The Professor’s Chair features interviews with local musicians. This week’s artist is Ryan Anderson, the lead singer and guitarist of The Dealers, a rock band based out of Orlando, Fla. The interview will air on RadioX’s Local Show between 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, and on SUTV online.
So,what kind of music do you play?
I like to just say rock ’n’ roll, but there are so many subcategories going on; I like to call it surf rock, beach rock. Someone said we had a 50s vibe going on, and I listen to Ricky Nelson and Buddy Holly and things like that, so anything like that is cool.
Do you have a favorite song?
On that record [“Knock Around”], I like “Virgo,” our first track. I think that one is definitely better live; it has “oomph” to it — kind of a triumphant vibe. I have one of the best rhythm sections you could ever ask for. These two guys Drew and Devin — they just hold it dow,n you know? It’s such a relief because I don’t have to worry about them.
When we play, it’s always exciting and fun and I just love doing it. I’ve loved doing it since I was a kid. I rock out to music like 12 hours a day, literally. I’ve tried other jobs; I’m just not that good at them.
The whole 9-to-5 office job is not working out for you.
Ugh, no its not. It’s not working out at all. I used to work at this place, and I’d listen to everything and play bluegrass back in the warehouse, and people would look at me like I was from Mars.
Why? Bluegrass is beautiful.
Yeah, I know — just not everyone can kind of — I’m not saying they’re not into it, but I don’t know. I just like every type of music.
Did you ever get nervous performing? — the first performance you did, compared to your performances now live? Would you say there’s a big difference? Have any disaster stories?
Oh, God, yeah, too many. I’ve been in bands since I was literally a little kid. There’s pictures of me and my two best friends dressed up as Kurt Cobain in fifth grade. We played “Smells like Teen Spirit” for this talent show in fifth grade, so I’ve been doing this for a long time and I still get nervous. I played some bigger shows. I opened up for Lucero one time. That was kind of a big deal, I thought. But we played this dive bar in Tampa and I felt like I could throw up everywhere and there were like five people there.
Now, are these the same two guys from when you were little to now?
Oh, no. Actually the base player, Devin — I’ve known him since I was in elementary school and we stuck together. So we’re like brothers basically. And Drew is just a powerhouse on the drums and just his attitude — he brought a whole breath of fresh air to what we’ve been doing. It just felt right, you know?
And there have been so many other bands that something was off, like this guy’s attitude or it wasn’t cohesive or the parts didn’t mix. But now it just seems we’re a three piece and we’re not trying to impress ourselves with slow craziness. We’re trying to just be solid and make a song that sounds good and that people will like.
How did you come up with the album name “The Dealers”?
We just deal music, you know? Other people deal this or that or sell cars. Everyone’s kind of a dealer and I just looked at it like, “We’re dealers of music.” People get the drug vibe, but I’m not trying to do that.
Did you teach yourself how to play guitar? Did you ever take lessons as a kid? If someone wanted to be you, where would they start?
If you wanted to be me, I would really question that. I would say you might want to hold back on that decision.
You know, a big part of who encouraged me was my father. As much of a triangulation relationship he and I have, I just remember from a young age that he would encourage me. I don’t know why; I don’t know why he would. It’s like Tiger Woods’ father wanted him to hit golf balls and my dad wanted me to play guitar.
I was always drawn to it anyway. I remember being like 8 years old, and I would just look at when MTV used to play videos and I would just jump around. My living room was like my stage. I mean, I didn’t even know how to play guitar yet, but I would take it and just totally rock out and just totally use my imagination; and I just like, “I have to have a guitar.” It was just this overwhelming urge ever since I was a little kid to do it, and I just started taking lessons.
I had a best friend. We loved Nirvana and we would play guitar together, and we had a competition going all through middle school and all through high school. You never stop learning.
We have a lot of aspiring theater, music and dance majors here at NSU. Do you have any advice that you could give them?
The people who quit never make it. There’s going to be times when you want to throw it away. There’s been times when I was like, “Playing guitars has been a curse in my life; if I could just be an accountant …”
But, honestly, being an artist is something that you feel within you and it’s in your own world, and you can’t describe it to anybody else and no accountant or doctor’s ever going to get it. So don’t waste your breath trying to explain it to people.
Don’t ever quit. Never quit. There’s going to be hard times, but take the chances. Don’t be afraid. Never be afraid.
You can find out more about The Dealers at facebook.com/thedealersus. You can also download their album “Knock Around” for free at thedealers1.bandcamp.com.
