5 Songs I Love w/ Ryan Thomas

We sat down with the incredible Ryan Thomas upon the release of his new single 'Hang Fire' to find out more about what influences his unique sound. Be sure to check out the new track at the bottom and follow him along his journey!

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

This one is probably the most important song Ive ever heard as it really gave my life direction. Coming home from ikea when I was 11, this song came over the radio and just completely changed my life and gave me a goal and purpose. All I wanted to do after hearing it was learn to play guitar, and I was convinced I’d be in an AC/DC tribute band! That didn’t end up happening, but I nagged mum and dad to get me some lessons, and Ive never once looked back since. But that song and album of the same name, really holds a special place in my heart. I still crank up my amp every so often and play those songs!

She Caught the Katy - The Blues Brothers

One new years my dad got me to watch his favourite movie “the blues brothers”. Up until this point it was all AC/DC, Rolling Stones and Metallica. When the movie starts and this song comes on it just blew my mind, how groovy it was, how cool and collected Jake and Elwood are, the drums, the horn section, the harmonica, all backing this powerful Joe cocker esque voice. Watching the blues brothers also completely opened the door to a lot of  blues and soul artists that I still listen to and take inspiration from. Guys like Ray Charles, BB king, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters. The list goes on. 

Tightrope - Stevie Ray Vaughan

After the blues brothers, I really got into Stevie Ray Vaughan, I had an obsession similar to my AC/DC phase, wore the same clothes, big hat and all, learned all the guitar licks I could, absolute die hard. Just the raw, unrelenting aggression in his playing and the tone that sounds like his strings are made of power line wires. A lot of my guitar sounds take a lot of influence from Stevie and the kind of guitars, amps and effects he would use. I’ve moved away a bit now, but his influence on my playing and singing will never leave me. 

Slow dancing in a burning room - John Mayer 

I know this is a more obvious song choice of his, but when I heard this song and I got into John Mayer, it was all over. I have been an absolute die hard fan ever since. His songwriting and guitar playing totally changed the goals for my everyday life and as a musician. His music was such an eye opener because it has so many ideas to explore that were new to me, while still fitting into the “pop” genre. The bluesy soulful lead guitar parts, these complicated chord progressions that just flow so fluently (particularly on this first album “Room for Squares”). Every album is so different from the rest and they’ve all taught me something. It’s really hard to pick the most important song, But slow dancing really taught me alot about the intricacies of dynamically playing the guitar. I’ve played and practiced getting that riff perfect for years, and have still never quite got it right. If that riff was a vinyl record I put on each time I attempted it, there’d be none of that record left. 

The Paper Kites - Give Me Your Fire, Give Me Your Rain

I was in year 11, with headphones in, not doing much of what I was supposed to be doing at school, when I got an ad on instagram about a new album from the paper kites called “on the train ride home”. I’d never heard of them but thought, “I’ll give this a go”. That proceeded to be one of the best decisions I’d ever made. 

It’s an acoustic album, with these beautiful harmonies and well written songs, all about love, loss, and people you meet along the way. and I’ve listened to it so many times I couldn’t give you a number. Then one day I see last minute that they’re playing at the state theatre in Sydney that night, and at the time I didn’t have my licence, so I needed someone to take me. I begged my mum to go. I didn’t have a job at the time but I told her “if you don’t enjoy it I’ll buy your ticket”, she said ok, I bought them and we headed to the city. 

“On the train ride home” was the only album of theirs I’d heard, and it was the album they were touring at the time. What I didn’t know was that there was a sister album that came out at the same time, called “on the corner where you live”, so when they came out and opened with this song, I’ve never had such a visceral experience of being so completely overcome by sound. It has these epic synth layers and dreamy guitars and vocal harmonies, everyone in the band doing their small part to make it sound huge. Ive seen The Paper Kites at least 4-5 times since, and met them a few times also, the influence their music has had on mine, my life, and choices is beyond profound, and I’ve become a much better songwriter because of it. And best of all it’s given me something my mum and I can share. 

Hang Fire - Ryan Thomas