Interview Ryann Sinn

1. AVA received three nominations for the 2006
VMAs–all of which went to other bands. Any thoughts
on that you would like to share?

I had a really good time at the awards show. My wife
and I had never been before, and aside from the
traveling there and back, it was a total blast. I
think everyone expects you to either pretend to not be
a sore loser, or to completely talk shit on the bands
that won in your competing category, but honestly, I’m
glad for A7X, i really like that band. Losing to
Gnarls Barkley made me want to go buy the album cause
I didn’t know much about them, and I’m glad I did. The
lyrics on that album are fantastic. I’ve still yet to
see the Missy Eliot video so I have no feelings either
way on that.

2. 30 Seconds to Mars got the gig for Fashion Rocks.
Anything you would like to say on AVA not getting it?
Is it true that AVA is planning to tour with them?

haha, the fashion rocks thing……ok, well I saw
some add for that while we were on tour with Taking
Back Sunday. no one in the band knew anything about
it. Rick (our manager) was on tour with us, so I
asked him what the hell that was all about. We never
had anything to do with that. they asked us and we
declined, still not sure why they kept advertising us
though. umm….thanks to everyone who voted for us?
As far as us touring with 30STM. i , personally, would
love to. They’ve been on my list of bands to tour with
sinse I saw them at Lollapallooza 2003

3. A few Australian dates for this month (September
2006) have been posted on your official site,
ryansinn.com Any idea on where AVA will play next?

Well after Australia in October, we’re kind of
finishing our first tour, playing somewhat smaller
venues in the states. We’ll be with The Souunds, which
I am really excited about, and Envy on the Coast.

4. What is that status of the AVA feature length film?
Can we expect more AVA singles and videos?

The movie is still in the progression of becoming a
movie. Our short film for The Gift should be up any
day now, and we’re working on our next video for a new
single. We have a lot more we’re working on at the
moment as well

5. Did AVA draw a different crowd than your previous
band, The Distillers? Do they fans seems different?
Did people recognize you from The Distillers?

i think for the most part it’s just different.
it’s a different energy at the shows, and a different
crowd. Distillers fans are great, and they continue to
support me. I love them for their true dedication and
appreciation of what I did while in that band. AVA
fans have an energy I’ve never seen before. It can
sometimes border on hysteria.

6. How is playing live with AVA different than playing
live with The Distillers? How is touring different
with AVA than The Distillers?

Live, its just different energy. The Distillers was
a raw live act, AVA is much more precise in our live
shows. Touring is always what you make of it. I drank
a lot more in the last 2 years of The Distillers… I
just bought a magnetic chess set for the bus, so
instead of getting hammered drunk after each show,
I’ll be trying to play chess or backgammon….

7. In a previous diary entry on your official site,
you mentioned that your side band, The Dead Life, may
go in a different direction and end up with a
different name. Your Myspace page for Dead Life used
to have a purple background and the music description
was listed as goth metal. Now, you have revamped the
page with a black background, a customized contact
table and you’re using your name, Ryan Sinn and a
photo of yourself as the default pic. The music is now
described as experimental/folk/progressive and The
Falcon–a song with strumming guitars has replaced
Coming Home, November, Tears of Immortals and Fallen
Kingdom–songs with organ music. Why the changes to
the music and profile?

The Dead Life started as something I wanted to
expand on, have other musicians involved, and create a
working touring band out of it. Sinse joining AVA, I
don’t really have the desire to work on another
touring band. The songs that I took down were more of
basic ideas, while the new ones are more of a complete
picture. If i were to release them I would probably
just re record them, I don’t think there would be much
changes. The songs are very personal to me, which is
why I decided to just use my name.

8. Any targeted release date for your side work?

We’ll see. Once I have enough material recorded,
possibly. I’m in the process of moving, so my entire
studio is packed away. Hopefully I’ll get it back up
and running soon, so I can work on more stuff while
I’m home.

9. What is going on with The Shithouse Rats–your
angry band with your friend Dave The creepy Creeps,
Tarantula Hawk and The Locust?

The Shithouse Rats is an ongoing project. With my
involvement with AVA, and Dave having three other
bands, time is something not always available to us.
We have one song that I haven’t been able to mix yet,
but once I have my studio back up, I’ll get to that.

10. This is a weak one, but you have had a few
different haircuts and colors in the last few months.
When it was still black and long, some said you
resembled Synyster Gates from Avenged Sevenfold or
Trent Reznor. Your thoughts?

Yeah, my wife liked to tease me that my hot, buff
twin is on tv, when the A7X video was on….Lately it
seems some people have put way to much thought into
what grows on my head. It’s weird that they put more
care into it than I do……I cut my hair short about
every 2 years or so.