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RyKnoW
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Instrument: Bass Guitar
Ryan as a youngster, had won several state high school awards for classical vocals. He also has a long history with jazz bass, vocals and sword swallowing. Ryknow had replaced Mudvayne's previous drummer Shawn, who didn't share the band's future ideas and goals and was fired. Mudvayne seeked out Martinie from the Midwest underground's leading Dream Theatre-style progressive metal band called Broken Altar and was invited to join one of Mudvayne's practice sessions. When afterwards he asked the guys if they really believed in what they were doing, their facial expressions were enough for an answer and he joined the band.
The bass guitar style of Ryan can be described as KoRn's Fieldy on steriods. The fast and precise slapping and thorough use of the entire fret board really adds depth to the music. "Keep an ear-and-an eye on this guy, he is the most revolutionary rock bassist since Flea or Les Claypool." (launch.com) Musical influences vary considerably as Ryan explains, "I remember the first Jimi Hendrix song that I ever heard, "The wind cries Mary", as well as the Beach Boys, the Beatles, the big band jazz stuff that my grandfather hooked me up to."
Quirky Fact: Ryan seems to have really enjoyed Tyco Racing Cars as a kid..."Brainless entertainment. What happened?"
Age: "26."
Marital status: "Single but happily in a relationship."
From: "Central Illinois, surrounding the town we eventually ended up at. We moved around."
Other than your instrument, what do you bring to the band? "I don't know. I bring a visual aspect to the band and I bring them peace of mind. I don't know exactly what I bring, but I bring it though! Hopefully I bring some heart."
What was the first record you bought? "I honestly don't remember the first record I bought 'cause my dad had such a huge record collection. The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Mammas And The Papas...To me that was the first music I ever owned."
What was the first concert you went to? "Oh man! I went to so many theatre and community productions when I was growing up that I couldn't tell you."
What is your idea of hell? "It's like putting 'not applicable' on a survey. What would hell be like? I don't know 'cause it doesn't exist!"
What was your first ever job? "Something in the restaurant industry. Probably waiting tables."
What is your favourite film? "I don't have a favourite film, but 2001: A Space Odessey would be close. It's someone's beautiful vision of how things came to be and how things wil come to be."
What is your favourite comic? "I never read comics. The closest thing I had to comic reading was National Geographic!"
When fame becomes too much for you and you have to fake your own death, what will be the elaborate story that appears in the papers? "A hang-gliding accident. It's my dream to go hang-gliding so Iguess that would be my way out. Me, my wings and my Discman. And then I would make it look like it was an accident instead of upsetting people by having them think that I'd kill myself."