Tune Tag #76 with Ryan Gonzalez (Ryry): The Kinks, ZZ Top, Roosevelt, Slade, The Pillows, Ramones, Tame Impala
The Ryry Rundown is real, and generations and centuries are traversed in this musical Tune Tag of trial and era. From singing to behind the mic at radio, these 2 musicians have a lot in common!🎶
Greetings, Ryry…and welcome! Tag, You’re IT!
Tune Tag welcomes (aka Ryry), the writer of The Ryry Rundown, a weekly newsletter containing music recs, short fiction, and stories from everyday life!
Ryry was introduced to music at a young age through his father, an avid karaoke singer. As a result, Ryry went through years of choir, musicals, concerts, and even got a bachelor’s degree in music…which all started because he loved singing to bands like The Fray, Gorillaz, and Weezer in his tiny childhood bedroom.
While his primary instrument is his voice, it’s been quite some time since Ryry’s picked up a guitar or even sang some songs at an open mic! These days, he hosts radio shows at his library’s community radio station. His shows air Mondays & Thursdays from 4-5 pm (U.S. Central Time), and are free to listen to from anywhere!
Last week, Tune Tag tussled with Russell of :
Next week, we’ll welcome the cordial company of of !
Ryan’s song #1 sent to Brad: Brett Newski, “Ride,” 2018
Brad’s response: Uh-oh. New music! Now, whaddo I do? On first listen to this artist I’ve not heard of….he’s very likeable. I love his little, unselfconscious, goofy dance steps! He looks like he’d be terribly fun to get to know and talk to! I see many Texas visual hints in the vid (as well as Bourbon Street)! Wonder where he’s from. Dyin’ to hear what motivated Ryan to pick this as his first song, and how he discovered young Master Newski!
I feel somewhat challenged to send Ryan a new artist, myself…like, so there! I know some newbies Newski’s, too! It’d be tough to link anything here to a legacy artist, but thematically or lyrically, I’m sure I could find something!
Ryan’s rationale: I heard this song on 88Nine, the local radio station, while I was living in Milwaukee. The year was 2018 and, while that was over half-a-decade ago, I’ve never forgotten it. Brett Newski was one of the last musicians I listened to before going on a hiatus from listening to new music from 2018-2022, thanks in large part to slowly burning out while working all sorts of jobs I didn’t like.
Newski knows the grind of bad jobs himself, but also offers a glimmer of hope on his live album, Going Solo is Better Than Being Alone, where he talks about the song:
“Y’know, unfortunately, I feel like most Americans don’t like their jobs, which is kind of a bummer. But I think a lot of that is like, it’s a lot of societal pressure too, and it’s really hard to, like, pivot and do a new thing y’know when no one else around you is doing that. So, this is a song – it’s just about I think if you have a good head on your shoulders and you try something new, you’re gonna land on your feet.”
I took that leap of faith when I was burnt out two years ago and ended up as a library assistant who also gets to spin some tunes on the community radio station.
So, when I started collecting CDs again for the radio and discovering new music again, this was one of the first albums I picked up. Because, without taking that leap of faith, I probably would still be stuck in that job and still blind to the joys of music.
Brad’s song #1 sent to Ryan: Roosevelt, “Illusions,” 2018
Ryan’s response: I’d never heard of this band from Germany, but I’m definitely adding them to my playlists! It’s especially interesting to listen to artists sing in English when that isn’t their first language.
While listening to this track, I couldn’t help but notice this clap/snap sound that Roosevelt uses throughout it. It immediately made me think of Tame Impala because they use that sound EVERYWHERE in their 2015 album, Currents.
Brad’s rationale: OK, we’ve got 3 things I’m matching…21st-century young artist, one-word title, and 2018 as the release year for both! I’ll be fascinated to see if Ryan’s ever heard of/heard Roosevelt!
So enamored of Roosevelt and his retro pop-songwriting ethos was I, a couple articles have been given the FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE treatment….like so:
Ryan’s song #2: Tame Impala, “Let It Happen,” 2015
Brad’s response: An amazing song response, but only because (and, Ryan couldn’t have known this) one of the first things I read about Roosevelt about 5 years ago (when I first stumbled upon his complete KEXP video) was that “Tame Impala sounds similar,” or that TI nearly always popped up on Spotify right after a Roosevelt track, the algo being what it is!
I don’t think the two sound alike at all, unless you’re filling out a list of 21st century, electronics-forward pop entities who aim at the charts. I much prefer Roosevelt…he’s a far more likeable figure, IMO, and his allegiance to and love for the ‘70s-era pop songwriting form is his obvious super-power, and I’m all about it! Go Ro! (Now, how to get us out of the 21st century!)…
Ryan’s rationale: I picked “Let It Happen” because I feel like it’s the one track that contains most of the spirit that Roosevelt has in theirs. When I’m picking songs for the radio, I like finding things that sound similar but are different enough so there’s still an element of freshness. These two songs would DEFINITELY be played back to back on a show for me.
On the flip side, it’s also fun to find songs that don’t sound similar, but somehow work. One time I played The Beatles “All Together Now” and dove into Charli XCX’s “Apple” right after that; while they’re very different genres, they somehow work!
