Subtle Moves (in collaboration with Dirk Markham

Lighthouse (in collaboration with Ragland)

ViewMaster

 

 

Red Like Our Room Used to Feel

 

 

Released by Forest Records on 1st February 2010, “Red, Like Our Room Used To Feel” is a collaboration between Ryan Van Winkle and Ragland. Featuring 18 tracks, merging poetry and soundscapes, the album is the soundtrack to Ryan’s performance piece which premièred at the Hidden Door festival in Edinburgh on 30th and 31st January 2010.

More details on the whole experience appear here.

 

 

I Hate Myself I’m A Genius I Ruin Everything (I’m So Lonely)

 

 

 

An experiment in spoken word set to music featuring friends Dirk Markham, Mark Vitelli, Dan Seizure, Mikel Krumins, Uncle Beasley and John Crave.
It is hard to believe that this record was released so long ago (in August 2002 by Forest Records). Those are not my real eyes in the picture. It was taken on one of those weird trips that Dan Meth and I sometimes make. That said, I can’t remember the when nor the where.
This album features the legendary “Stir the Soup” story in all its weird, Walken glory.

Some Notes on The Album

The concept was — indulge Ryan and his rock star dreams. I recorded a bunch of vocals and gave them to friends with the hope that they would make me sound cool. I also told them they could alter, loop, edit and otherwise destroy the vocals to suit their own needs. Listening to this album, I feel very lucky to have talented and amazing friends to play with.
“Coins” is still one of my favorite things. We recorded my voice in a soggy basement room in the Forest and Jack Richold suggested I shout the poem. I did my best.
“Carbon” is a medly of poems that Mikey made awesome. We had a wonderful afternoon in his Marchmont flat making fart noises with an R&B singer friend of his (you can hear her giggle). I demanded — make people dance to my poems. Please, if you are out there, try.

“Stir the Soup” is a semi-famous track featuring a story about Christopher Walken and soup. To my knowledge, the story is completely true. However, it is indebted to Dan Meth who first brought the tale to my attention. You can see a live video from Fence’s Homegame below.

“Where Ya From” is an awful, bitter, travel-fatigued poem, one I would like to disown. That said, this track is brilliant and features a song called Maribor by John Crave at the end. It is pure. Years after recording this album, I had a chance to go and work in Maribor and was surprised to find it was nothing like Crave’s vision. That said, I know for a fact, he only passed it on a train and had never been there in person. If you are ever in Maribor do check out the fantastic Pekarna — a haven of art, culture, booze, books and madness.

Video of Stir the Soup
Filmed at the Fence Collective’s Home Game in 2007. We appeared to be performing in an elementary school. There were children playing while I spoke. This made me very uncomfortable.