Photo by James Bunoan”We are now an unsigned band with a couple of million records under our belts,” laughs Orgy guitarist/hairstylist extraordinaire Ryan Shuck, to which I say, “My God, how do you sit down?” But really: Orgy covered New Order's “Blue Monday” some years ago and wrote their own dark electronic-sounding stuff, and somewhere along the way, they sold assloads of albums and wore makeup and played on the Family Values Tour. Now they're home, and Mr. Shuck is cutting hair at Crew salon because he loves it, not because he needs the money. Because it's just not like that, you asshole.
OC Weekly: Are people surprised that you're a straight hairdresser? Ryan Shuck: You know what? Being a hairdresser before I was in the band was like being a bigger rock star than in Orgy. There were so many girls. If you're a straight hairdresser, you got it made. There was a lot of hair groupie action?
It was pretty rad. I called them clients.
So where do you like to go?
I like the Lab. It's where I formed my band; it's where I used to connect with all these people who are now massive forces in the music industry—Korn, No Doubt. Also, I like the Lodge—this modern bar/lounge type place across the street from the Lab at the Camp. And my buddy David [Silviera] from Korn opened an insane restaurant in Huntington Beach called Tuna Town. It's a steamroller of a restaurant—all the other businesses beware. It's a nice restaurant. For some reason, people outside Huntington don't know about it.
What else?
Detroit—that's a great place.
Have you seen good shows there?
You know what? No. Because I bought this house, and anyone who's bought a house knows that four months of your life are hard work just to get the fucking thing to happen.
You're a homeowner who enjoys nice restaurants. What kind of rock star are you?
I have this monstrous party side of me, but I still get things done. I have the worst reputation on the road ever. I work so hard, but I still party a few times a week. I can bring a whole group of people down in flames. And I do regularly.
Do you and your little Korn buddies hang out with strippers all the time?
No. Sometimes. No. In music, everybody knows I'd be a liar to say there are not a lot of girls around, but to say more would be to name the unnameable.
Huh?
Yeah, I know that was a rambling nothingness. There're a lot of girls around—it's almost accidental. It's not that people are necessarily hooking up with a lot of chicks or that they're all strippers, but where people in bands tend to be, girls congregate.
What music are you into?
I'm into a band called Ladytron. I like Fisherspooner. I like Miss Kitten and the Hacker. There's a band called Human Lab that I'm into—I just got their CD. There are a lot of friends bands that I think are great: Korn, (hed) pe, No Doubt. I like stuff that sounds like it's jumping out of your speakers and sitting on your lap.
