Interview: Get to Know Ryan Güt
What first got you into music?
I remember loving just making sounds on the piano when I was little. When I was old enough, my grandpa got me my first piano lesson. I went into lessons full-time after that with much interest. I learned how to read music quickly, taking me through piano, saxophone, trombone, and finally drums by the end of high school. I always played in all the school bands, garage bands, all that stuff.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
A ride worth taking. Please take the full trip and don’t wander too far from your vessel. We don’t stay in one place for long.
Was there a defining moment when you realized music was your calling?
When the first time it hit and I felt no pain, I understood Bob Marley was not exaggerating. It hit so well, I knew my life’s calling indeed and that I would give my life to music forever.
Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics or melodies?
I try to catch them out in the wide-open air before they disappear forever, going to the gods or someone else. I have observed the artists I look up to achieve this regularly, with great skill and apparent ease, and I’ve always done my best to live my life in this way.
How do you balance personal expression and creating something your audience will love?
I think it starts with making something you love yourself and then putting it out there, no matter who supposedly loves it or whoever loves to hate it.
What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?
Knowing I am lucky to be alive on this planet making music with amazing people is the most rewarding thing I can think of. Also, hearing friends and strangers alike tell me they’ve found something refreshing in my music, keeping them listening.
Are there any specific milestones you’re working toward in your career?
The Shastafarian Live at Budokan.
How do you prepare for a show or tour?
Have fun and laugh as much as possible, practice gratitude if I feel stressed, work my ass off every day, and keep my gear on point.
What’s the most unusual or memorable thing that’s happened to you on stage?
Off the top of my head, there is an outdoor festival in Germany called the “Burg Herzberg”, and one year, a massive rainstorm came in while we were playing and unleashed a massive downpour. The thundercaps looked like a Death Star, so massive, all coming in at the audience’s back, just slowly approaching, until BOOM that rain came down hard. There were a bunch of startled eyes for a moment, but nobody bailed, and we rocked through the downpour with a little help from the stagehands, and it was like what I imagine Woodstock might have felt like. Smiles everywhere!
Can you tell us about your latest project or release?
I independently produced and released a solo record this year on May 23rd called “The Shastafarian”. I wrote all of the music (plus a BÖC cover and a psychedelic interpretation of Dave Bartholomew’s “The Monkey”), I performed and sang the entire thing, and I produced the record independently, through my All-Time Right On enterprise.
Are there any collaborations in the works you’re excited about?
I recently listened to a spatial mix of Jimi’s “Watchtower” in a Dolby Atmos studio that blew my mind. Hearing music in a 360-degree space, as opposed to a stereo right/left mix, got me excited about the canvas of spatial mixing and how my music might sound mixed this way. I think the keyboard and piano-focused tracks would be really great. I’m also already working on new material for what’s next - stay tuned!
What message or emotion do you hope people take away from your music?
My message is clear: Not only is it cool to surf, but it is cool to be a surfer your whole life.
Who are you listening to right now?
Clifford Brown “Memorial Album”.
How do you see your music evolving in the next few years?
I see it doing just that: evolving. If you listen to “The Shastafarian,” it doesn’t have only one style, and the defining of genre is not easy with some of it. The record is experimental and, in many places, improvisational. I see myself continuing to make music that feels good to me. Maybe a little heavier in the chunky bits. Making rock history, that’s for sure.
How do you handle the balance between commercial success and artistic integrity?
I’m not familiar with what commercial success looks or feels like, and I am not surprised that success of that nature has kept some from feeling any urgency or need to continue creating art. Should commercial success follow a work of pure artistic integrity? Hallelujah, we’ve hit the lottery. I look up to David Byrne and Maynard James Keenan in this regard because these are two pure artists who can’t sit still and seem to always be making something, and always something very, very good, at that.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects, tours, or surprises?
It’s going to be an all-out balls-to-the-wall surprise extravaganza in the coming months. You can stay tuned @theshastafarian on IG and visit www.theshastafarian.com
Anything You'd Like Your Fans to Know.
Thanks for having me Rock DNA Magazine and thank you all for hanging and reading this interview!
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