Brad’s song #2: The Ramones, “I Won’t Let It Happen,” 1992
Ryan’s response: Wow, that’s a throwback! I haven’t listened to a lot of The Ramones, but their hit, “Blitzkrieg Bop,” reminds me of when we were learning about the meaning behind the song in a high school history class.
Aside from both being bands that start with the word “the,” I also learned that some people believe The Pillows’ earlier stuff was inspired by The Clash. And while The Clash may not be The Ramones, It doesn’t change the fact that the two bands did meet at one point in history. It just goes to show that sometimes bands are more related to each other than they seem on first look.
Brad’s rationale: Color me obstinate, Ryan, but I’m afraid I can’t let Tame Impala get away with telling someone to just “Let It Happen.” Hence, The Ramones, who feel quite differently! Take that, Mr. Impala (and, all the little Impalas)!
While The Clash may have met The Ramones, I doubt they spent a few invited hours in their hotel room in 1978:
Ryan’s song #3: The Pillows, “Little Busters,” 1998
Brad’s response: Outta left field….never heard of these guys, but am intrigued! Enigmatic and energetic, they make me think of The Ramones’ general attack…certainly guitar-forward, but then the unison singing they often did! I’m gonna guess this was Ryan’s match-up, too, from “The Rams” to The Pillows! I liked it so much, I sought out a live version. Thankfully:
Ryan’s rationale: “Little Busters” came to mind because it’s got a similar drumline that keeps the song moving along much like The Ramones’ “I Won’t Let It Happen.” It’s also the perfect song for use in anime, which is probably why it’s FLCL, an anime mini-series about this kid who keeps having weird stuff coming out of his head and an alien who’s obsessed with him. It’s a short, weird series that’s made even better with a soundtrack by The Pillows. So, if you dig their vibes, check it out!
It was the early 2000s and I, a small child, was quickly approaching my tweenage years. At that age, I was looking for anything and everything to incorporate into my personality. My middle sister, five years older than I, was the coolest person in the world at the time because she was different.
It was when she introduced me to an anime called FLCL (pronounced Fooly Cooly) that I discovered The Pillows.
I first learned of the band’s name thanks to the end credits of each episode. Between animated sections, there are photos of a yellow Vespa with a “P!” sticker on it going on all sorts of adventures. It spins in circles, travels through town, and falls over before being helped back up again. It’s a mesmerizing sequence, made all the more entrancing by The Pillows’ “Ride on Shooting Star” playing underneath:
I never skipped the end credits as a kid, jamming out every time. I mean, what was not to love about it? I found it absolutely fascinating listening to a band sing in Japanese, I loved the aggressive drumming, and I absolutely adored the slightest touch of fuzz on the guitar.
I’ve never gotten a chance to see The Pillows in person, but if I did, I’m sure I would turn right back into that kid I was all those years ago!
👚The Home Stretch: Clothes Encounters of the Thread Kind👖
Brad’s song #3: Slade, “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” 1972
Ryan’s response: Oh, hey—that guy has a funny hat! Also, this song reminds me of “Cum On Feel the Noize”... oh wait, that’s because it’s the same band!
For my next song…..At first, I was stuck between ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” and The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” as Slade was influenced by The Kinks.
Brad’s rationale: Really taken by The Pillows, I’m guessing one of their influences might have been Slade, hence this 1972 single of theirs. I was also trying to find a song that’s a call-out, of sorts, to and about their fans. I discovered that “Little Busters” is the nickname The Pillows give their fans, so “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” might just include Slade and their fans in the erstwhile, apostrophe-free contraction, “weer”!
Ryan’s song #4: ZZ Top, “Sharp-Dressed Man,” 1983
Live Top, 1983, in their natural habitat:
Brad’s response: Hmmm, could Ryan be taking an ironic dig at Slade and their borderline sartorial splendor?
Ryan’s rationale: Ultimately, I went with ZZ Top for two simple reasons: One, their song sounded more similar. And two, Slade has some sharp-dressed men! ZZ Top is no stranger to looking sharp though, wearing snazzy suits much like Noddy Holder. ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons and Elwood Francis (below) wear similar hats from time to time too - though Holder of Slade could never compete with that facial hair!
One last fun fact I learned while reading up on ZZ Top: Frank Beard, the drummer of the band, is the only member who doesn’t have a long beard. It’s ironic, isn’t it? I guess he gets a pass for his last name being Beard!
Brad’s song #4: The Kinks, “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” 1966
And, that brings this Tune Tag to a clothes! Thank you, Ryry! You’re the vest!
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What an interesting Tune Tag! I was astounded by Ryry's confidence, knowledge, and the fresh perspective he brought to the game. I love the fact that you guys found multiple angles to tag each song. Interestingly, when you listen to the songs back to back, they all work as a unit. Talk about coming full circle!
Fab work, guys!
What a fun TT. Ryan's response to the Ramones was a hoot.
Love hearing the Roosevelts, who you turned me on to, Brad. But really enjoyed Brett Newski's video too.
You can't go wrong with Slade,ZZ Top, and the Kinks wrapping things up.