The Ryde

The Ryde: Take Aim
Thursday, January 22, 2009

I really like what The Ryde has going on.

When I hear a band for the first time, it's hard not to think of who they sound like. While listening to The Ryde's Take Aim album, their first with their current lineup, only general comparisons came to mind. No comparison proved valid for an entire song, either. The band plays hard rock, and they have their own style(s).

Which isn't to say that there are no apparent influences ... It's just that you could reasonably gather that many classic guitar rock bands have influenced The Ryde, and the band found its own sound by filtering the influences through original compositions.

Tim Shaw sounds to me like he's taking a prog aproach to his vocal delivery, although there's nothing too abstract on Take Aim. There are some pretty heavy riffs on the album, as well as some big-sounding chord progressions. Lead guitarist Andrew Roudny finds a balance between passages of melodic phrasing—which act as seemless segues between vocal parts—and tasteful (still semi-melodic) flurries.

Check this Toronto-based band out at their official site and their MySpace page.
www.myspace.com/therydeband

- Adam Morrison (exploremusic.com)

They were the first of only a few local bands on Rock the Fort’s steller lineup. Next week, The Ryde will share the stage with rock legends like Heart, Sweet, Vince Neil, Quiet Riot, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings.

Are they intimidated? No way.


These Thunder Bay boys have their eyes on the prize, so playing with rock icons is just the way it was meant to be.


“We have a real big sound so you want to be in a big venue… we’d love to be a stadium band someday,” said lead vocalist Tim Shaw. “Rock the Fort is our biggest show, I heard they’re bringing in the sound system that Pearl Jam played with in Toronto. It’s cool that we scored something this big with just our music.”


He said The Ryde was signed for the gig after an organizer heard their sound and figured they had the goods to stand up with the classics. Since the band relocated to Toronto in the past year, Shaw said they’ve taken their music to a level far beyond their expectations.


“Toronto really whips you into shape for looking good on stage,” he said. “Being in Thunder Bay, you don’t get that. In Toronto you see all the young bands who put together these shows, and you realize image is so important.”
“It’s not an amateur act with The Ryde anymore. We’ve been working really hard at it.”


The Ryde, in concept anyway, has been around for about 10 years. It was founded by Shaw’s older brother, Courtney, who has since left the band. Through evolution and member-switching, the band has emerged with only one founding member left, lead guitarist Dustin Palko. He, Shaw and friend Jeff Johnson (drums) took charge in taking the band to the next level by moving to Toronto, picking up bassist Boris Novak shortly before leaving.


Shaw said their Christmas 2005 show at the Outpost really showed their hometown that they weren’t just messing around in Toronto.


“We just took everyone’s heads off,” he laughed. “After that we let everyone know we’re serious about what we’re doing. Not everyone knew us then, but now we’re coming back with Rock the Fort and we’ll light it up as The Ryde show.”


Confidence is definitely not something they lack, and it’s likely what got them a recording spot at Metalworks, Canada’s number one recording studio, sharing space with Tom Cochrane and the Barenaked Ladies.


Some say there’s no such thing as luck, but The Ryde can’t ignore the opportunities that have fallen in their lap. The Metalworks deal came about as a result of band member Johnson’s job at Tradepoint, an adverstising firm that decided to sponsor the band. The next thing they knew, Tradepoint created an “Ultimate Rock Star” contest for young bands with The Ryde as their posterchild. They were given $10,000 to put out their inaugral self-titled album, and in return have to become famous.


“Oh it’s our big break. I’ve never heard our music at this level. It’s something you can listen to and just be like, wow,” Shaw said.


The CD is set to be released in time for Rock the Fort, and The Ryde intends on selling them at the show. Shaw said they were also trying to hook up an official release party in town, but were discouraged by a lack of support by local venues. However, he was happy to see more local bands getting support in their hometown.


“It’s hard, we’ve been doing this 100 per cent on our own,” he said. “Jeff goes back to Thunder Bay all the time and says how the music scene is really picking up in the city with indie bands. Back when we were playing there, there was nothing like that going on.”

The Ryde hit the stage at Rock the Fort at 12:45 p.m. on Sat., June 17,2006.
- Kathryn Lyzun - TBSource

They’ve shared a rock fest bill with such acts as Alannah Myles, Helix and Heart, and have even chugged wine backstage with Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe. Though they haven’t exactly hit the big time yet, The Ryde isn’t shifting gears from their musical calling anytime soon.

The band was formed by buddies jamming away for fun in a basement 12 years ago. After a rotation of members, the band decided to get serious in 2003.
The group was solidified with Tim Shaw on lead vocals and rhythm guitar (day job: Pharmacy supervisor); Boris Novak on bass and backup vocals (day job: Operations manager); Andrew Roudny on lead guitar (day job: Construction); and Jeff Johnson on drums (day job: Sales manager)
Thunder Bay was given the wave good-bye and Toronto the high-five. With the help of a corporate grant from Tradepoint.ca, the band released its debut CD in 2006, a self-produced effort which managed to rise above the red sales-wise. “I think we’ve passed the stage of struggling musicians,” says Novak.
“When we moved to Toronto we had nothing, but we’ve worked our way to gaining the respect of rock clubs and fans.” And those fans stick by them even when it means waiting in a packed Lee’s Palace till 2 a.m. to hear them fire up the stage as they did two Saturdays ago as part of Canadian Music Week.

The Ryde plans to release its second album via iTunes and Napster this spring.

Check out previews of two new tracks at www.theryde.ca and www.myspace.com/therydeband.

LAWRENCE CHAU for metro toronto - Metronews Toronto

Ryde dying to rock for their hometown

Jodi Lundmark
Web Posted: 12/22/2006 9:44:17 AM

The Ryde can’t wait to come back to rock the Outpost’s X-mas show again this year.

“I think our best shows are always in Thunder Bay. It’s our hometown,” said bassist Boris Novak. “It’s always great.”


And even though the band’s last original member, Dustin Palko, left the band this August, they have a new lead guitarist, Andrew Roudny, who Novak said is probably the best guitarist he’s ever met.


“He’s kind of got a style of his own. I don’t think there’s anyone else that can really play like he can,” he said.


Roudny heard the band, which is rounded out by drummer Jeff Johnson and lead vocalist Tim Shaw, needed a new guitarist and came out to show his stuff for the guys.


“The guy was just so unreal so we said jump on in,” said Novak.


Since playing Rock the Fort this year, the Ryde has just been playing shows, building up their fan base and selling their self-titled debut album as they go and Novak said they’re hoping to get back into the studio in Toronto to record another disc in the near future.


The band has been gaining momentum lately, selling more CDs and doing some radio interviews in Toronto and are pumped to come back home and play.


“We’re just dying to get there and show everybody how much farther we’ve come along as a band since last year,” said Novak, “I think our Thunder Bay fans are probably the craziest fans out of anywhere we’ve ever played. It’s always the best times.”


The Ryde plays the Outpost with Riverside Downing on Dec. 27. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $5 and available at the Outpost, the Skihaus, Pita Pit and Push gym.


- TB Source