Ryan Pardey

Last updated

Ryan Pardey
Ryan Pardey live cropped to remove logo.jpg
Pardey performing in 2011
Background information
Born (1979-02-25) February 25, 1979 (age 44)
Las Vegas
Genres indie folk, indie rock
Occupation(s)musician, singer, song writer, promoter, tour manager, actor, DJ
Instrument(s)Guitar, Vocals
Years active1999–present

Ryan Pardey is a musician, singer, songwriter, promoter, tour manager, actor, left-handed guitar player, and DJ from Las Vegas. [1] He is best known as the singer and songwriter for Halloween Town, which has featured members of The Killers, Louis XIV, and The Shys. [1] [2] [3] Pardey is also well known for portraying Santa Claus on A Great Big Sled (2006) and Don't Shoot Me Santa (2007), two Christmas music videos released by The Killers. Pardey appeared as Santa again for The Killers in the two sequel Christmas singles, I Feel It in My Bones (2012) [4] and Dirt Sledding (2015). [5] He also appears in the videos and as illustrations in the artwork for both singles. [4] [5]

Contents

Early life

Ryan's father was professional poker player Rodney H. Pardey. His brother is Rodney E. Pardey, who is also a professional poker player and musician. [3] Pardey attended high school at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts in Las Vegas during the late '90s. In his senior year, he played the lead role of preacher C.C. Showers in a production of the controversial The Diviners , where he acted on stage beside Matthew Gray Gubler, Baron Vaughn, and Rutina Wesley. [3]

After graduation, Pardey soon became the owner and operator of Café Espresso Roma, a coffee shop and music venue located across from UNLV. While helping to jump start his career in event promotion, the café also served as the breeding ground for The Killers. [3]

The Killers

While touring with The Killers as their assistant, Pardey became known as "The Captain" by members of the band's fan club. [6] During the tour, he also appeared as Santa on stage with The Killers during their performance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and during their performance in Los Angeles for the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas. He continued as tour manager for The Killers until the release of Hot Fuss in June 2004, when he was replaced by long time tour manager Jeremy Bates. At this time, Pardey began writing the first Halloween Town album. [7] [8]

The song Questions with the Captain is a secret song that appears on the album Sawdust , by The Killers, and was written about Pardey's tenure as "The Captain". The song is also used as the theme song for a web series starring Pardey, in which he interviews members of The Killers.

Halloween Town

(2008–2009) 7" release

After returning home from touring with The Killers, Pardey experienced what he refers to as his "darkest most self-destructive period". He tells Las Vegas Weekly , "Without Mark Stoermer there'd be no Halloween Town...I knew I needed to stabilize my life. Mark helped me bring my ideas to life." [1] With the encouragement of Stoermer, who was Pardey's roommate at the time, Ryan began writing songs for Halloween Town, a name Pardey has said he used to serve as a metaphor for Las Vegas. [9] Stoermer would later play bass for Pardey's band at their first show. [1]

In 2008, while writing for the album, Pardey test performed the songs for live audiences, opening for such acts as The Whigs, Tokyo Police Club, and The Silent Comedy. [10] [11] In Feb 2009, San Diego based rock band The Shys joined Pardey as his backing band on stage in Las Vegas, and again later that month at Bed Rock Studios in Echo Park. [12] Ryan continued to utilize The Shys primarily as his live band, while he began recruiting members of Louis XIV as his studio band, along with The Killers bassist Mark Stoermer. [13]

In September 2009, Halloween Town opened for The Killers at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. [14] The band's live performance featured members of The Shys, Louis XIV, and Transfer. Immediately after the show, Pardey and company appeared at The Aruba Showroom to celebrate the Las Vegas music festival Neon Reverb, where Halloween Town performed for the release of their EP Summer (The Dreamer From 1997), which the band released on vinyl 7". [7] [15] Ryan toured the Midwest as a solo artist in December 2009. [7]

(2010–2012) Zafra Ct.

Halloween Town continued to play concerts through 2010, opening for the Killers at a secret Highline Ballroom show in New York City in January. [6] Between shows and traveling, Pardey took up a DJ residency at the Beauty Bar in the Fremont East music district where he also began hosting a karaoke night. [16] In March, Pardey relocated from Las Vegas to Austin, Texas, where he would play in the SXSW music festival, after which he continued to perform shows in and around Austin for two months before relocating again to San Diego, where he would begin recording the band's first LP. [17]

In June 2010, Pardey returned to Las Vegas to perform new songs from his forthcoming Halloween Town album at a benefit for Arbo De Vivo, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping impoverished people of the world. This specific event focused on support for Haiti after the devastating earthquake that ravaged the nation earlier in the year. [17]

In May 2011, Halloween Town began a residency at The Palms hotel in Las Vegas. When asked when the Halloween Town LP would be released, Pardey responded by saying, "I guess some time in July...Since I'm an old man already, I don't need to rush." [9]

