“I play Sonor for their impeccable attention to detail, not just in quality of sound and looks, but also the usability for a working drummer. When people ask me how I like the drums, I tell people they are the BMW of drums! I couldn’t think of a better company to rely on and it’s an honor to be a part of the Sonor family!”
Ryan Meyer grew up on the small island of Cape Cod in a town called Yarmouth Port, which is just outside of Boston. Yarmouth Port is a town secluded from the world except for three months out of the year when people from all over the globe would show up to enjoy its beautiful beaches, epic marsh lands, incredible seafood, and surprisingly good local entertainment. Maybe it was the long dull winters or the fact that Berkley school of music was just an hour away, but the Cape is full of world class musicians. Most of these artists worked regular jobs during the day, playing cover band gigs at night, in whatever restaurant converted to a nightclub. It was at the time, a perfect incubator for an artist.
When Ryan was 11 years old, his parents bought him and his two brothers a shiny new drum kit as a reward for good grades. After a few years, his brothers moved on and the kit became his by default. Now that he did not have to share the kit with his brothers, he could play on his own for hours, or until his parents just couldn’t take it anymore. Whatever albums he had, he would listen and learn from. Bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, Foo Fighters, Everclear, Bush, Rage Against the Machine, and Silverchair. All these bands from the late 90’s through the early 2000’s were massively influential, shaping the sound he has today.
When Ryan was 19 years old, he hit a wall musically, so he found a local drum shop called MV drums. This shop pumped out the most badass drummers he had ever seen! Still owned and operated by Martin Vasquez, a marching band guru of sorts. (If you dig Vater sticks check out the MV marching line.)
“If you wanna get good at something, you gotta be obsessed.” Ryan said. “I lived at that shop”. Paying for lessons and the gear he needed for cover band gigs by selling gear, sweeping floors, getting coffee, or whatever Martin needed. Those formative years proved crucial later in his career when he moved to New York with his band “Highly Suspect”. Scoring a record deal, getting nominated and performing at the Grammys, opening for arena acts and touring the world.