In this video from the channel Conversations with Strangers, host Micah Loughman interviews Ryan Daniels, the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist behind the Brooklyn-based indie rock project Inland Years.

Ryan’s Musical Background

• Early Years: Originally from Boston, Ryan has been writing and performing music since he was a kid. Before his current indie rock focus, he was heavily involved in the emo, screamo, and hardcore scenes throughout high school and his early twenties.

• Inland Years: This project began around the pandemic as a "sanity project." Ryan writes the songs and performs all the instruments (drums, bass, guitar, and vocals) on the recordings.

• Past Bands: He was previously in a "skramz" (underground/DIY screamo) band called Hassan I Sabbah. He also mentioned playing a small show with Saves the Day in the mid-90s before they became famous.

Musical Influences and Comparisons

• The Sound: Listeners and reviewers have compared his music to Dinosaur Jr. and Lou Barlow.

• Inspirations: Ryan cites a wide range of influences, from Jangle Pop (Orange Juice, The Pastels) to the 60s folk-rock of The Byrds (specifically Gene Clark).

• Current Favorites: He mentioned being a fan of modern artists like MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, and Water From Your Eyes.

The Modern Music Scene

• The "Skramz" Revival: Ryan discusses the surprising resurgence of the underground screamo scene, noting that younger fans are reaching out to him about his old music and releasing new work on physical formats like cassette tapes.

• Streaming Issues: He shares a story about his music being temporarily removed from Spotify due to "botting" (artificial stream inflation) from an AI-generated playlist he didn't authorize, leading him to value physical media and platforms like Bandcamp even more.

Personal Interests and Future Plans

• Live Shows: Ryan performs live with a rotating group of friends from other bands. At the time of recording, he had upcoming shows in Brooklyn and Jersey City.

• Hobbies: Outside of music, Ryan admits to being a Marvel nerd and recently enjoyed the series Wonderman on Disney+

You can also watch the full video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldMPeiGlWoU