Ryan Rapsys the performer is somewhat of a menacing character. At an easy 6 foot 4, his tall, lanky frame behind his small, blue Gretsch drum set is somewhat bullyish. Watching the set rattle and reverberate as Rapsys brings it dangerously close to falling apart is as entertaining as it is pitiful. Poor, poor drum set. However, sit down and talk to Ryan and you'll find a quiet and modest individual. Ryan's obvious talent could make even the staunchest music enthusiast say, "Damn, that boy is good."

Euphone, originally Ryan's solo, instrumental project has now grown into a full-blown operation. Having spent time on the Hefty label in Chicago, Euphone has found its new home on Jade Tree. Euphone's new album, "The Calendar Of Unlucky Days" (see review), continues in the direction of Ryan's earlier compositions and releases.

However, with that record a new element has been introduced into Euphone's sound: bassist Nick Macri. With his help, Ryan has solidified the foundation of Euphone into a rhythm-heavy instrumentalist monster. Having already toured with Jets To Brazil and gearing up for a tour with Joan of Arc this summer, Euphone is going to catch your ears.

1.) Ideas pop up at the weirdest moments. Rarely are we able to recall the exact moment when a fresh idea popped into our heads. Are you able to recall the time when the idea for Euphone came about? What were the circumstances, what needs were you trying to fulfill? Sometimes the "solo" act can be a swamp of ego, self-importance and just plain bad taste. Has this fear ever crept into your head as you sit behind your drums putting together compositions? The idea of, "What the fuck am I doing, who the hell cares?"

Well, the idea for doing Euphone came about after a band in which I was playing had broken up. That band was called Gauge. After trying to get a few other bands together (and not succeeding), I thought I might fare a bit better on my own, and was I wrong! Faced with the harsh reality that I didn't really know how to write a song, I started from scratch, and it's really been an uphill learning process for me ever since. But I live to do it, you know.

"What the fuck am I doing, who the hell cares?".... Yeah this question comes to mind from time to time, but the answer is MEEEEE! MEEEEEPHONE! As you said, a solo act can be a "swamp of ego," but I think you should be confident in what you do. If you let ego get in the way of confidence, that's when you have a problem. Ego was never an issue before, but now there are two of us in Euphone. It may start to become an issue.

2.) You have a pretty long history, even at your young age, of being a part of the independent music scene in Chicago. Can I have a brief history of the bands that you've worked with or been in?

a) GAUGE: 1991-1995. This was the first band I was ever in. DISCOGRAPHY: "Soothe" CD/LP 1992, "Fire Tongue Burning Stomach" CD/LP 1994, and a vast array of 7" singles. The final Gauge record was a 10" EP recorded live to 2-track which is, incidentally, my favorite Gauge recording. All records are out of print.

b) SWEATER WEATHER: 1995-1996. Band I started with Kevin Frank (Gauge), Zac Conway and Paul Obrecht. Our intentions were to bring the more mellow sides of our musical tastes to the forefront.

c) HEROIC DOSES: 1997-???. Bill Dolan (5ive Style) asked me to play with him. We went through a revolving door of bass players before settling on Nick Macri (Euphone, C-Clamp). We released a full-length on SUB>POP, and the future lies unwritten.

d) JOAN OF ARC: 1996-???. Though not a full-time member, I have had the privilege of contributing to two of their full-length records. Tim [Kinsella] is a good buddy of mine, and I imagine we will be making music together for a long time to come.

3) One could argue that the solo artist has more freedom and less stress placed on them creatively because he or she works under less scrutiny of others. The band atmosphere at times can be so naturally competitive. Ideas are constantly reworked and reorganized, so that in the end the original song may be entirely different than what the writer originally hoped it would be. However, the solo artist suffers from a lack of critique, I think. When the song is finished in your room, there are no other ears to listen and say yes or no to any decisions you've made. What do you think? Which situation do you feel more comfortable in?

I feel more comfortable working with others. I look at working with others as collaboration, not competition. I do dig working alone as well because I can work at my own pace and take my time. Ultimately, I like to share my ideas with someone else and make it a kind of show-and-tell where those ideas can be combined with Nick's.

As far as solo artists suffering from a lack of critique, there are times when I want something I am working on to be dissected, reworked and re-approached (with the help of others). Then there are times when I have a grasp on something I hear and don't want to lose sight of the initial idea.

4) One of the most interesting aspects of Euphone is the focus on the drums. When you originally started it was simply you, your drum set and your keyboard on stage. Now with the addition of Nick Macri on full-time bass, the dynamics and direction of the band must have changed. What was the thought process behind bringing him on full-time, and how does he open up the possibilities of what Euphone can accomplish?

Nick and I had been playing in Heroic Doses for awhile, and I realized that we shared a lot of the same musical interests and sensibilities. I also wanted someone to hold down the low end in a live setting. Nick fit the bill.

Nick opens up a lot of possibilities simply by being a like-minded musician to bounce ideas off of. Live, obviously, it helps to have two more hands to make that much more noise. With the writing process, I have a tendency to move on to new ideas before my old ones are finished, and Nick reminds me to come back to complete those ideas. Also, he is a multi-instrumentalist, which can help out in all three aspects: live, the writing process and in the studio.

5) How does the songwriting process begin for you? Like I said, your songs seem to center on the drums. All other instrumentation exists to accent what is happening percussion- and rhythm-wise. Does the song start from the beat?

It would seem that the songs center around the drums because they are my strength. But, in fact, the melodies are often created first with the drums being the last thing to come to mind. Granted, there are songs where the drums are the initial focus, but more often than not it is melody first.

The songwriting process can begin in so many ways. I can bring an idea or Nick can bring an idea or it can be an amalgamation of sounds that the both of us heard which spark the initial idea for a tune. There is no one certain way which we rely on to write. It either happens or it don't.

6) Instrumental acts seem to have to walk a fine line between the emotional and the intellectual. When the listener hears the songs, the music almost NEEDS to have some sort of focus on the abilities and talents of the band to keep it exciting and engaging, to keep it from fading into background noise. However, instrumental music obviously when done well speaks to a definite emotional level. Is your music meant to be more intellectual or emotional?

We do not have any preconceived notions of how our music will be perceived by a listener. This is a tough question. I think Jerry Garcia once tried to answer this question with something along the lines of "...Once it leaves the speaker, it's not ours anymore..." I think this is a great statement. We simply make noise. Whether or not a listener finds it intellectual or emotional is completely out of our hands.

7) What is the ideal response to Euphone for you?

I would hope that people enjoy the music that Nick and I write together, but any response is fine as long as there IS a response.

8) What are your thoughts on instrumental music as a medium?

It's a medium that dates back to some chimp banging a couple of rocks together, you know? It is a great way to express ideas. We enjoy all kinds of music, though. Nina Simone's singing is as inspiring as Billy Cobham's drumming. In a way, it's all really about a voice. You can have a voice on an instrument. It is possible to be lyrical without so much as singing a lick. Who knows? There may be a voice or two on the next Euphone record...

9) How sick are you of people telling you, "Man, you're soooo good on the drums!"

It's always nice to be complimented for something I love to do.

Contact:
Euphone
PO Box 25441 Chicago, IL 60625
euphone@jadetree.com