Ryan Adams

Attaway77

One of the best lyrical writers ever...

KM43590

You're correct sir! He is wonderful!

SD48277

Agreed.

diamond_marmalade

Agreed. Love his latest record.

Going to see him in April. Should be great.

eddiec

Genius.

Cob

Also one of the BIGGEST A-Holes D Bags in the music industry, but I agree he's a great songwriter and artist.

LukinFan

Cob wrote:

Also one of the BIGGEST A-Holes D Bags in the music industry, but I agree he's a great songwriter and artist.

that's sad to hear. Ashes and Fire is one incredible album

djklambake

Cob wrote:

Also one of the BIGGEST A-Holes D Bags in the music industry, but I agree he's a great songwriter and artist.

Like on par with John Mayer?

musicismylife78

ive never heard of him being rude to fans. sure there are stories, notorious, of him yelling at a rude person at a show. And im sure he behaved in ways when he was on drugs that he wouldnt be happy about now as a sober person.

but i think he seems to be a good guy

too often it seems those who refuse to play the game, do interviews, smile during press stuff, go on mtv or get interview by rolling stone and be happy about it, soak up the fame and money aspect of ones career etc... are unfairly viewed as unhappy or rude or full of themselves. Plus the nature of his songs, the lyrics often are morose, sad, unhappy.

He seems to me to be a pretty normal guy to me. Despite being one of our generations finest lyricists, i get the sense the guy is a homebody, hangs out with his wife, listens to heavy metal, has a great sense of humor, and enjoys making music. Even during the drug years i didnt get the sense he was partying at some club ala lindsay lohan or something. And for several years he had major problem with mineirs disease. so i think that definitely had a major effect on his personality, his music, his art, all of it. If you are on drugs and uncomfortable with fame and attention i think thats going to effect how you deal with people and the world. And add mineirs to the mix, you lose hearing, feel dizzy, cant be in front of bright lights, and what ryan describe as the frequency of a siren in his ear for 24 hours a day for years in his left ear. He flat out couldnt hear out of his left ear.

I think peoples perceptions of people are often far from the truth. And often those views tend to the negative.

Too often the people and artists who just dont care about critics and fans, which i think is the way all artists should be, are viewed as crazy, mean, rude, jerks etc...

musicismylife78

ultimately i think there are plenty of musicians who are jerks. ryan doesnt seem to fit that. i just think hes a person who is uncomfortable with public attention. and he's had some struggles.

LukinFan

musicismylife78 wrote:

ive never heard of him being rude to fans. sure there are stories, notorious, of him yelling at a rude person at a show. And im sure he behaved in ways when he was on drugs that he wouldnt be happy about now as a sober person.

but i think he seems to be a good guy

too often it seems those who refuse to play the game, do interviews, smile during press stuff, go on mtv or get interview by rolling stone and be happy about it, soak up the fame and money aspect of ones career etc... are unfairly viewed as unhappy or rude or full of themselves. Plus the nature of his songs, the lyrics often are morose, sad, unhappy.

He seems to me to be a pretty normal guy to me. Despite being one of our generations finest lyricists, i get the sense the guy is a homebody, hangs out with his wife, listens to heavy metal, has a great sense of humor, and enjoys making music. Even during the drug years i didnt get the sense he was partying at some club ala lindsay lohan or something. And for several years he had major problem with mineirs disease. so i think that definitely had a major effect on his personality, his music, his art, all of it. If you are on drugs and uncomfortable with fame and attention i think thats going to effect how you deal with people and the world. And add mineirs to the mix, you lose hearing, feel dizzy, cant be in front of bright lights, and what ryan describe as the frequency of a siren in his ear for 24 hours a day for years in his left ear. He flat out couldnt hear out of his left ear.

I think peoples perceptions of people are often far from the truth. And often those views tend to the negative.

Too often the people and artists who just dont care about critics and fans, which i think is the way all artists should be, are viewed as crazy, mean, rude, jerks etc...

I didn't know any of that - thank you for posting

thefixer9

Never heard of any of his music. What would you guys recommend by him? Thanks.

LukinFan

thefixer9 wrote:

Never heard of any of his music. What would you guys recommend by him? Thanks.

I started with Heartbreaker. Love it

musicismylife78

its too hard to pick a starting point for his music. from 2000-2011 he released 13 albums. He is one of those guys who is prolific as all hell.

Heartbreaker and Gold seem to be the entry point for alot of folks and those are the 2 most famous albums and the most beloved, and set the template for much of the 2000's obsession with alternative country.

My favorite has always been Love is Hell.

But everyone has a favorite Ryan album. Theres just so many. Some just him and his guitar. Some with him and his band. Some where he is playing heavy metal.

He's an admirable artist because he's so restless. Not too many people who started their careers as singer songwriters and playing alternative country have the guts to put out a heavy metal album.

goldrush

I saw his solo acoustic show at Sydney Opera House last week and it was amazing. Ryan was bantering with the crowd in between songs and there was a really happy atmosphere - he kept apologizing for not being miserable enough! "I've got a reputation to keep up, I'd better play some more sad stuff!" He played an improvised song about the Opera House - or "The giant Robot Lady Beetle" as he called it!

He played here with The Cardinals in 07 and the show was in darkness, there was just one purple light at the back of the stage so the band could see each other. Things like that don't always go over well with the audience (especially in Sydney!) and can add to the view of him being pretentious but I've always really enjoyed the quirkiness of his shows.

thefixer9 wrote:

Never heard of any of his music. What would you guys recommend by him? Thanks.

Probably the easiest one to start with would be Gold, it was the one that really made his name. Love Is Hell or Cold Roses would probably be my favourites at the moment.

Over the years Ryan has recorded a ton of music that hasn't officially been released, either because his record label refused to release it or because he changed his mind. If you don't count the 18 albums-worth of hip hop that he released on his website a few years back (no, really!), there are still 13 official albums and just as many 'unofficial' albums out there to discover. Anyone interested in Ryan should check out The Pinkheart Sessions, The Suicide Handbook, or Destroyer as well, they're all pretty easy to find online

dcfaithful

He's a remarkable musician. The more I listen to him, I tend to believe he drew some serious inspiration from Paul Westerberg & The Replacements.

Whiskeytown
His solo material
His work with the Cardinals, all great.

He produced Willie Nelson's 2006 release which is a wonderful album. Willie Nelson describes it as "The Ryan Adams project."

bennett13

I've been a fan of his since '01 when "Gold" rocked my world.

He's a GREAT songwriter, but he's a little too prolific...there's some stinkers out there in his catalogue. Usually, the music is great, but the lyrics can seem lazy on occassion, and his use of profanity borders on gratuitous. Examples:

"It's totally fucked. We're totally fucked. Wish you were here."
-Wish You Were Here

"The shit just fucks you up."
-Cherry Lane

Not to knock the guy too much...I'm still a huge fan, and "Ashes and Fire" is his best work in years (ok...his ONLY work in years)

musicismylife78

bennett13 wrote:

I've been a fan of his since '01 when "Gold" rocked my world.

He's a GREAT songwriter, but he's a little too prolific...there's some stinkers out there in his catalogue. Usually, the music is great, but the lyrics can seem lazy on occassion, and his use of profanity borders on gratuitous. Examples:

"It's totally fucked. We're totally fucked. Wish you were here."
-Wish You Were Here

"The shit just fucks you up."
-Cherry Lane

Not to knock the guy too much...I'm still a huge fan, and "Ashes and Fire" is his best work in years (ok...his ONLY work in years)

much to disagree on. indeed you can like or dislike his albums or whatever for your own reasons, and i personally dont use profanity, but think many times it enhances or increases the quality of art. Its how people generally speak as well. And ryans gone through a ton in his career and personal life.

secondly, you called ashes and fire his only work in years. he has 29 in 2005, Easy Tiger in 2007, Cardinology in 2008, Orion 2010 and III and IV in 2010.

ResonantPassage

Definitely one of the greatest lyricists out there right now in my opinion..

http://www.resonantpassage.net/a-lesson-in-staying-relevant-ryan-adams/

musicismylife78

ResonantPassage wrote:

Definitely one of the greatest lyricists out there right now in my opinion..

http://www.resonantpassage.net/a-lesson-in-staying-relevant-ryan-adams/

haha, i really didnt think this was in any doubt. He just plain is one of the best. I dont think we need to qualify it. He just is. period

catefrances

goldrush wrote:

I saw his solo acoustic show at Sydney Opera House last week and it was amazing. Ryan was bantering with the crowd in between songs and there was a really happy atmosphere - he kept apologizing for not being miserable enough! "I've got a reputation to keep up, I'd better play some more sad stuff!" He played an improvised song about the Opera House - or "The giant Robot Lady Beetle" as he called it!

He played here with The Cardinals in 07 and the show was in darkness, there was just one purple light at the back of the stage so the band could see each other. Things like that don't always go over well with the audience (especially in Sydney!) and can add to the view of him being pretentious but I've always really enjoyed the quirkiness of his shows....

and lets not forget his timeless advice about using snot as hair gel when one is on tour. and no it aint gonna ruin your rep ryan but its still gross. IRATU!!!

goldrush

catefrances wrote:

goldrush wrote:

I saw his solo acoustic show at Sydney Opera House last week and it was amazing. Ryan was bantering with the crowd in between songs and there was a really happy atmosphere - he kept apologizing for not being miserable enough! "I've got a reputation to keep up, I'd better play some more sad stuff!" He played an improvised song about the Opera House - or "The giant Robot Lady Beetle" as he called it!

He played here with The Cardinals in 07 and the show was in darkness, there was just one purple light at the back of the stage so the band could see each other. Things like that don't always go over well with the audience (especially in Sydney!) and can add to the view of him being pretentious but I've always really enjoyed the quirkiness of his shows....

and lets not forget his timeless advice about using snot as hair gel when one is on tour. and no it aint gonna ruin your rep ryan but its still gross. IRATU!!!

