Ryan Shupe & The RubberBand (Ryan Shupe, Craig Miner, Bart Olson, Colin Botts, and Roger Archibald) made it to mainstream radio in 2005 with their hit single, “Dream Big.” The song reached number 27 on the country charts and led to other popular singles, including “Banjo Boy.”
Truly one of my favorite acts, Ryan took some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his career, new record and pet monkey.
Scott: Growing up in Utah, you played the fiddle from the age of five… when was it you realized that you’d like to make a career out of making music?
Ryan: Well, I started Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand when I was in college, because it’s always good to have a band in college. When I saw that it started to take off and have legs, I thought that I needed to keep at it and pursue music for a while. I feel like I am getting away with something every day I continue to do music as a career.
Scott: What’s a typical day like for Ryan Shupe?
Ryan: On show days, we are traveling, loading in gear, sound checking, meeting with people… Radio stations, interviews, making set lists. On days that aren’t show days, I practice, write songs, practice with the band, brainstorm with our booking agent and manager about ways to further our musical endeavors, answer emails, coordinate with the road manager and other band members… And try to get in as much snowboarding and wakeboarding as I can.
Scott: Your band is called the “RubberBand.” That’s a pretty interesting play on words, how did you come up with it?
Ryan: I had been booked for a show and needed a name for the band to go on the poster. At the time, the band was just forming and I didn’t know who was exactly going to be in the band. I also, wanted a band that would be flexible and would never break up. My sister said that I should name it the Ryan Shupe & The RubberBand and then name stuck.
Scott: When you started out, you and your bandmates would travel around in a van from gig to gig, what was probably the best and worst experience from that time?
Ryan: The best was just hanging out with the band guys and having that experience of being on the road early in our musical career. The worst was coasting (after the engine had stopped) into a gas station in the middle of nowhere in sub freezing weather while we are all huddled under blankets to keep us warm… Now that’s living the dream!
Scott: After you’ve written a song and recorded it, do you ever look back and think about all the lines you took out and wonder one of them would have worked better? Or, do you ever think, man, glad I made that switch?
Ryan: I don’t usually think that. I will keep tweaking a song until I think it is done and then I try not to look back. It’s like a child at that point. You just love him for what he is.
Scott: Your first mainstream hit was “Dream Big.” Talk about that song from the beginning process to when you started hearing it get a lot of airplay.
Ryan: I wrote the song before the band was formed and it was one of our earliest songs. Over the years it has become a staple song for us… One that we always get good response from. So when we were going to release an album with capitol nationally we thought that it should for sure be on the new CD.
Scott: What kind of reaction have you gotten to that song? I’ve listened to it a lot because it just seems to have a great message of going for whatever your goal in life may be and not let anything get you down.
Ryan: Well, I believe what the song says. We get lots of email and letters from people telling us that it has helped them through hard times. That’s what makes playing music worth it… When a song really touches someone on a deeper level.
Scott: I read that some of your influences include The Police, AC/DC and Willie Nelson. That’s a pretty wide array of musical talents. Talk about what these guys mean to you.
Ryan: We got together as a band and listed as many influences as we could think of and these were the most common denominators. I think there is a lot of good music and good music has no musical boundaries.
Scott: I really enjoy the songs “Would You Love Me” and “Even Superman.” They both have awesome beats and are lyrically unbelievable. Have those ever been or will they be released as singles?
Ryan: We are working on a new CD, so I’m not sure if they will be released as singles anytime soon. However, I have always felt that they have a lot of potential and I haven’t ruled out the possibility of them achieving more broad exposure.
Scott: I read that you have a pet monkey, which just had a baby monkey of it’s own. How cool is it to own a pet that rarely anyone has? I always wanted a penguin.
Rusty: They are mischievous but well worth the effort, they also help around the house on occasion. You should get a penguin.
Scott: What’s next for the band?
Ryan: We are excited about that. We are also touring around the country and building up fans wherever we go, it’s a lot of fun.