One of the most influential people in Ryan’s musical journey was his mother. She was a piano player since a young age and would play classical music in front of the young Ryan. This provided the hook Ryan needed to begin his journey into music. At around 12 years old Ryan started to learn the keys under his mother’s initial guidance. He soon found that he could make independent progress and is mainly self-taught as a keyboard player.
Ryan first picked up the Bass at 15 years old, soon after joining his first band. This was a typical garage band playing music from bands such as Coldplay, Muse and Foo Fighters. He picked up the bass guitar solely because the bassist in his band, he was playing the keys for at the time, departed from the band. Since then, he become a predominantly self-taught bassist playing with other cover bands across the Essex scene. Ryan always had an ear for the bass guitar. From a young age, he would listen to a lot of the music his mum would play, including the likes of Sister Sledge, Tom Browne and Chic when she was not playing a few classical tunes. These influences would later come into play when he picked up the bass and played similar music with like-minded musicians.
Ryan studied Music performance at Havering College from 16 for 2 years. The college provided great support in the development of his musical knowledge
However, Ryan’s taste is very eclectic. Ryan joined a metal band aged 18, here he would play tracks from the likes of Slipknot, Afterlife and Metallica, allowing him to broaden his taste in music and his ability to play more than one genre. Ryan played in many cover bands over the years and one of his fondest memories, during that time, was gigging in Nashville.
He met the other members of The White Gates Band through playing on the Essex cover band scene. Oscar was in the metal band, and Tyla was in a rock covers band.
Ryan is a songwriter, who writes on the piano and on the bass. He has written some of the bands, favourite songs and ballads. Ryan’s main influence on the piano is Ludovico Einaudi, and on bass Nate Mendel, Bernie Edward’s and Flea (from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers)
Ryan Heather
