The Long Road Sit Down with Ryan and Rory
After the breakout international debut at this year’s C2C: Country to Country festival, Ryan and Rory who are the duo of Ryan Follesé and Rory John Zak returned to the UK to perform at The Long Road festival where they performed on the main stage in addition to closing out the festival at the official afterparty. Both sets featured the performance of their brand new single “Beer Wants Me” which was released on the first day of the festival and gave us the opportunity for an update on more new music when we caught up with the guys in the English countryside during the event.
It's great to see you both and great to meet in person after we hung out on Zoom at the start of the year, but we’re back for a second time in just over 6 months, so C2C went really well then, I take it.
“It went so well that we were like, how can we get back in six months and here we are.” (Rory)
It must be quite nice here, as similar to that festival, you're not just doing one set here because you've got a set as well tonight, whereas back home, when you do a festival, you normally arrive, get off a tour bus, load in, do your meet and greet, play and then it’s like where are we going tomorrow?
“For us, it's like such a big trip over here that we're so stoked that we get to play more than one set.” (Ryan)
Are you're literally just in and out over here or have you got a little bit of time to chill out?
“We got here on Wednesday so we've been doing some media and whatnot but also locating every pub in site to celebrate our new single called “Beer Wants Me” coming out.” (Rory)
That came out on Friday but how long has that been kicking around?
“It's been kicking around for about a year but we really spent the last few months figuring out exactly how it fits in and we wanted to make a point to put it out to play it live for the first time here on our return trip because if there are returning people, we want to play something new and we’re going to play a bunch of new stuff today.” (Ryan)
It's great to see you both and great to meet in person after we hung out on Zoom at the start of the year, but we’re back for a second time in just over 6 months, so C2C went really well then, I take it.
“It went so well that we were like, how can we get back in six months and here we are.” (Rory)
It must be quite nice here, as similar to that festival, you're not just doing one set here because you've got a set as well tonight, whereas back home, when you do a festival, you normally arrive, get off a tour bus, load in, do your meet and greet, play and then it’s like where are we going tomorrow?
“For us, it's like such a big trip over here that we're so stoked that we get to play more than one set.” (Ryan)
Are you're literally just in and out over here or have you got a little bit of time to chill out?
“We got here on Wednesday so we've been doing some media and whatnot but also locating every pub in site to celebrate our new single called “Beer Wants Me” coming out.” (Rory)
That came out on Friday but how long has that been kicking around?
“It's been kicking around for about a year but we really spent the last few months figuring out exactly how it fits in and we wanted to make a point to put it out to play it live for the first time here on our return trip because if there are returning people, we want to play something new and we’re going to play a bunch of new stuff today.” (Ryan)
Back in March, you were basically saying that you were stage of being about to go in and cut and were just finalising picking the songs, so what's the update in terms of where we are with the record?
“Uh, we cut it.” (Ryan)
“It's ready to go.” (Rory)
So, it's now that kind of awkward phase for you guys as artists where you're just waiting for people to say this is when things happen and it is all down to strategy.
“We're kind of piecing that together as well as all the little things I think that people don't think about, like picking the font for the back of a record, the photo and what logo? It's a lot of little things that sort of add up to the big thing that's coming.” (Ryan)
“It's also for you guys online too, the more engagement we can get with saying, hey, where's the record? Or put the record out and then that's more fuel in the fire to get out quicker but it's coming.” (Rory)
In the meantime, with dripping the tracks out and teasing the record, you can make the songs themselves the focus and utilise the socials a lot more.
“It feels like as fast as you put something out, people are onto the next thing, so for us, we want the album to be something that people are waiting and ready for.” (Ryan)
Who have you been working with in terms of production for the record?
“Kevin Bard is our main guy and we've worked with Dann Huff, Chris DeStefano and some other guys in the past but Kevin's our guy.” (Rory)
Like we said, two sets today and the weather should be good at least for the first one, which is a big help.
“Not should, It's going to be!” (Rory)
Of course, it's going to be for the afternoon and tonight you're in a tent which will be buzzing for everyone's last night.
“Yeah, we played a round of golf and on the on the eighteenth hole, I was about ten feet and I said, if I make this putt, then the weather there's gonna be good and I made the putt thanks to the golf Gods.” (Ryan)
“Uh, we cut it.” (Ryan)
“It's ready to go.” (Rory)
So, it's now that kind of awkward phase for you guys as artists where you're just waiting for people to say this is when things happen and it is all down to strategy.
