The Hotseat - Ryan Johnson of 10 Years

Fresh off a US tour, 10 Years are about to hit Australia and tour alongside Dead Letter Circus on their ‘Aesthesis‘ album launch tour.

10 Years have just released an Australian exclusive edition of their impressive ‘From Birth To Burial‘ album. You can give that a listen below. If you like what you hear, pick it up on iTunes [Here].

Dead Letter Circus commence the run next Thursday 1st October in WA, while 10 Years will join the tour from the Bendigo date on Thursday 8th October and stay on board for the rest of the tour. Full dates and venues can be found below our Hotseat interview with Ryan from the band who took the time to answer our questions.

LISTEN WHILE YOU READ

THE BASICS

Name : Ryan “Tater” Johnson
Band : 10 Years
Job In Band : Lead Vocals
Website Address : www.10yearsmusic.com

HOME

Hometown : Knoxville, TN
Hometown is best known for : The wig shop inside the Sun Sphere from The Simpson’s. Also, a horrible football team.
Best venue in your hometown : The International and The Concourse.
Favourite show you’ve seen in your hometown : The offspring and Rancid – 1994. That’s when I knew I would play music for the rest of my life.
Favourite show you’ve played in your hometown : The last show we played actually. I’ve been sober for about 5 months now – so for the first time, I actually was able to soak it all in. It was great.

THE BAND

How did the band first come to exist? I met Brian Vodinh when we was in a younger band in the same high school as me. I went to see his band practice and watched him switch over from guitar to drums and was blown away. I ran into him years later and he asked me if I was still playing. I lied – I hadn’t played in almost two years, but told him I had been. He asked me if I wanted to jam. We did a bunch of shows with our original singer, Mike Underdown (Skippy). Jesse was singing in another local band called Deficit. When we heard him we knew he was the final link. Years before I actually pre sold a CD of our band to Jesse for $20 haha.
How long has the band been going? Since 1999
Is there an interesting story behind the name? YES. But, if we told you we’d have to kill you
What’s your most recent release? Tell us a little about it… From Birth To Burial
Got a personal stand out achievement of your band to date? There’s been so many. The one that stands out is getting to play guitar with the Deftones on my favorite song of theirs on the same stage that I saw my first show – the show that made me want to do music for the rest of my life.

OFF THE STAGE

What was your first introduction to music that made you think seriously about playing it? When I was 10 I went to stay with my grandmother for a week. She wouldn’t let me watch TV. There was this old guitar laying around… I remember pressing down on the strings and thinking “this hurts.” Her response – “you’ll get used to it.” The rest is history
Any band, album, or song that you personally credit as a major influence? Mars Volta, At The Drive In, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Brand New, Thrice, Rancid, Offspring, Green Day, Operation Ivy.
Your first band name, and what style did you play? Lucky Mother – Rock.
Most prized music related item you own? My grandmother’s guitar.
When you’re not doing band related stuff, what are you usually found doing? Playing the blues. Traveling with wife and spending time with her and my kids. Making fried chicken.
The thing you most look forward to just before a tour is… Getting away from my wife and kids… HA! Just kidding. Getting back onstage and playing the music that I love.
The thing you least look forward to before a tour is… Smelling the feet and farts and body of odor of 8 other men in the brown submarine we call home.
Any item you seem to always forget to take on tour? A box to keep my trucker hats. Nobody respects the rigidness of a trucker hat. I have solved the problem since – but, seriously. Learn some respect.

WATCH

ON THE STAGE

When on offer, what’s your one must have item on the rider? Coffee.
Got a favourite place you’ve toured… and why? Australia – The music scene seemed to be so alive with people who are in love with music as an artistic expression. It doesn’t matter if your band sounds like the other band. As long as it’s honest people seem to be into it.
Got a favourite venue you’ve played… and why? The International in Knoxville, TN. I consider that to be my Temple. I always go stand on that stage and think about my 13 year old self watching my heroes up there.
Any embarrassing on stage moments come to mind? Jumping on a slick stage and landing on my back during our hit song. I didn’t stop playing though!
Any pre-show rituals? Stretching and hat adjustments.
What do you find is the hardest aspect of touring in a band today? Communication. Having 8 or 9 guys being all on the same page and agreeing on decisions.

RIGHT NOW

Last song you listened to? Maylene and the Sons of Disaster their second record- the WHOLE RECORD. It’s meant meant to be listened to as a record not a song.
Last album you picked up? Faith No More’s new record.
Which band or album is currently on high rotation? The Dear Hunter – Act 3: Life and Death.

IF ONLY…

You can pick any one album for your band to cover in full, what would it be and why? In Utero – That record was such an honest expression of being the biggest band in the world and still not giving a fuck.
You can pick any one band / artist to cover one of your albums in full, what would it be, and why? Fair to Midland (which we stole our bass player from) – I’d like to hear them cover our newest record, FROM BIRTH TO BURIAL. They’re one of the best bands that never got their due. They have such a unique style. It would have to be a live album though – they’re one of the best live bands I’ve ever heard. Just 2 mice in a room and them. That’s how I’d want to hear it.
One band you wish you were able to see live but never had the chance? Jimi Hendrix
One venue you have yet to play that you would love to? The Enormo Dome (Spinal Tap)
The chance comes up to fill in for a member of a band for one tour, which band would it be, and why? Rage Against The Machine. If Tom Morello needed a rhythm guitar player to back him up I’d be in. Because I never got to see Rage and I’d imagine there’d be no better way to see them than being on stage playing with them The energy of it…
A headline tour overseas comes up, tell us two bands you’d take along to support your band. Dead Letter Circus and Herpe and the Heartbreakers.

PLUG TIME

Got any final words? Have you ever heard of Wikipedia? This information is all readily accessible. Why did I just spent an hour doing this? Everything you read on the internet is true, haven’t you heard? JUST KIDDING… We are really excited to come over and do this tour with Dead Letter Circus. We’ve always loved Australia but this will be our first club tour over there. Our new album From Birth To Burial is out now. The special tour edition came out September 18th. Thanks for having us over.

TOUR DATES

DEAD LETTER CIRCUS
With guests 10 YEARS (Except *) and GUARDS OF MAY
OCTOBER
1st – Prince Of Wales Hotel, Bunbury [18+] *
2nd – Metropolis, Fremantle [18+] *
3rd – Leisure Inn, Rockingham [18+] *
4th – The Gov, Adelaide [18+] *
7th – Karova Lounge, Ballarat [18+] *
8th – Black Swan Hotel, Bendigo [18+]
9th – Barwon Club, Geelong [18+]
10th – The Forum, Melbourne [18+]
11th – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart [18+]
14th – Home Tavern, Wagga Wagga [18+]
15th – UCU, Canberra [18+]
16th – Waves, Wollongong [18+]
17th – UNSW Roundhouse, Sydney [18+]
18th – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle [18+]
23rd – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast [18+]
24th – The Triffid, Brisbane [18+]
—> Tickets available now.
—> For more information, visit [Here].