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Issue #1 of PuNK Ass Crew...Joss Stone's Ryan Huddleston!!!

-RCL- Ryan...how old are you and how long have you been a professional crew
personality?

1. I am 22. I have been a touring tech for only a little longer than a year now. I spent a few years in a repair shop, String Masters in San Diego, as a senior technician of stringed instruments and electronics. I also have completed six college degrees from Miracosta College in the San Diego area; Recording Arts, Live Sound Reinforcement, Computerized Audio, Digital Audio, Performance Technician, and Music Technology. I like to believe that those attributes give me an advantage, although most guys with that kind of background are usually still embarrassing. I think the real experience comes from the fact that my father is a musician. He owned a small chain of music stores in Oregon, Pro Show Music and Sound, when I was young. My whole life has been spent encompassed in a world of music as a musician, tech, and fan.

-RCL- Do you ever get attitude from the big boys in the crew industry?

2. All the time, especially when I first started. I think I have sort of proven my capabilities now, which is cool because I am developing a reputation as being highly competent among those “non-believers.” I remember there being many so-called veteran pros brought in to “show me the ropes,” most of which I was amazed they were ever employed in the first place. I was very lucky to have been an apprentice learning from some of the best in the industry all through my career so far. Both my father and Paule at String Masters are amazing luthiers. A man named Kevin Carey, an unbelievable Audio engineer and Professional, was my mentor for many years. Plus when I started as a back line tech I went straight to the top, so there were no bad habits learned. So I guess I could say that I have received tons of shit from the vets, but I get considerably more positive energy than negative. I have been taken under the wings of some great people so far, and I feel extremely privileged to be able to work with many legends in the industry.

-RCL- I see you are a long hair and we at RCL love that you continue the good tradition of the locks. Who influenced you to grow your hair? Not your mother I'm sure.

3. That’s funny you mention that. My mother used to say that my hair could never be longer than hers, but she is understanding and supportive of everything I do and always helped me to accomplish my dreams. From age thirteen, when I really decided what I wanted to do with my life, she did nothing but support me. Except when she found that bong in high school, oops. I believe that long hair is a bold statement of who you are and how you feel on the inside as well. I am proud to show off my locks any time. I even made a bet with two good friends a few years ago; he who cuts his hair first owes each other guy a $1,000. Only two of us remain now. I was in a band for about five years and all four of us youngsters had long hair. There was no band like us anywhere; but then the singer lost his mind, the drummer cut his hair and quit playing the drums, and the bass player got in to some problems with the law. So I got a job, and got better at hitting “the bongos.”

-RCL- Tell us what part of working with little Diva Joss Stone you enjoy best?

4. We do all the kick ass shows! The Grammy's, The Brits, Live 8! I love my job! I meet so many great people, that I feel I can really relate to. Joss is so amazing! I get to hang with her regularly, she is so down to earth. It’s funny that no matter how many gigs I have done with her in the last year, I seem to get the chills every show, multiple times. I love to be witness to world class musicians every day too. As a musician, I love to watch and listen to the beautiful music simply pour from these incredible artists. Although I am primarily a String and Keys tech, my favorite role in back line is working with the drums. I crave, to play to an open venue and just Fuckin’ Rock! When not working on my Guitar Domination, I am usually working on my drumming skills.

Now that's a special guitar!!

-RCL- Guitar teching is your thing. What new school guitar gear have you discovered that makes your gig easier such as tuners...cables etc.

5. I am not too fond of most gear these days. I tend to build most cables myself to know their exact quality. I don’t even use a tuner to intonate a guitar. Sometimes I even surprise myself by tuning guitars perfectly to pitch without tuners, just to get better at relative pitch. But I do have many little tricks up my sleeve to help me find problems before they occur. I have bitchin’ tube testing equipment and great little trouble shooting gadgets to make life that much less “Murphied.” I am also very happy to be using the best gear in the industry right now. But my best tool is experience at the repair shop with shitty broken gear, which makes good gear that much more valuable to have. I am never afraid to dive right into a blown amp or broken headstock. I have a full tech workbox of “auto -magic tricknological” surprises to save almost any disaster.

