Ryland Steen (born August 31, 1980) is an American drummer who was drummer for ska punk band Reel Big Fish from 2005 to 2014 and is the current drummer for soft rock band America since 2014. He has also performed with Maroon 5, Kris Allen, and Phantom Planet.
Biography Steen was born in Lincoln Nebraska on August 31, 1980. His father is Dave Steen, a former member of the 1980s power pop band Hawks and brother to drummer Drew Steen.
Steen began playing piano at the age of 6 and drums at 13. He moved to Orange County, California at age 19 in 2000, with pop/fusion group Square, which also featured vocalist/keyboardist Sean Beste and future Maroon 5 guitarist, James Valentine. Square entered and won an Ernie Ball-sponsored band competition, where Steen met the ska punk band Reel Big Fish.
While in Orange County, Steen worked with various artists, including Audiovent, between 2003 and 2004, and their subsequent spin off band Agent Sparks. He also played with The Elected, The Summer Obsession, Start Trouble, Phantom Planet, Suburban Legends, Mt. Egypt, and TEA. He also briefly performed with Maroon 5 in 2004 as a touring substitute for Ryan Dusick.
In 2005, Steen joined Reel Big Fish, leaving Agent Sparks to do so. He played on three studio albums with Reel Big Fish. He started touring with the band America in 2014, going on hiatus from Reel Big Fish to do so. Steen has stayed with America to the present day with his position in Reel Big Fish being filled by Edward Beach of Suburban Legends.
Discography YearArtistTitleNotes2000SquareThis Magnificent Nonsense2001Suburban LegendsSuburban Legendsadditional musician2004Start Trouble Every Solution Has Its Problem2005Mt. EgyptPerspectivespercussion in two tracks2006Reel Big FishOur Live Album Is Better Than Your Live AlbumThe ElectedSun, Sun, SunJeff LarsonSwimming In The Make Believedrums on one track2007Reel Big FishMonkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free2008Look Daggers Suffer In Styledrums and keyboards2009Reel Big FishFame, Fortune And Fornicationdrums and backing vocalsHalf Past TwoIt's About TimeMusic Consultant Jeff Larson Heart Of The Valleydrums on one track2010Free Moral AgentsNorth Is RedvdrumsReel Big Fish A Best Of Us... For The Rest Of Usdrums, cymbal, shaker, congas, tambourine, guera, backing vocals2011Low C'monpercussion2012Kris Allen Thank You Camelliadrums on one trackReel Big Fish Candy Coated Furydrums, percussion, vocals2013Suburban Legends Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Aredrums on three tracks2016Reel Big FishHappy Skalidaysdrums, percussionGerry BeckleyCarouseldrums 2017Jeffrey FoskettYou Remind Me Of The Sundrums, percussion on two tracks2018Reel Big Fish Life Sucks... Let's Dance!additional percussion, additional engineering, additional Digital Editing2019Gerry BeckleyHorizontal FalldrumsAmericaLost & Founddrums on one tracksGerry BeckleyFive Mile Roadadditional engineeringJeffrey Foskett Love SongsdrumsAmericaLive At The London Palladiumdrums, percussion, backing vocals2021Half Past TwoHalf Past TwopercussionSjöbeckSjöbeckdrums, arranging and production2022Gerry BeckleyAuroradrums on two tracks
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