Of all the iPods in the world, I'd like to think that mine has the most random of playlists. I love it all. As long as it sounds good, my ears are open. While some of my friends will say that their favorite artists include greats like Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, The Beatles, Madonna, and so on, I think outside the box. Sure I dropped some big names but there is one artist who is my favorite and has influenced me to pursue a career as a songwriter and recording artist. Dave Navarro called him The Dark Horse. The fans and I know him as Ryan Star. Who is he? I hope you like stories.
I was about 16 at the time. The Bridge Street Music Hall was putting on a concert featuring Trapt and The Exies, who at the time were some of the most popular bands that year. The opening band called themselves Stage. Never heard of this band before so of course I was a bit skeptical. The lead vocal was a man named Ryan Star. The sound that came from him was nothing I had ever heard before. He put his heart and soul into every single word. Not once did he lose his energy or his audience. I wouldn't see Stage again for another two years. I was in the front row when Ryan wrapped his mic cord around another stand. He pointed at me and asked me to fix it for him. Took me awhile but I got it done. Afterward, I bought the album. Every song was just as powerful as the live show. As I like to tell people, the CD was stuck in my stereo. Not because it was broken, but because I didn't want to stop listening to it.
Shortly after that, Stage broke up. All I had was their CD and a few B-Sides by them. It wasn't until I went on myspace one day that I stumbled upon a familiar face. The user name was r. star. Losing Your Memory was the first song playing and I fell in love. The power of a rock band mixed with the grace of a piano. He was his own one man rock show. I bought the album it was on called Songs From The Eye of an Elephant and made that my soundtrack for the forseeable future. I had to go see him live somehow. Just needed a ride.
Dad was awesome enough to take me to Boston to go see him. It was a small venue but the atmosphere seemed perfect for what the Elephant album was and still is; a collection of stripped, acoustic songs. I sang every word to every song and he played with all the power I remember him having when he opened for Trapt. Initially, the hope was to get an autograph or picture after the show and be on our way. Ryan, however, took the time to sit with me and my Dad and talk with us for a while. We chatted about how far we travelled, how I was a music student, and what how much he inspired me. Ryan then took me backstage and we sang one of his songs together. As I recall, it was called Sink or Swim.
Ever since that time we have kept in touch. Even after gaining fame from Supernova and 11:59 (my new soundtrack). Whenever I go to one of his shows, it's like seeing a friend. In a lot of ways, he is my friend. In some ways, he's like my mentor. Ryan is the guy who basically told me to let the lyrics come to me instead of forcing them. It had to be as if I was telling a story. I have written many songs through his advice. Some of you may know two of them as Everybody's Hero and Hallway Lights.
Who is Ryan Star? He is a real musician. One who isn't afraid to write what he feels and one who doesn't mind taking the time out to get to know the people who listen to his work. For a musician like me, if it wasn't for Ryan, I wouldn't have direction. Ryan Star is now and always will be the artist that I look up to.
PS: Shameless plug for Mr. Star ----> http://www.rstar.net/
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