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The variety of sounds this group is able to produce is equally impressive. “Devil Girl
The group has already created a highly professional video for its song “Cheater
How do you describe your music to people, Ryan?
If Lou Reed were the frontman for Husker Du.
Tell me about how you originally got into your craft.
As a small child, I had worn out my copy of the Muppet Movie soundtrack on my Fisher-Price record player and went looking through my parents' record collection to find something new. The faces on "Meet The Beatles!" appealed to me. The sound that came out of the tiny little speaker blew me away. I didn't know anything about guitars or drums or how they got that sound, but I knew then I wanted to create something like that.
What is your favorite thing to do in the whole wide world?
There's nothing like a rousing game of Wiffle Ball on a hot summer day!
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to running your business?
The indie rock scene in Chicago is a tough one -- people come out to see their friends' bands and don't really stick around to hear the others -- and a lot of the bands leave at the first chance, too. If we all cooperated more and there was more of a sense of community, I think all bands would benefit.
When you were a kid, what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
I thought I was going to play left field for the Chicago Cubs as soon as I grew up to be six foot six like Dave Kingman. It didn't take much longer to figure out that wasn't gonna happen.
In what way has your community impacted your development as a musician?
Chicago radio when I was growing up was just fantastic. Top 40 radio really played everything -- rock, pop, country -- and the rock stations played lots of local artists. Hearing Cheap Trick and Material Issue and other local bands and being able to then see them live all the time was inspiring.
What other artists out there do you love?
Andrew Bird
What does your future hold?
We're going to keep on making music until either the hipsters accept us into their clique, or a new group of hipsters comes along that are slightly less scornful and condescending.