“We're kind of piecing that together as well as all the little things I think that people don't think about, like picking the font for the back of a record, the photo and what logo? It's a lot of little things that sort of add up to the big thing that's coming.” (Ryan)
“It's also for you guys online too, the more engagement we can get with saying, hey, where's the record? Or put the record out and then that's more fuel in the fire to get out quicker but it's coming.” (Rory)
In the meantime, with dripping the tracks out and teasing the record, you can make the songs themselves the focus and utilise the socials a lot more.
“It feels like as fast as you put something out, people are onto the next thing, so for us, we want the album to be something that people are waiting and ready for.” (Ryan)
Who have you been working with in terms of production for the record?
“Kevin Bard is our main guy and we've worked with Dann Huff, Chris DeStefano and some other guys in the past but Kevin's our guy.” (Rory)
Like we said, two sets today and the weather should be good at least for the first one, which is a big help.
“Not should, It's going to be!” (Rory)
Of course, it's going to be for the afternoon and tonight you're in a tent which will be buzzing for everyone's last night.
“Yeah, we played a round of golf and on the on the eighteenth hole, I was about ten feet and I said, if I make this putt, then the weather there's gonna be good and I made the putt thanks to the golf Gods.” (Ryan)
Apart from, obviously, the work with this single and building up towards future releases, what's the rest of the year looking like? Have you got any show or anything lined up?
“We’ve got a couple more shows but as far as touring, that's mostly going to be next year as this will be our big first push to radio next year, especially with our first full length record ever in the books. We're gonna be doing like a full radio push, which is gonna be a huge bulk of the first part of the year and then we'll go out on the road. We're going to see how this record does and see where we end up but hopefully we end up back here.” (Ryan)
You guys made a big step with that first trip and you had a band with you, which a lot of people don't do the very first time, but that obviously helps to let people see what you're all about. I guess the next thing over here is to be looking to tour, either touring yourself or finding somebody else to jump on with.
“Yeah, especially for over here. I think it's a huge mistake a lot of artists make is not understanding how big the music is over here and how the country is everywhere.” (Ryan)
Then hopefully some trips to Europe as well, maybe looking at Scandinavia, Germany and Holland.
“Oh, absolutely. Last time we met a lot of people from the Scandinavian region and a lot of people from Germany. That we did not know.” (Ryan)
Well, you brought the sunshine, so that's all on you and the golf Gods after making that putt but I appreciate the hang and it's been great to do it in person.
The new single “Beer Wants Me’” from Ryan and Rory is out now via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville and is available HERE. To keep up to date with all that the guys are up to, you can check out their WEBSITE and socials to follow along on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
The Long Road Festival will return to Stanford Hall in Leicestershire in 2027 between Thursday 26th and Sunday 29th August, with early bird tickets set to go on sale at 9:30am on Thursday 3rd September. You can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of next year’s event as well as looking back on this years by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
“We’ve got a couple more shows but as far as touring, that's mostly going to be next year as this will be our big first push to radio next year, especially with our first full length record ever in the books. We're gonna be doing like a full radio push, which is gonna be a huge bulk of the first part of the year and then we'll go out on the road. We're going to see how this record does and see where we end up but hopefully we end up back here.” (Ryan)
You guys made a big step with that first trip and you had a band with you, which a lot of people don't do the very first time, but that obviously helps to let people see what you're all about. I guess the next thing over here is to be looking to tour, either touring yourself or finding somebody else to jump on with.
“Yeah, especially for over here. I think it's a huge mistake a lot of artists make is not understanding how big the music is over here and how the country is everywhere.” (Ryan)
Then hopefully some trips to Europe as well, maybe looking at Scandinavia, Germany and Holland.
“Oh, absolutely. Last time we met a lot of people from the Scandinavian region and a lot of people from Germany. That we did not know.” (Ryan)
Well, you brought the sunshine, so that's all on you and the golf Gods after making that putt but I appreciate the hang and it's been great to do it in person.
The new single “Beer Wants Me’” from Ryan and Rory is out now via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville and is available HERE. To keep up to date with all that the guys are up to, you can check out their WEBSITE and socials to follow along on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
The Long Road Festival will return to Stanford Hall in Leicestershire in 2027 between Thursday 26th and Sunday 29th August, with early bird tickets set to go on sale at 9:30am on Thursday 3rd September. You can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of next year’s event as well as looking back on this years by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.