Bay Area artist Ryann Gonsalves has been omnipresent on the underground independent scene this year as frontperson and key member of the bands Torrey and Aluminum.
The full-hearted melodic gift that flows through both of these projects can also be explored in its starkest form across Ryann’s enchanting DIY solo album Ouch!, recently released via local label Dandy Boy Records. Amid all of these varied and vivid creative ventures, Ryann very kindly found time to answer a few questions for heavymetalkids.uk:
Hi Ryann, thank you so much for talking to heavymetalkids.uk. The recently released Torrey album has been steadily capturing hearts and minds here in the UK. The songs were primarily created alongside your brother Kelly, would it be right to assume you grew up as part of a very musical family?
Thank you so much for wanting to catch up, Fran! Definitely part of a music loving family. My mom introduced us to so many good bands at an early age and started taking us to shows when we were super little. Growing up, she was really supportive when we wanted to learn how to play; buying us our first instruments and setting us up in lessons. Very grateful for that! Music was always around. Some of my warmest memories are listening to her favorite CDs in the car, singing along with her from the backseat.
How did the Torrey/Slumberland Records link up occur? It must have been quite a thing to see the album emerge on such an esteemed indie label?
While recording, Matthew Ferrara took the lead and sent the mixes over to Mike Schulman. When we finally asked if he could send them along, he had already beat us to it, which was a sweet surprise! Mike and Matthew are such wonderful individuals and were so supportive throughout the whole process of recording and putting the record out. Mike puts so much care and love behind every record he puts out and I’m amazed to be part of such an unbelievably talented lineup of bands.
Your DIY solo album Ouch! for Dandy Boy Records shows you as being highly proficient across a wide range of instruments. It must be very freeing to have such a varied means of expressing yourself artistically?
Thank you so much for all the support you’ve shouted out for my solo stuff, truly appreciate it!! It was super cathartic to track everything for this record and I’m really excited to take what I’ve learned and pour it into the next one. Drums were my first instrument, I’m very wobbly at them, but I love playing and look forward to getting better. Recording Ouch! was such a playful, emotional, and freeing experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better co-pilot in Rick Altieri who recorded and produced the record. Jokingly, I listed him as “emotional support” in the credits, but Rick truly showed up for me with such authentic care while recording these vulnerable and emotionally driven songs. He’s amazing to work with and a truly incredible friend!
Dandy Boy Records has become one of my favourite Bay Area labels over the last couple of years and label boss Bobby Martinez seems a really top guy! How did you guys become acquainted?
I first met Bobby a couple years ago when he hit up my bandmate, Marc Leyda, to chat about putting out the first Aluminum EP. We went to get tacos in the Mission and the rest was history! The three of us instantly clicked and have been close friends ever since. Bobby is the best and is so important to our steady growing scene here in the Bay! He believes in his friends, pours so much love into Dandy Boy Records, and has cultivated such a warm and inspiring community within the Dandy family.
There has been a real buzz around Aluminum’s debut album Fully Beat. Can you tell us a little about how you came to be involved with this great project? Is it challenging trying to keep so many creative plates spinning simultaneously?
Marc reached out to me during quarantine with a couple of songs needing melodies and lyrics– I sent him back some demos and from there we kept at it! Since it was lockdown, I hadn’t actually met Austin Montanari yet but we were in this band together for probably a year before meeting, which is pretty wild! As for being in a lot of projects, it’s really only challenging when everything is active all at once! I’m kind of an introvert, but am learning how to recharge and rebalance a little as I go so I don’t necessarily need to disappear for a few days at a time like I usually do.
With the Bay Area scene seemingly as vibrantly creative as ever, what do you think it is that makes things there so unique? The unity and solidarity amongst the arts is truly beautiful to see.
We believe in each other! It really feels like everyone here wants each other to succeed and will help each other out as much as possible to get there. My bandmate, Chris Natividad, for instance, is such an inspiring person in our community. He’s continuously booking sick shows, connecting bands, planning tours, and the go to person in the Bay for touring bands to hit up. We have such a wide range of labels reaching into all facets of the rad art being made here as well; like JB from Cherub Dream Records who’s created a space in the Bay that feels so inclusive, badass, and beautiful! There’s a sense of belonging here that I feel like many folks, myself included, haven’t experienced before. Okay, I’ll stop gushing. I love the Bay! I love my friends! End Rant!!
And finally, my 14y/o daughter has started playing guitar over the last few months and has really taken to it. What advice would you give to a young person looking to kick on creatively?
I’d say be as weird as you want and trust yourself! Many people will try to tell you how to be, how to play, how to sing, how to move, how to be an ‘actual musician’, but try your best to push that aside and listen for what excites you and lights you up! Art is play and hiccups happen, but by being true to yourself and your creative voice you’ll always be on the right path.
The biggest thank you to Ryann for taking time out from so much beautiful creativity to speak to the blog. I truly appreciate it.
Be sure to check out Torrey’s self-titled album which is out now via Slumberland Records and available here. Ryann’s solo collection Ouch! is available via Dandy Boy Records here. Lastly, Aluminum’s debut long player Fully Beat can be picked up via Felte Records here. Thanks all.
Photograph by Jessica Goss.
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