ABOUT: Alex played bass with backing vocals and was the Musical Director on the Hozier tour from the very early tours in 2013 through to March 2016. Alex also played on and did the orchestral arrangements on Hozier’s Better Love and co-produced Saint Sister’s EP and subsequent singles. Previously, he played with Trinity Orchestra and has an accomplished choral background. He wrote the score to the film Darkness on the Edge of Town. Alex also creates music with his brother, Patrick Ryan, as Black Fox Leash.
Feature: Profile on Alex Ryan from August 2015
News Archive
(From 2016 and 2017)
Dec 19: is #1 on the Irish Classical Music charts. It’s available on itunes or direct from New Dublin Voices. Dec 1: Alex revised his composition of In The Bleak Midwinter for his old choral group, New Dublin Voices. It appears on their newest release for Christmas, Make We Merry. Nov 30: At long last, Alex has his Pete Skjold custom bass in hand and he’s thrilled.
Current Release: The Fire EP – Available on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes and all the usual online places.
Oct 31: Alex’s custom Pete Skjold bass is finally ready. Pete posted a few videos of him playing and describing this gorgeous bass. It’s been about two-and-a-half years since Alex first mentioned his custom order.
Sept 30: Saint Sister were a few weeks in studio with Alex. Sept 19: Alex was back in studio recording with Saint Sister.
Aug 31: Alex and Patrick are in studio working on new Black Fox Leash. Aug 16: Recording the wind through a harp for Saint Sister. Aug 10: In studio producing Saint Sister.
July 17: Black Fox Leash was featured on The New Vibrations show, Dublin South FM.
June 29: The Fire was played on Craic Radio in Philadelphia as their pick for new Irish music of the week. June 20: Singing the praises of Gallien & Krueger gear again. June 9: Alex is cooking up something for New Dublin Voices, the award-winning choral group he was with from 2012. June 7: Alex provided backing vocals (along with Karen Cowley and others) at Saint Sister’s gig at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
May 25: Alex produced the latest track from Saint Sister, Causing Trouble. May 24: MusicMaker interviewed Alex about his inspiration and aspirations. May 9: Alex was in Westland Studios recording bass with CC Brez (along with Rory Doyle on drums).
Apr 24: Alex was testing out the acoustics in his lobby with a little D’Angelo and a fine falsetto. Apr 14: Alex & Patrick Ryan returned to the Stoneface Films Podcast for the second time this week. Apr 13: Alternative version of Saint Sister’s Tin Man. Apr 12: Alex and Patrick Ryan were on the Stoneface Films Podcast. Apr 11: Alex Ryan celebrated his birthday. Apr 8: The Ryan brothers rocking out with the fab riff from Reins. Apr 7: Alex and Patrick Ryan released their first EP as Black Fox Leash.
Mar 30: Alex was back recording in Exchequer Studio. Mar 24: Someone was sharing their toys – 1963 Fender Precision bass. Mar 23: Alex was back in studio with this lovely Rhodes Mark 1 suitcase piano. Mar 16: Alex & Patrick Ryan released their first music video as Black Fox Leash for The Fire. Mar 13: Alex posted an encouraging photo of activity in his studio.Mar 12: At home with cats Buffy and Leo. Mar 10: Alex announced that the 4 song EP from Black Fox Leash will be released on Apr 7. Mar 7: Alex announced that the music video for The Fire would be released shortly.
Feb 21: Alex was in conversation at Trinity College Dublin Music Society and it was live streamed in two parts on Facebook, with parts also posted to Snapchat and Instagram live video. Black Fox Leash will be releasing the video for The Fire in the next few weeks. Feb 16: Alex will be the guest of TCD Music in a conversation at Trinity College Dublin on Feb 21. Feb 5: Alex announced that Black Fox Leash will be releasing a video for The Fire and will be releasing a 4-song EP at the end of March.
Jan 10: Alex speaks about writing the score for Darkness on the Edge of Town in advance of the film’s debut on Flix Premiere on January 14.
2016
Dec 23: Alex Ryan was home for Christmas, hanging with Buffy and doing a little baking. Dec 14: Alex released a recording of In the Bleak Midwinter, sung by New Dublin Voices to the choral setting that he composed a few years ago. Dec 10: The Fire by Black Fox Leash (Alex & Patrick Ryan) is now available on Spotify and the lyrics have been transcribed by a fan. Dec 8: While Alex waits for his custom bass to be finished by Pete Skjold, he is mentioned in an article in Bass Musician Magazine about the bass luthier. Dec 5: Brothers Alex & Patrick Ryan (Lagoon Pictures) released their debut single, The Fire, as Black Fox Leash on Soundcloud today. It’s a rockin’ tune with the brothers sharing lead vocals. An EP is planned for early 2017.
Nov 29/: Alex Ryan announced today that he and his brother Patrick Ryan (Lagoon Pictures) are releasing new music under the name Black Fox Leash (@BlackFoxLeash). Described as “Fox rock with a rolling kick” their debut single The Fire will be released on December 5, with an EP following in early 2017.
Sept 25: Alex Ryan made his haunting soundtrack for Darkness on the Edge of Town available on Bandcamp.