On September 9, 2011, Halloween Town released their debut LP Zafra Ct. on Cornstalk Records, a label created by friend Matt Gubler. [18] The album was named after the street Pardey grew up on, and features collaborations and production by a star lineup of musicians, which include Shaun Cornell (Transfer), and Michael Stratton (12 Volt Sex), Mark Stoermer and Dave Keuning of The Killers, Jason Hill and Brian Karscig of Louis XIV, and Matt Dublin of The Red Romance and Ambulance LTD. [19]

Zafra Ct. was voted one of 10 best albums of 2011 in Las Vegas by CityLife magazine . [20] In a 2012 reader poll given by Vegas Seven magazine, Halloween Town was selected as "Best Unsigned Vegas Band That a Big Label Should Go Ahead and Sign Already". [21]

New work (2015–)

In October 2015, Pardey led the second reopening of the Las Vegas venue bar known as The Bunkhouse. The venue was sold to Tony Hsieh's Las Vegas based Downtown Project in June 2013, closed, renovated, and then reopened in August 2014, only to close less than a year after reopening. Pardey was brought on as Entertainment Director when the venue reopened for a second time in late 2015. [22]

In November 2015 Pardey appeared in the Matthew Gray Gubler-directed music video for the song Dirt Sledding by The Killers. Pardey sings on the song, which features actor Richard Dreyfuss, and he appears in the artwork for the cover of the single. [22] [23]

Related Research Articles

The music in Nevada is often associated with the Rat Pack and lounge singers like Wayne Newton playing in Las Vegas, Reno, and Carson City. However, Nevada has launched many other notable artists and bands from a variety of genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Killers</span> American rock band

The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning. After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in their early days, both Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. joined the band in 2002. The band's name is derived from a logo on the bass drum of a fictitious band portrayed in the music video for the New Order song "Crystal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Flowers</span> American musician

Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, singer, songwriter and philanthropist. He serves as the co-founder, lead vocalist, keyboardist, and occasional bassist of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers, which he formed with Dave Keuning in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Vannucci Jr.</span> American drummer (born 1976)

Ronald Vannucci Jr. is an American musician, best known for being the drummer for the rock band the Killers. He is also involved in a side project called Big Talk and became the drummer of the Rentals in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Gray Gubler</span> American actor, filmmaker and model

Matthew Gray Gubler is an American actor, filmmaker, fashion model, painter, illustrator, director, and author. He is best known for his role as criminal profiler Dr. Spencer Reid in the CBS television show Criminal Minds, for which he directed several episodes. Gubler has appeared in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 500 Days of Summer, Life After Beth, Suburban Gothic, and Newness. He was also the voice of Simon in Alvin and the Chipmunks and its three sequels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Hopkins (musician)</span> Musical artist

David Hopkins is an Irish singer-songwriter and producer, originally from Dublin, Ireland and currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Hopkins first gained notoriety as the original keyboardist for Irish alternative rock group LiR. Hopkins has produced music featuring Kacey Musgraves, Mark Stoermer, Damien Rice, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Shoot Me Santa</span> 2007 single by The Killers

"Don't Shoot Me Santa" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. The song was released November 27, 2007, as a digital download. A portion of the proceeds from this song went to AIDS charities as part of the Product Red campaign, headed by Bono and Bobby Shriver. It is The Killers' second Christmas download single following 2006's "A Great Big Sled".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!</span> 2009 single by The Killers featuring Wild Light and Mariachi El Bronx

"¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!" is a Christmas song by Las Vegas rock band The Killers featuring Wild Light and Mariachi El Bronx, released as a digital download on December 1, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Stoermer</span> American musician, songwriter

Mark August Stoermer is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist for the rock band the Killers, with whom he has recorded six studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Marth</span> Musical artist

Thomas Christian Marth Jr. was an American saxophone player, best known for his recordings and live performances with The Killers. He toured widely with the band in 2008–2009, and also played on the albums Sam's Town and Day & Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Friendly Corporation</span>

The Big Friendly Corporation is an indie rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed by Ryan Marth and is part of the indie music scene in Las Vegas. Since its formation, the band has acquired members Melissa Marth, Jeff Ford, Timothy Styles (bass), and newest member Brandon Johnson (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Atomic Bomb</span> 2012 single by The Killers

"Miss Atomic Bomb" is a song from American rock band The Killers. The track was sent to mainstream radio on October 23, 2012, as the second single taken from the band's fourth studio album, Battle Born. It topped the Rolling Stone Readers' Poll for the Best Song of 2012. It has been remixed by The Chainsmokers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Born World Tour</span> 2012–14 concert tour by The Killers

