Melbourne audiences have been enjoying Ryan Coffey’s smouldering stage presence and dulcet tones
Melbourne audiences have been enjoying Ryan Coffey’s smouldering stage presence and dulcet tones clashing into his wrong, wrong lyrics for years. Now he’s back, with a looping pedal. Anything could happen. Between recording himself and playing it back, and back, and back, he spoke with Beat.
Is ‘Live and Stupider’ a theme or a statement?
“It’s a promise. I may be many things, but I am no liar.”
Have you got some new songs for us? What are they like?
“Do I?! Yes. I do. What are they like? Let me put it this way, faces will melt.”
Who are your musical and comedic influencers?
“The Black Keys, Joe Cocker, Queen, Jack White, John Fogerty… all hilarious.”
Looping pedal – New toy?
“It’s like an extension of my body. In parts of the show it is hard to tell where the loop starts and I end. It’s even more creepy than it sounds.”
Are you looping guitar sounds or vocal sounds or both?
“Both. I’m like The Man Who Had A Band For A Face. Did you read that book as a kid? Me neither.”
How has this new looping phenomena effected your songwriting?
“It’s all about repetition. This shit will get stuck in your head. See the show. See the show. See the show.”
What’s great/challenging about working with looping?
“It’s great having the backing of a whole band and not having to pay one. The challenge is finding new ways to use the pedal. I’m no one trick pony. I have two tricks. And I’m not a horse.”
Do you ever write serious songs? Are they at all similar to your comedic work?
“All my songs are serious. It just so happens that the truth is stupid. “
What are you looking forward to most this festival?
“Standing outside Town Hall, begging strangers to accept my flier, hoping that they have the courtesy to bin it, so that I don’t have to walk to my show stepping over pictures of my trampled face.”
Ryan Coffey performs Live And Stupider at Three Degrees from March 30 – April 21. It’s at 9.45pm Tuesday – Saturday. Tickets are $13 – $18 and available from 3dcomedy.com.au, 0417 651 538 or at the door.