Thanks - I'd been trying to get that image out of my mind!

bennett13

musicismylife78 wrote:

bennett13 wrote:

I've been a fan of his since '01 when "Gold" rocked my world.

He's a GREAT songwriter, but he's a little too prolific...there's some stinkers out there in his catalogue. Usually, the music is great, but the lyrics can seem lazy on occassion, and his use of profanity borders on gratuitous. Examples:

"It's totally fucked. We're totally fucked. Wish you were here."
-Wish You Were Here

"The shit just fucks you up."
-Cherry Lane

Not to knock the guy too much...I'm still a huge fan, and "Ashes and Fire" is his best work in years (ok...his ONLY work in years)

much to disagree on. indeed you can like or dislike his albums or whatever for your own reasons, and i personally dont use profanity, but think many times it enhances or increases the quality of art. Its how people generally speak as well. And ryans gone through a ton in his career and personal life.

secondly, you called ashes and fire his only work in years. he has 29 in 2005, Easy Tiger in 2007, Cardinology in 2008, Orion 2010 and III and IV in 2010.

I agree that profanity can enhance or increase the quality of art. But in Ryan's case, I just don't believe it does. It comes off as lazy, IMO. And "Ashes and Fire" is his first work in years. 29, while released in 2005, was actually recorded in 2004. Easy Tiger & Cardinology were recorded in 2006 & 2007, respectively. Orion and III/IV were all recorded during the Easy Tiger sessions back in 2006. So, while he has enough backlog to keep releasing albums, up until "Ashes and Fire" he hadn't recorded anything since 2007, which is 4 years (which translates to about 15 in Ryan Adams years).
Like I said, I'm a huge fan. I just think the guy needs an editor. And it's why I think "Ashes and Fire" was so strong. He took time writing & recording the songs, crafting a solid album, whereas before it seems he would write several songs in one sitting, record them off the cuff, and release them as is. Which is fine, as it makes for a very interesting, albeit flawed, catalogue.

morgannspicer

thefixer9 wrote:

Never heard of any of his music. What would you guys recommend by him? Thanks.

I highly recommend his version of "Wonderwall" - very sad, but very well recorded.

UKDave

thefixer9 wrote:

Never heard of any of his music. What would you guys recommend by him? Thanks.

Personally I'd recommend Heartbreaker, Gold, Demolition & Cold Roses (with the Cardinals) and then just keep adding....

SD48277

morgannspicer wrote:

I highly recommend his version of "Wonderwall" - very sad, but very well recorded.

Agreed. "Wonderwall" is heartbreaking when he sings it.

dcfaithful

This thread needs to stay alive.

Found this on Wiki.

In 2011, Adams noted that "How Do You Keep Love Alive" was written while on opium: "I fully understand when people say Edgar Allen Poe used to smoke this stuff and have visions. I wrote the entire song "How Do You Keep Love Alive" without writing a word down, and I played it on piano. And I've tried to understand the chord pattern ever since, because I can't fuckin' play it."

catefrances

dcfaithful wrote:

This thread needs to stay alive.

Found this on Wiki.

In 2011, Adams noted that "How Do You Keep Love Alive" was written while on opium: "I fully understand when people say Edgar Allen Poe used to smoke this stuff and have visions. I wrote the entire song "How Do You Keep Love Alive" without writing a word down, and I played it on piano. And I've tried to understand the chord pattern ever since, because I can't fuckin' play it."

as bill hicks says.. i think drugs have done some good...

Jnich2424

Is anyone else trying for his "Live at Deaf" Box Set? It was supposed to be released over an hour ago but the site crashed before it went on sale and has been down since. I'm hoping I can get mine though.

144 tracks of live acoustic Ryan spread across 15 vinyl discs…with a download card featuring all 144 tracks PLUS an additional 74 digital-only bonus tracks (yup, that’s a total of 218 tracks) all in a heavyweight cloth box. Super Duper limited numbers available ONLY at http://paxamrecords.com/ beginning 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday, June 15

mulva9

Jnich2424 wrote:

Is anyone else trying for his "Live at Deaf" Box Set? It was supposed to be released over an hour ago but the site crashed before it went on sale and has been down since. I'm hoping I can get mine though.

144 tracks of live acoustic Ryan spread across 15 vinyl discs…with a download card featuring all 144 tracks PLUS an additional 74 digital-only bonus tracks (yup, that’s a total of 218 tracks) all in a heavyweight cloth box. Super Duper limited numbers available ONLY at http://paxamrecords.com/ beginning 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday, June 15

I"m trying. It's pretty miserable. No confidence this site will recover anytime soon.

Jnich2424

Yeah, I've put in enough time now that I'm gonna be upset if I stop trying and miss out. Quite a good deal for how much vinyl you're getting for the price.