Just How Weird is Ryan Adams?

[Faded Rose]

I've been reading the reviews about the lastest "meltdowns" or "tantrums" or whatever you want to call them - about the last show in particular.

What's the view then?

Is he just seriously weird?

Acting out?

Attention seeking?

Plain scared?

Just couldn't give a fuck about his fans/audience?

Anyone have any comments.

My view - I think it's a combination of all of them. I don't think it's deliberate - I think "stuff just happens" and he's powerless once he gets into the spiral.

[ferris wheel junkie]

i met him. he's pretty weird.

i like him though. he opened a door for me and was sweet :)

[FrigidRoses]

He's strange as hell.

[burgerqueen]

awww, that is sweet.

I think more than anything he just has no patience. When things don't go the way he wants them to at a show, whether it's people yelling stupid things or his sound issues, whatever he just gets way too pissed instead of letting it go. It sounds kinda weird, but it's almost like he's taking the tour too seriously. Things happen when you're live and that's ok, but for him he can't seem to accept that. And I agree with you, once he gets to that mindset there's no turning back.

But yes he is also weird. I just don't think that has to do with his live issues.

[FrigidRoses]

awww, that is sweet.

I think more than anything he just has no patience. When things don't go the way he wants them to at a show, whether it's people yelling stupid things or his sound issues, whatever he just gets way too pissed instead of letting it go. It sounds kinda weird, but it's almost like he's taking the tour too seriously. Things happen when you're live and that's ok, but for him he can't seem to accept that. And I agree with you, once he gets to that mindset there's no turning back.

But yes he is also weird. I just don't think that has to do with his live issues.

I think he's just weird. I've met him a few times as well and he's either very friendly or a complete dick. He's been bitching about sound issues for 5 years now and hasn't gotten them fixed. Obsessive compulsive anyone?

[burgerqueen]

I think the sound issues are all in his head. It seems whenever he bitches about them, nobody else seems to notice a problem. It's like he wants to be perfect and he hears all of these things that supposedly sound bad but really aren't there.

[FrigidRoses]

I think the sound issues are all in his head. It seems whenever he bitches about them, nobody else seems to notice a problem. It's like he wants to be perfect and he hears all of these things that supposedly sound bad but really aren't there.

:lol I agree with you.

[JackStark211]

GOB

[Sydneyfan]

I've seen him twice. I would describe his behaviour during the first show as pretty crazy (talking to himself...fussing over a piano that he insisted was out of tune....) but also playful and basically upbeat.

The second show he was just plain hostile and angry.

[burgerqueen]

I would describe his behaviour during the first show as pretty crazy (talking to himself..

Does talking to oneself make them crazy? I have to admit I do it every now & then. :lol

[Sydneyfan]

Does talking to oneself make them crazy? I have to admit I do it every now & then. :lol

Agreed, we all talk to ourselves at times. But when you do it in front of 2000 people who are all watching you, I think that's a little out there... :P

[burgerqueen]

well, ok, yes that's true.

[raer7385]

seriously weird - YES

acting out - YES

attention seeking - YES

plain scared - YES

couldn't give a fuck about his fans/audience - YES

[thefed]

publicity stunt.

[Tim Simmons]

Odd duck.

[thefed]

too odd.

[Layne]

so all of you guys are saying his weird...but none of you guys are?!

point is...everyone is weird in a conventional sense, I really never met anyone normal besides mono-tone voiced type of people

[Sydneyfan]

so all of you guys are saying his weird...but none of you guys are?!



No. We're saying he is much weirder than most people.

[raer7385]

he's lost a lot of marbles.................i've only lost one.

[Starlite]

he's lost a lot of marbles.................i've only lost one.

:lol

I've lost more than one :\

[Layne]

ehhhh, I know he's weird...I guess?

I mean i've wanted to start an insane lame rap group too ahah

I mean I don't know the guy personally....so I can't even judge the dude...really
its just based off his mood in front of people...I mean, I doubt he's freaking out about playing in front of people..anymore, he's done it for so long,(since '94) so if you do the math..he's done it for 13 years

but I just need to stop before some criticizes me..which will happen

[raer7385]

but I just need to stop before some criticizes me..which will happen

why would anyone do that?

