DOUG ON RYAN
Doug: When I first met you, you had dredlocks, and we’ve known each other for a few years now, actually, and you still have dredlocks. How do you take care of them?
Ryan: I do a terrible job of taking care of them. Actually, I always say that, and then when I speak to other people, they’re like, ‘Honestly, I’ve heard worse.’ I’ve never had bugs or mildew or anything like that.
Doug: Does that happen a lot?
Ryan: A lot of people have had problems. Almost everyone I know who has had dreds had to get rid of them, because something bad happened.
Doug: You have always had nice dreds. I don’t think I’ve ever been like, ‘Those are nasty.’
Ryan: I had just done the dreds just before we went on that tour with you guys. That was like the first tour I had them. I literally did them the day before we left. I remember being at that show at the Chance, and my head was killing me, because there were just these balls of knots that were pulling at my scalp. And it was so hot in that room. It was like health hazard hot. It was terrible. But yeah, you just got to make sure that after you clean them—because they’re like sponges, they’re like ropes—they hold so much water that you have to make sure you get all the water out.
Doug: Do you get like massive headaches?
Ryan: No. Only when I worked on them for a while.
Doug: Well I think you look cute. In a heterosexual way.
Ryan: Thank you. I’m down with whatever way you think I look cute.
Doug: Alright, Ryan, if you could change one thing about touring, as amazing as it is, what would you change about it?
Ryan: I love touring a van. I love everything about it. We’ve done a bus twice, and I have to say I sleep better in a van and I feel there’s not the camaraderie and getting into trouble and that vibe that you have on the bus. The one thing that I would like to have a bus for and the one thing that I would change about touring is just having my friends from home come out on tour. Or have family out, whatever. Just have five buses, so that everyone can have their families and friends come out. I know that there are dudes that are on that level, that’s what they do. They bring out friends and family out there on the road so they don’t get lonely on the road because they have to be out so frequently. I would love to have that. That’s why I like doing summer tours because our friend Taylor is going to come out on this tour. I love that.
