. But I stopped in the weirdest place.
I am not even sure what state I was in but I stopped off at a gas station that looks something like a log cabin. On one side is a restaurant with a hostess to lead you off to your booth. The greenish yellow, brown and orange color scheme was something that only the 70’s could come up with. I guess that explains something about me too, but that is a different post. Anyway, if Country Fried Steak and Burgers are not your thing, you could enjoy a game of Asteroids or Pac Man.
Now these 2 games are placed in the corner with a neon sign saying Arcade, swinging back and forth. If you continue to the other side, into the grocery section you will find a few drinks, Coke, maybe Pepsi. definitely no Ice Tea, but then a fabulous selection of cheap Cigars and discount beer as well as a fine array of Womping sticks.
Womping sticks are these small but thick baseball bats. Yep, hanging on what might hang a rotating display of batteries is now leather strapped Wompers. Now if you prefer a good womp there is the foot and a half size or there are smaller 9 inch wompers filled with lead. They all are finely crafted from the best wood available.
WERE THE HECK WAS I, AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT GETS FREAKED BY THAT.
September 27, 2006, 2:27 pm : City Sessions Nashville
Filed Under: RecordingDiscussion: C[0]mments
I am not sure how many of you readers have been in a recording session, but this was a new one for me. I headed down to Nashville, to do a show called City Sessions Nashville and if you get the Dish Network you can see it real soon. Write in to find out when.
But anyway, we go in and set up, get sounds and ford through all the technical difficulties then finally get to recording. This was amazing, they just kept on rolling. We had one take for each song unless the computers went down. There were cameras everywhere, Swinging, Rolling, Walking, Flying, if a camera could be there it was. It was a Blast…
I think the next album I record will be done the same way. One take, all at once. Not to mention after one practice with the band.
September 25, 2006, 10:23 am : Road Trip - Guess Whose Back?
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[0]mments
So here we are . Circumstances made playing with the Special Blend Impossible. So I got the old boys back together. Daniel Yusi played guitar, if you have the album check the credits, he is all over them. Marshall Richards played drums, he is one to Google, he has played with everyone. Jeremy Worden played bass, he is a Special Blender not to mention all the great things he has been up to now. Then we had a new comer Eric Kenni, he played Keys. He is the one to watch, he is going to do great things. We also got two wonderful background singers, Jessie and Kendal from Belmont, you two rocked.
Check in tomorrow for the what it was for and were you can see it.
September 20, 2006, 9:18 am : Cleveland Rocks
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[0]mments
I got a hole bunch done and and Monday night I have a phenomenal friend who called me up and asks if I want to hit the house of Blues. She said she will be in the Foundry room. I also have another friend that says great I will meet you up there.
I am running quite a bit late dressed in rock attire, cut off shirt, jeans, running shoes. I find whatever is in the back of my borrowed car to fit the dress code. I was totally thinking HOUSE OF BLUES, ya know Rock, Blues who dresses up besides the blues brothers. NOT SO MUCH.
Me being a typical man when it comes to asking directions, I wandered around for a good 30 minutes going from room to room, thinking where are my friends? Before a matradie asked…..”Are you Cory Ryan” I respond, thinking well yea, this is someone who has been to a show. “Great yea thanks, Where did you see us” He said no there must be a mistake are you here to meet Mrs.. Debbie Hermann and a Sir Josef DelRe. He says, “Please follow me,” so I follow down this long hall way that seems to have NAG CHAMPA incense emanating from its pores. He walks me into a velvet and mahogany lined elevator pushes a series of buttons which can only be described as a code and off I go up into the Foundry Room.
The door opens and the place is packed, everyone dressed to impress on this fine Monday Night Football Evening. This place is swanky, Crème de la Crème. I highly recommend the Chicken wings. But ya got to be a member to order there, we had a great time looked at the Cleveland Skyline, threw a few back. It was a Blast.
Thanks Debbie and Joe. Good Pick
September 18, 2006, 3:40 pm : Did You Get My Good Side @ The Starlight
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[2]mments
Hey there Everyone. Sorry about disappearing. What a wild week. We had to play Starlight Theater this Saturday just before flying to Cleveland for a brief stint.
So 4 days earlier some or most of the Band needed to be replaced. This is quite a feat considering that Ozanam “the non for profit that is putting these thing on changes our set time from 20 min to 1 hour 30 min. That is quite a lot of material for maybe one practice.
Anyway we get it together and NO one is there. We run through our set before hand, the vendors are all set up and 200-300 folks show up. Then the say something is wrong everyone is at the picnic area your going to have to play there.
Outside? No electricity. It was crazy.
Then they move us into the vending area because there was a small PA system. NOT ENOUGH FOR A ROCK BAND but we will make do. Then they close all the doors so no one outside can hear that we are playing, only the vendors.
Waldo Pizza you rock. Atlanta Bread Co., you were the best. That was the extent of our audience and you both were a blast. I hope someone caught my pick “or at least swept it up.”
September 14, 2006, 8:44 am : Cory Ryan Sinks His Rock Roots in KC
Filed Under: ReviewsDiscussion: C[0]mments
From KansasCity.com
“There are music hot spots that are great, but you have more of a chance of doing something in a place like Kansas City,” said Cory, who decided to base his career in Kansas City.
He formed a band of Kansas City Musicians and won the first Bands Across Kansas City contest last winter. That helped the Cory Ryan Band get booked at many local clubs.
Cory was raised in Cleveland and loves to go home and play there and went to school in Nashville and has a strong following there as well. They recently just finished a tour of dates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City.
Cory started in music at age 8, in opera, then a rock band in high school and its been rock ever since. Even at Belmont University in Nashville the country music capital he stuck to his love of rock music. That is what convinced Cory that he had to get his own career launched somewhere else.
Ironically, his sound now sometimes has a country feeling.
Cory really emphasizes energy in his live performances. Which he believes draws in people who may not be familiar with his music. Sometimes he may take and original song and morph it into a tune that everyone knows.
“You manipulate the situation so people can relate to it.” “It’s just fun. We encourage singalongs, we want people to leave feeling like we’re all friends.” The days of the musician who just walks on and walks ff and doesn’t interact with the audience are over.
From Kansas City Star, May 2006
September 5, 2006, 9:42 am : Live Video on the Dish Network
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[0]mments
Getting Ready for Dish Network. Next Saturday we have to head back to Nashville for a live video shoot. So I am back on the treadmill. Oh, the life of a rock star is a lot of peanuts and jogging. Mmmmm I think this is the life.
Hey write in with your thoughts on what songs we should do?
September 5, 2006, 9:39 am : Road Trip to Omaha…
Filed Under: On the RoadDiscussion: C[0]mments
Hey there, Another road trip. We just got back from Omaha, All I could think about was the Counting Crows Song. I will tell you what, that is the most pretty drive. Old barns with small ponds and perfect horses. Sometimes I think I should have been a cowboy. But nope, I am loving my suburban musician self.
September 5, 2006, 9:32 am : Signing Children Songs
Filed Under: SongsDiscussion: C[0]mments
So I am moving into new territory. I just spent the last few days singing for a friends line of Childrens Songs. I cant tell you what they are yet but if you are savvy enough with your computer I bet you can find it if a few months. Happy Hunting!