Interview with Ryan of Puddle of Mudd
Miranda: This is Miranda Wilson with the-voices.net sitting in the back of Puddle of Mudd’s bus with Ryan. Say hello.
Ryan: Helloooooo Everybody!
Miranda: So how did you guys come up with the name Puddle of Mudd?
Ryan: It was one of the original rehearsal spaces that Puddle had, there was a water or a big puddle that that was always in front of the entrance to the rehearsal space. And so every day they would have to go over the water and they were searching for a name and it just happened we have to walk over the puddle so it’s a Puddle of Mudd so that’s the name of the band.
Miranda: So how has your music evolved since you guys have been playing together?
Ryan: How has it evolved, I hope very well .
(laughter)
Miranda: it seems it has, it started out with songs about really crappy relationships.
Ryan: right
Miranda: is it still songs about really crappy relationships?
Ryan: Well I think some of them are yeah. I think that songs like Psycho is kind of about being in a relationship and thinking that you’re crazy or she’s crazy or somebody is crazy, and then you just give in and go okay I’m the ones who’s insane, I’m crazy. So I think that the lyrical content is similar throughout the 4 records. It’s still the same thing just like struggling with life and struggling in relationships and just struggling in general that any of it relates to.
Miranda: alright
Ryan: but I don’t sing for the band and I didn’t write any lyrics.
Miranda: (laughs) But is it a common thread of relationships that are just kind of compiled into songs?
Ryan: Maybe you might be on to something.
Miranda: We’ll leave that there.
Miranda: Out of all the albums, you guys have recorded which is your favorite song to play live?
Ryan: It would probably be Psycho, just because it’s kind of tension and release. It starts off kind of you know grooving and subdued and then lets loose and everybody goes crazy. That or “She hates Me” just because that’s always a great fan involvement kind of song. It’s kind of up to the fan whatever they feel is, or whatever they get the most out of is what we try to give it to them as hard as we can. And It seems that night after night that Blurry, Psycho, and She Hates Me are they songs that everyone really gets into.
Miranda: Yeah crowd involvement feeds your playing
Ryan: Yeah and I think that Psycho supersedes Blurry just because people go crazy and so it’s nice to see, I know it’s weird to say this but it’s nice to see people go crazy.
Miranda: nah, it’s not weird
Ryan: it doesn’t apply in very many jobs in the world but when people go crazy we love it.
Miranda: if it makes you happy (laughs)
Miranda: You play the drums for the band, so how do you write for an album do you write the beats down or do you keep them in your head?
Ryan: It can get pretty complex but the easy way to explain it is to go with the melody of the vocal and what the guitar player is playing, the rhythm of the guitar and you just kind of listen to both of them and figure out patterns that work. Just from experience of doing a million other things you have like a nice repor’uta buildup a library in your head of things that work and don’t work and then you know where the band is going to go or where the band set things up or whatever. It’s just experiences I guess and having elephant ears and listening to everything everybody is doing and trying to compliment and trying to make it groove.
Miranda: so you are saying to comes with years of experience?
Ryan: yeah, kind of yeah.
Miranda: So how long have you been playing drums?
Ryan: I got like a couple of Mickey Mouse drum sets literally like Mickey mouse kit from like JC Penny when I was like for 4 maybe 5 years old. And then I would trash them in a week and they would get thrown away and I would get another one maybe on my birthday or whatever. Then basically around 11 is when I got my first real drum kit. I’ve been interested since I was a little kid, my dad plays music and I would watch his bands practice in my garage and then I would go out and sit behind the drums and kind of try to learn stuff and they would help me. So you know since I was young and then seriously since I was 12 or 13 is really when I started playing in bands.
Miranda: Is there a difference between the albums: Coming Clean and Volume 4? I personally like Volume 4.
Ryan: Yeah I think everybody has their own opinion and it’s up to the listener to decide what they feel. I think it’s changed it’s still a recognizable band Puddle of Mudd has never been a band that’s tried to fit in or be a trend or a whatever we just do what we do and put it on the tape and it is what it is. If you like it or you don’t like it, if you think it’s better or you think it’s not as good whatever everyone has their own opinion.
Miranda: Well it seems like people like it so far. They come out to see you.
Ryan: They are out here tonight, so we’re blessed.
Miranda: it’s like 100 degrees outside and there are people lining up to see the show
Ryan: it’s been a 100 degrees for like a month everywhere we go.
Miranda: So how’s the tour? Is it treating you good?
Ryan: The tour is good, this is the 5th or 6th show on the tour so it’s just getting started. It always takes a good week to a week and half to really get back into the swing of things on the road but so far so good.
Miranda: So how long does this tour last?
Ryan: Um, I think it’s 7 weeks the last show is out west so I think there is 28 days on the Carnival of Madness tour and I know we’re doing 32 dates on this run were doing a couple at the end of the run.
Miranda: And then home after all this?
Ryan: We will probably take most of September off, and were looking at a couple of different tours right now to do next but nothing is set in stone.
Miranda: Just looking I see
Miranda: Any message for you fans.
Ryan: Well like always Puddle of Mudd loves the fans and we thank you guys for coming out all the time and seeing us over and over and over again. We got nothing but love for you the fans. Come on out to the show and we will rock it for you and we thank you for all your support.