[Rob]

Weird enough to play a 65 minute set and call it a night.

[Layne]

why would anyone do that?

'cause sometimes I think this forum site takes shit to seriously sometimes..I mean everyone gets angry if you accidentally post some non oriented about ryan adams and put it in the RAC section

also..if you dislike Bruce Springsteen...god for bid, thats a sin, you know?

its jus the little stuff is aggitating me nowa days thats all...i have nothing against you guys, I think you guys are rather intresting, so don't take it to heart

[Sydneyfan]

'cause sometimes I think this forum site takes shit to seriously sometimes..I mean everyone gets angry if you accidentally post some non oriented about ryan adams and put it in the RAC section

also..if you dislike Bruce Springsteen...god for bid, thats a sin, you know?



When did anyone get angry that you posted something in the wrong section?
And when did anyone hassle you because you don't like Bruce Springsteen? Can you link me to the posts or give me an idea?

[Layne]

nahh, man its okay...it just bothered me thats all...its not important to get all investigative, its just how I felt...but nuff said..i'm done complaining.....I feel like a bitch!

[FrigidRoses]

Let's all hold hands.

[Rob]

nahh, man its okay...it just bothered me thats all...its not important to get all investigative, its just how I felt...but nuff said..i'm done complaining.....I feel like a bitch!
you snitch

[FrigidRoses]

http://sports.rightpundits.com/wp-content/photos/belichick_mangini.jpg

Speaking of snitches...

[JackStark211]

Let's all hold hands.


or... ROB

[raer7385]

or... ROB

:lol :lol :lol :lol

[FrigidRoses]

or... ROB

:lol :lol

[lukin]

I mean i've wanted to start an insane lame rap group too ahah

Hey, that's not that weird, a friend and I actually did that. We had two Casio keyboards and used the pre-recorded drum beats on them. My friend played bass and keyboards and I had my keyboard going through a huge chain of guitar pedals, but most of the time I was just rapping Coldplay and U2 lyrics over the top of these chessy beats, and ad-libbing a bit. We did two gigs ever. The first one was opening for my own band, so it was all incredibly stupid really.

[Ignohippo]

I think there are few contributing factors here:

(1) Prolonged drug use.

(2) He may have let his accolades go to his head a bit. To the point that he no longer sees that the important thing is the audience.

(3) The guy's a freakin' genius. I don't know of too many artistic geniuses who aren't more than a little batty.

(4) He may be suffering from manic depression. This seems to have all of the signs of someone who's dealing with manic episodes. This may be a result of the drug use or maybe the drug use was a way to mask the illness.

[Faded Rose]

(4) He may be suffering from manic depression. This seems to have all of the signs of someone who's dealing with manic episodes. This may be a result of the drug use or maybe the drug use was a way to mask the illness.

You could have a point although I think the ADHD gives us more pointers but not that dissimilar in manifestations.

Whatever I think he's a genius too and what's the saying "a fine line between genius and madness".

[rking]

Ryan really has to slow down this "FALL TOUR" schedule , I mean new dates are always being added on the fly, why not cement a tour prevous to that tour, like everyone else does. Schedule a two month tour with days off in between, so RY RY can get his rest and the band could get away from him for the day. Ryan is my favorite songwriter etc., but this tour since say the spring tour has been leaving bad tastes in his FANS mouths, not casual fans, his REAL fans, fans that buy up everything he does puts out, and sells, wheter its music or merch. This whole charade of being like the DEAD in 80/81 was a pipe dream for him. If he doenst play with Phil LEsh while he is at the NOKIA in NYC, I will be done with seeing him live or supporting him, i will burn his stuff and bootleg his merch.
PEACE

[Rob]

If he doenst play with Phil LEsh while he is at the NOKIA in NYC, I will be done with seeing him live or supporting him, i will burn his stuff and bootleg his merch.
PEACE

:lol

[ewok.online]

you see that, Ryan?
bootleg merch!

[burgerqueen]

If he doenst play with Phil LEsh while he is at the NOKIA in NYC, I will be done with seeing him live or supporting him, i will burn his stuff and bootleg his merch.
PEACE

I don't get it. Who cares if he plays with him? I mean they're friends it could be nice whatever. But if he doesn't why would that of all things drive you to stop supporting him?

