Celebrate a Holiday Popular songwriter invades Max’s Sept. 14

Living it up indie style has been Ryan Holiday’s trademark for the past couple of years. An experimental musician with a fearless tenacity for new sounds, Holiday has released a new demo titled Happiness? with the help of new bandmates. The songs are at times obscure reminders of the new wave synth-age pop rock era. But amidst the static, there’s melody.

Holiday left the up-and-coming group In-Between Blue to pursue his own project. He has performed at various North Jersey venues and on Sept. 14 he will take the stage at Maxwell’s in Hoboken at 9 p.m.

We recently caught up with Holiday:

EM – Where are you from?

RH – I’m originally from Germany, but now people tend to think I’m from space. Is Rutherford close to space?

EM – Who are your influences?

RH – Anything from Bowie to Queen to Missy Elliott to Einsturzende Neubauten. I love music, period. And I absorb whatever is genuine and moving.

EM – Why did you become a musician?

RH – Chicks. I’m all about hoochie.

EM – Where have you performed?

RH – The standard local joints any up-and-comer plays: The Loop, Uncle Joe’s, the Whiskey Bar (Sept. 10), and this band is only a few months old. My last band, In-Between Blue played CBGBs, Maxwell’s, Shine, Arlene’s Grocery, and other places up and down the East Coast.

EM – What is your favorite day of the week?

RH – Trash day, so I suppose it would be Tuesday. It’s a good day to find new furniture.

EM – What are the last three CDs you bought?

RH Die Reklamation by a German band called Wir Sind Helden; Hail to the Thief by Radiohead; and the new disc from Goldfrapp.

EM – How would you describe your music?

RH – A combination of many influences: Bjork, Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Prince, Timbaland, Massive Attack…all thrown into a pot and stirred.

EM – Are you looking for mainstream exposure?

RH – Well sure, why not? I don’t necessarily think broad appeal is a bad thing. I think any musician wants his stuff to be heard by as many people as possible.

EM – What professional plans do you have for the future?

RH – To make a living from music so I can quit my crappy day job.

EM – What is the best part about your job?

RH – There is nothing good about my day job, except for some of the people I work with. As far as the music career goes, it is who I am. It’s beyond analysis.

Ryan Holiday will perform at Maxwell’s at 1039 Washington St. in Hoboken on Sept. 14 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $6. He will be joined by Dressy Bessy. For information visit www.ryanholiday.com or call (201) 653-1703. q

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