The Battle Born World Tour is the fourth major concert tour by American rock band The Killers, in support of their fourth studio album Battle Born, which was released in September 2012. The tour included the band's biggest show to date at Wembley Stadium. It also saw them visit new territories including Russia, Ukraine, China and South East Asia. The tour was the 43rd highest grossing worldwide during 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Feel It in My Bones</span> 2012 single by The Killers

"I Feel It in My Bones" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. The song was the band's 7th consecutive Christmas song and is a sequel to their 2007 song, "Don't Shoot Me Santa". As with their six previous releases, all proceeds from this song goes to AIDS charities as part of the Product Red campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel the Lump of Coal</span> 2014 single by The Killers featuring Jimmy Kimmel

"Joel the Lump of Coal" is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers featuring late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. It was released on December 1, 2014. The song marks the ninth consecutive year in which the band has released a Christmas song. As with their previous Christmas releases, all proceeds from this song go to AIDS charities as part of the Product Red campaign. The song's announcement and debut occurred on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where the music video and a montage about the recording process aired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirt Sledding</span> 2015 single by The Killers featuring Ryan Pardey and Richard Dreyfuss

"Dirt Sledding" is a song by American rock band The Killers, featuring actor Richard Dreyfuss and the return of Ryan Pardey as Santa. It was released on November 27, 2015. The song is the third and final chapter in a trilogy storyline involving a grudge-holding Santa Claus, following tracks "Don't Shoot Me Santa" (2007) and "I Feel It in My Bones" (2012). The song marks the tenth consecutive year in which the band has released a Christmas song. As with their previous Christmas releases, all proceeds from this song go to AIDS charities as part of the Product Red campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run for Cover (The Killers song)</span> 2017 single by the Killers

"Run for Cover" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their fifth studio album, Wonderful Wonderful (2017). Originally released as a promotional single on July 28, 2017, the song was sent to alternative radio in the United States on November 14, 2017, serving as the album's second single.

<i>Dark Arts</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Mark Stoermer

Dark Arts is the second studio album by The Killers bassist Mark Stoermer. It was released through his label, St. August Records on August 5, 2016. “Spare the Ones that Weep” was the first single released on July 22, 2016 followed shortly by “Are Your Stars Out?” on July 29, 2016, which was featured on Billboard’s website.

<i>Wonderful Wonderful</i> (The Killers album) 2017 studio album by the Killers

Wonderful Wonderful is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on September 22, 2017, by Island Records. It is their first studio album in five years, since Battle Born (2012), and their fifth consecutive studio album to top the UK Albums Chart. It is also their first album to top the Billboard 200, moving 118,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. Wonderful Wonderful is the Killers' most recent album to feature the band's core line-up, with lead guitarist Dave Keuning and bassist Mark Stoermer being absent on Imploding the Mirage (2020) and Pressure Machine (2021), respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wonderful Wonderful World Tour</span> 2017–18 concert tour by the Killers

The Wonderful Wonderful World Tour is the fifth major concert tour by the American rock band The Killers, in support of their fifth studio album Wonderful Wonderful, which was released on September 22, 2017. The tour include dates in thirty four countries of Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Talk of the Town". Las Vegas Weekly. July 10, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sounds like Vegas". Las Vegas CityLife. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Ryan Pardey: Waiting For His Defining Moment". 'BLVDS. August–September 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "The Killers Rock for Charity on 'I Feel It in My Bones' – Premiere". Rolling Stone. December 1, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "The Killers go "Dirt Sledding" with Richard Dreyfuss in their annual holiday tune". www.avclub.com. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Free music song of the day with Halloween Town". Fabric Magazine. January 7, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 "New Noize Makers//Halloween Town". Noize UK. December 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Halloween Town-Zafra Ct". Indie Inferno. October 20, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Beyond Downtown". Vegas Seven. May 19, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Tokyo Police Club with Halloween Town at Wasted Space". Las Vegas Sun. September 13, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  11. ↑ "This Train Is Bound for Glory". SanDiego.com. December 15, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Halloween Town and The Shys". Las Vegas CityLife. February 2, 2009. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Musical chairs musicians". Las Vegas Weekly. March 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Best in show". Las Vegas CityLife. December 24, 2009. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Neon Reverb is back, and it's bigger than ever". Las Vegas Sun. September 7, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Beauty Bar hopes interior makeover works". Las Vegas Sun. January 14, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  17. 1 2 "SOUNDS:Feels Like Home". Las Vegas Review Journal. June 11, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Mademoiselle Robot still loves you – Catching up with Matthew Gray Gubler". mademoisellerobot.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Local picks". Las Vegas CityLife. September 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Record city". Las Vegas CityLife. December 22, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Reader Poll". Vegas Seven. July 26, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  22. 1 2 "The ballad of Ryan Pardey: The musician, DJ and scene architect makes another musical leap". Las Vegas Weekly. November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  23. ↑ "The Killers – "Dirt Sledding" Video". Stereogum. November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.