Who are you and are you in a band or do you perform solo? If in a band(s), what is the name of that band?
My name is Ryan Avery (they/them pronouns). I’m in a Queer Ska band called The Terri’s — we don’t have any recordings, havent played any shows and are on hiatus because of COVID but I am one of the 4 singers in the band. I also perform solo under the name “Hi My Name Is Ryan” which consists of me just singing songs and telling stories and doing other forms of performance art.

What instrument(s) do you play?
I don’t play any instruments, but I have played drums and guitar and keys for many different bands over the years.

How long have you been making music? And what first drew you to your craft?
I have been writing songs since I was a child, I have been performing live music and art since 2002. Growing up with older siblings who are into punk and alternative music drew me into the craft of writing music, and seeing live music (specifically local thrashcore/artschool band Hammered Dr. Destructo) drew me into performing live.

What was your favorite show of all the shows you’ve ever played?
Favorite Hi My Name Is Ryan show is any show where I see people cry because I know they are really feeling and hearing me.

What are you listening to during this period of social distancing?
I have been listening to music pretty much constantly since I started social distancing in the beginning of March. If it gets silent and I have to think for too long about how I am feeling I just start to cry so… music and cartoons non-stop in the house. I have been really enjoying these Golden Boots “Burning Brain Radio” mix tapes. The Golden Boots boys have this radio show in Tucson every Tuesday from 4-6 PM on 99.9FM, I never get a chance to listen to it live, but they make copies of the radio show on mix tapes later and they are such good, fun mixes.
I am also loving these Bandcamp days that Bandcamp has been doing every month (I hope they continue, but I think they are probably gonna stop). It’s fun to add things to my Bandcamp Wishlist throughout the month and then come up with a spending budget and spend all that money at once buying music from artists and know 100% of the funds are going directly to them or the organization they donate to. Then spend the next month listening to and enjoying all that new music. You can see what I am buying and wishlisting at bandcamp.com/majesticryan. My top 9 most listened to albums on my mobile Bandcamp app are
:
1. The Funny Uncles “Writin’ Songs”
2. Dear Nora “Three States”
3. Various Artists “The Rebellious Jukebox Plays Northern Soul Stormers” (This is a comp of 100 different amazing Northern Soul songs)
4. Bessie Jones “Get In Union”
5. Kleenex/Liliput “Discography”
6. They Might Be Giants “Then: The Early Years”
7. Jackie Shane “Jackie Shane: Any Other Way”
8. Neo Boys “Sooner Or Later”
9. The Dezurik Sisters “Yodel and Sing Their Greatest Hits”

I would also like to mention that I feel like the musical works of Dorian Wood is the perfect soundtrack to what I feel like most of the world is experiencing right now, so I have been listening to a lot of their music since I started social distancing.

Ryan Avery dropped by the Radio Phoenix Studios and brought in a host of incredible artists and a playlist created entirely with Bandcamp links. Weirdo, fun, experimental, pop, punk — we have it all in this playlist. Plus, we find out more about Hi My Name Is Ryan and the ongoings of Related Records, now in its fifth year.
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Tune into The YabYum Hour every Wednesday at 7:00 PM only on Radio Phoenix — where the Valley come to Talk. Sing. Connect.

Hi My Name is Ryan “Family Values Tours ’98”
Black Randy And The Metrosquad “Sperm Bank Baby”
Dear Nora “Love Song for My Friends”
Charlyne Yi “I Shouldn’t Die Tonight”
Jack Toft “Somebuddy Call in a Bomb Threat (My Baby Just Broke up with Me)”
Wimps “Middle Ages”
Liliput “Ain’t You”
Foot Ox “Cough Blood on the Moon Soon”
The Dad “Downtown”
Nation of Ulysses “A Kid Who Tells On Another Kid Is a Dead Kid”
Galactic Federation of Love “Anu”
Good Throb “Double White Denim”
Gene Defcon “The Wild Boys”
Stephen Steinbrink “Staring at a Rothko”
Like, Listen To “A Woman’s Woes”
James Kochalka Superstar “Pump the Keg”

Ryan Avery is majestic.

The oddball vocalist who practically grew up in the Phoenix scene and now runs a weirdo/specialty label, Related Records. Not only is it an avenue for his own musical projects, he’s released a bevy of albums by some awesome Arizona acts including Dinosaur Love, Human Behavior, Serene Dominic, Space Alien Donald, and Treasure Mammal to name but a few.

And who can forget the compilations? A master curator, Ryan has released such classics as Everybody’s Looking At Their Phone, Where’s The White Shadow? (a tribute to the hardcore and punk catalog of the Beastie Boys), and SELF: a compilation of music that is self aware and self absorbed., again, to name but just a few.

​Sure, he’s had a documentary film made about him, played over 1,000 shows, and sometimes DJs — yet he remains the humblest of men. Ryan took the time to catch up with us and fill us in on some history, what’s happening now in Camp Avery, and offer a sneak peek forward to some future endeavors. Read the full interview below…

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