Ryan Maier

About

I write songs and play guitar. I believe that a good song should scare the Hell out of you a bit. My approach is interdisciplinary – shooting across a variety of genres to hopefully create something a least mildly disturbing. Folk, blues, soul, gothrock – it’s all in there. In my writing I try to marry words and music to plumb the darker corners of the mind and the bits we try to hide from ourselves - be it fear, shame, madness, or the occasional massacre-at-sea. 

In March of 2024, I started releasing some of my newest songs. 

In my solo project, 'Ryan Maier,' I've just release my first EP (Sturm und Drang): now available on Apple Music, Spotify, and the usual digital avenues. Just myself and an acoustic guitar - recorded in my home studio (The Fretwerx). While it started out as a demo, it took a life of its own and wound up being my inaugeral EP. 

Under the name 'The Black Lodge' - a musical collective of myself and some old friends - we released our 1st EP also in March 2024 - also available from the usual digital platforms. 

After a lengthy hiatus from the studio and stage, I'm happy to share some of my latest work. Further, I have already written and pre-produced the next 5 songs that will form the next respective EPs for BOTH my solo project and with The Black Lodge. Solo recording is set to begin in May 2024 (in the Fretwerx), and The Black Lodge is booked to record again (with JP Peters at Private Ear Recording) at the end of November. New releases will follow in early 2025.

Quotes and Reviews (from my days slingin' brass for Chris Goertzen and the Hazy Pilgrims):

 “Ripping slide guitars […] Ryan’s sliding sounds sometimes rough and raw, at other times controlled and subdued.” – Rootstime Magazine, Belgium

“Wailing slide guitars” – Bruce Leperre, Winnipeg Free Press

“Moaning slide guitars” – Winnipeg Sun