Who knew that my book Get Up would include the best advice from a young lad? To answer the question “What would I tell my teenage self?” I purposely sought out mentors who had some years under their belt. Those who have been around. Saw a lot. Did a lot. Learned a lot.
It made sense for me to ask the older folks. It gave them such a pleasure to reflect on their youth. To give back to the young reader who is just starting out and filled with inhibitions.
But what happens when you come across a soul that’s wise beyond their years?
You let them speak! Or publish!
Meet 21-year-old Ryan Storm (@ry_storm). He loves all things music and wants to share what goes on behind the scenes of the lyrics and sound from the bands that he loves.
How is he facilitating this fascinating educational platform?
With podcasts called We Move Through Stormy Weather (@stormypodcast) and Always Almost There (@aatgoosespeed).
Ryan is living the dream. Why? Because he is doing what he loves and it shows. I mean, look at this face at a recent Goose concert!
Time to get down to business and get the scoop behind the best advice from a young lad!
Who is Ryan Storm?
A huge nerd, to start!
Tell me about your home office. What do you do in it every day?
I am still in the early stages of starting my business Storm Sound. I am
spending my days doing lots of networking with different brands and creating
podcast content for both Phish and Goose, which are my two favourite bands. So far, starting my own business has been an incredible experience (albeit LOTS of
work) and I am really excited to continue on into the future and see its
expansion!
What are your guilty pleasures?
I wouldn’t say that I have any “guilty” pleasures, but I definitely have favourites of
things!
- Hobbies: I absolutely LOVE playing keyboards, and I am always
hungry to expand my knowledge of the instrument both in terms of
playing and gear.
- Book: Since the new House of the Dragon series has been airing, I have fallen back in love with Game of Thrones. This has always been one of my favourite book series of all time.
- Food: Hummus for sure. While I find myself not having as much time to make it these days as I would maybe prefer, there is still nothing like eating a bowl of hummus with a spoon.
- Movie: I haven’t watched many movies lately, but have really been enjoying the TV show 30 Rock.
Has anyone given you advice that has really rocked your world?
Some of the most important advice I’ve ever received was actually from
the farmers’ market! Ruth from Monforte Dairy told me when I was 11 or 12
years old that the most important thing was to always stay humble and not let
any amount of success go to my head. I have carried that piece of advice with
me for my entire life and I am very grateful to all the people who have given me
guidance along the way.
Tell me about your podcast.
I actually host two podcasts. The first one, We Move Through Stormy
Weather is a Phish podcast I started in October 2020. Each episode features
one guest and I talking about our favourite live versions of a specific Phish song.
What is unique about this topic is that these different performances can be of crazy varying lengths and styles, so there is an endless amount to talk about!
The second podcast, Always Almost There, focuses on my other favourite band Goose with really extensive recaps and breakdowns of every concert they play.
Podcasting is amazing because it gives me an outlet for my insane geekery
about music and I am able to share that passion with other people and help
enhance their listening experience with it.
Let’s unpack your quote!
“Don’t be afraid to be weird.”
“Don’t be afraid to be weird.”
My whole life, I have not fallen into any sort of “normal” category. You should
never have to change who you are in order to fit other people’s expectations of
you – hence the quote. Be yourself always and be weird!
This is by far, the best advice from a young lad I have heard in a long time. Someone who isn’t afraid to take risks. To do what they love. Embrace their true authentic selves. Work hard and enjoy the little things in life, like eating homemade hummus with a spoon. Gee – I wonder where he gets this outlook on life from?