-RCL- You are quite the brilliant kid. You work on guitars and amps as well as tech. Tell us some recent modifications you have made to an amp to make it rock harder without giving away any secrets. Which make of amp.

6. I have done FX loops, pre-amp boosts, EQ mods, Filter cap and bias services, reverb installs, speaker cab reinforcement, power tube change mods, and more on various amps. I probably spent the most time working on Fender equipment because they are a huge manufacturer with tons of gear and I was an authorized repair tech for a while, so I spent lots of time on the phone with them and reading their manuals to learn all the ins and outs. A buddy of mine scored an old JCM 800 combo a while ago, that was probably the coolest soup-up I have done yet on one amp all at once. We threw in some JBL speakers, replaced all the filter caps, redid the bias section, and moded the power tube/bias section for 6550s instead of EL34s. Then we put in all new Ruby tubes. The difference was night and day. It went from a typical vintage amp to a hot rod, balls out, crushing machine.

-RCL- Which guitar and amp together is your fav choice and why?

7. I don’t know how to answer that one… I play a Crate Blue Voodoo with a Jackson guitar, looking to potentially go to Mesa and ESP. I think ESP and Gibson are some of the most well made instruments you can find. The best could very well be a custom axe, which can be any way to be desired. I love to pick one up and just observe it. I can tell so much about an axe by its first impression alone. I remember my father built this guitar out of Koa wood from Hawaii, it sounds unbelievable. There are so many great amps, and other pieces of gear as well. I am still developing an arsenal, at nearly 20 stringed instrument and 10 amps so far. But I usually go for a sound that is raunchy and brutal, since I play in a heavy metal band. Then again I love so many styles of music I can’t even leave my guitars away from me when on the road, so I can practice as much as possible.

-RCL- Tell us at age 22 what all your talents are as a tech and overall music industry talents you have. Big boys may want to take notice of this punk ass.

8. I can learn. I can listen. I can work with others. I am willing to look at things with an open attitude, constantly seeking a more efficient way of doing everything. Plus I am “still” stoked to be here, in the middle of it all. I am not very easily discouraged either. I will troubleshoot anything until I find the problem. I do carry spares when I can, but because we were for so long on a low budget I had to fix things when they broke. So far I have never had any fatal problems on a gig, but before the band would arrive I would always be jumping through hoops. One time my main and spare bass amp were broken right off the rental truck on a one off with no tools, but that did not stop me. I took them both apart and salvaged the easier one, and left the other for the shop guy after finding the problem anyway. It’s too bad I am so nice, I should have billed my regular bench rate of $65/hour, but it only took 5 minutes, so…I’m over it.

Joss Stone...Live 8 London..Ryan working !!

-RCL- Do you feel privileged to have this awesome job as opposed to working in the Motors in ...lets say Detroit Rock City.

9. Hell yes! I think the worst job I had was working at Blockbuster video for like 3 weeks. I also worked as a private teacher for nearly ten years, but I loved it. I worked for an independent production company in high school. I actually spent 2 months living in Michigan, but I sure didn’t get a job there. Then my house burned down in San Diego, so I had to get my shit together fast. Hence Blockbuster, then the guitar shop. I am extremely privileged to be where I am. I don’t forget that. I never really had to deal with too bad of a job, thank god. I was however doing the sound guy thing at clubs before I could even go to strip clubs. Those were some of the most depressing times, having to deal with local idiots with big heads.

Ryan and drum tech Jonathan!!

-RCL- You are the first to open up the PA Crew and well disserved son. You can now plug any and all acts or sites you wish on RCL. God Speed to ya mate and a fine job on the ole RCL.

10. Thank You So Much!! It has been a pleasure and honor to kick start this new concept. I doubt I am the only PUNK ASS out there, but there is no question that I fit that title. Maybe check out some of my music at Impentris.com, under recent construction unfortunately. There are some other cool bands from SD that are my buddies; Jack the Original, Hurizon, Call Me Alice, Agent 22, Calima, Wither, Innocent Noise, Good intentions, Etched in Red, Flight Risk, and some others that I can’t remember. Where’s my “bongo?” Peace!

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