As for him not caring about his fans, I don't believe that. I think it was earlier in this thread I said I think he takes touring far too seriously. To him all of these supposed sound problems will end up making for a shit show & he doesn't want to sound like that & it pisses him off. He wants to sound good and when he thinks he isn't then fuck it, he's done. Why play if you sound like shit? The problem is that there are no problems, it's all in his twisted little head. It seems to me that he's caring far too much about these shows & letting it get to him. I don't know, maybe I'm making excuses for him or maybe I just like him too much and I'm being overly hopeful. But I really don't think it's him just not giving a shit at all.

[Libertine4Life]

is there an option for perfectionist?

i vote for that

[burgerqueen]

yep, that's what I say too.

[Faded Rose]

It is perfectionism to the nth degree tho isn't it?

[kiernan's fault]

being a musician, i've experienced shitty sound quality and when something sucks, i think you have the right at the point to complain about it. it really has nothing to do with patience because you see it so often. he obviously isn't seeking any attention, especially since he wants to be the cardinals and not ryan adams and the cardinals. i don't know, thats just my two cents.

[IrishRed]

like he said in chicago, "There's not a lot of patience in this hospital."

[Faded Rose]

I just watched "Styled Up" on You Tube. Sorry Ryan - I love you to bits I really do but you are as weird as fuck.....an acute case of cabin fever but having said that, it's hilarious.

[ewok.online]

have some chocolate! ra ra ra ra!

[Blindtiger]

I just watched "Styled Up" on You Tube. Sorry Ryan - I love you to bits I really do but you are as weird as fuck.....an acute case of cabin fever but having said that, it's hilarious.

:cool: Gotta love him!

[pneurotic]

(4) You could have a point although I think the [B]ADHD gives us more pointers but not that dissimilar in manifestations I've often wondered whether Ryan had a diagnosis of this or any other Autistic Spectrum Syndrome as he displays many of the character traits I've seen in a family member who's afflicted with it. Equally many people with these issues are hugely talented and artistic in other ways.

Is there evidence recorded anywhere of a diagnosis of ADHD in Ryan's case?

[Faded Rose]

I've often wondered whether Ryan had a diagnosis of this or any other Autistic Spectrum Syndrome as he displays many of the character traits I've seen in a family member who's afflicted with it. Equally many people with these issues are hugely talented and artistic in other ways.

Is there evidence recorded anywhere of a diagnosis of ADHD in Ryan's case?

I'm pretty sure that somewhere along the line Ryan owned up to self medicating for it and the ways he acts is typical - ADHD sufferers like an audience, like to play the clown and respond "positively" to any sort of feedback.

[Duke of URL]

First and foremost (and the only thing that really matters), is that he's an artist. A true artist. He's most certainly wired differently than you or me: he sees, hears and feels things differently and that's what makes him create the marvelous (well, mostly marvelous) things that he does.

Having said that, I do agree that he appears (all I can do is state my observations because no one can diagnose someone from afar) to exhibit at least a few behaviors that are common among people on the very high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum. That's not unusual, because these folks ARE wired differently and often are the real artists among us.

He also seems to be afflicted with almost terminal ADHD.

And, given these two possibilities, it's no surprise that he's prone to the extreme self-medicating that even he admits to doing. No news there.

Why should this even be discussed? Some might think it's none of our bidness, and, really, it's not. However, I think it's important to consider other reasons for why he or any other artist or just plain person behaves in ways we perceive as "badly," ( instead of just "oh, he's just an asshole").

These are not excuses for his behavior - they're reasons. He obviously has to live with the consequences of his bad and self-destructive behavior - I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that he's probably done more to sabotage his own career than anyone or anything else has. But I think if his audience could understand the underlying issues, there'd be way fewer catcalls and really unconscionable baiting that goes on, that no artist should have to withstand.

[Benji]

I think he is as weird as someone who stopped taking bagfuls of cocaine and heroine and replaced it with cigarettes and diet coke

I imagine that would even give Tweetie Pie a mood swing or two for a couple of years

I met him and i didn't think he was that weird - although after reading this little lot I am worried that that might be a reflection on myself