The Life Of Ryan
How did a one-time Riverdance hoofer end up busking in Glasgow and supporting The Script? Ryan Sheridan explains all.
Peter Murphy, 03 May 2011
Ryan Sheridan took the long way here from Monaghan – via Manhattan and Glasgow. Sheridan, whose debut album The Day You Live Forever is due for imminent release on Rubyworks, left Ireland for America at the tender age of 16, performing as a dancer with the Riverdance ensemble.
“I was the youngest one there,” he recalls. “The first time out of Ireland, straight into the States, touring for three years, then we went to Manhattan, on Broadway for two years. It was such a culture shock, there were loads of things to write about. You can get lost in that city if you want. My confidence grew, definitely. It was very hard to leave, but I went to Glasgow and started a band, came back from Glasgow and left the drummer behind, and that’s when I met my partner in crime.”
That partner in crime is one Artur Grazcyk, a Polish percussionist whose turbo-rhythms – played on a cardboard box with optional cymbals – perfectly compliment Sheridan’s devilish strumming hand. Forget your standard singer-songwriter trappings, this duo’s style of attack comes from learning how to hold a crowd while busking on the thoroughfare.
“When you’re playing on the street, you’re playing for your living,” Ryan says. “Artur got the box because he didn’t want to bring a big drum-kit, but there was just some connection straight away. Rhythmically it tied in very strongly, very tight.”
His former occupation as a dancer, Sheridan admits, has a fair amount of impact on the hyper-rhythmic elements of his songwriting.
“Absolutely. And I was a traditional fiddle player with Ceoltas too for years, so there’s always a bit of a reel in there. See, I don’t consider myself a singer-songwriter: it’s a very high-energy kind of vibe. Playing in the street was the best move I ever made. You play, you know what works and doesn’t work, you start tightening up your set, it’s all a big practise.”
Consequently, when Sheridan moves indoors to more orthodox venues, a captive crowd is easy meat. A recent stint supporting The Script in big venues was near nirvana.
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