It’s 8:28am on Tuesday, December 16th.  My Spotify wrapped age is 75 because of all the Mississippi John Hurt and Otis Redding, the world is divided, angry and chasing it’s own tail and I’m still a 46 year-old independent Canadian musician hollering out into the ether to ‘check out my new single’ and ‘let’s fill the house.’

Rob Reiner.  Jesus, man.  And then, yeah… the President of the United States of America.  No empathy.  I thought of a few folks that have done me dirty over the years, and I couldn’t imagine hearing of their violent demise, then heading on over to my socials to essentially rejoice.  It’s fucking horrific man.  I don’t chat politics, and that’s not even what this is.  We’re not talking policy here.  Just basic human kindness.  But, not much surprises the desensitized these days, I guess.  Sometimes outrage is in order, though, no?

Now it’s pouring rain, and I’m unsure of what direction to take this one in.

Title says 2025 rewind.  Let’s unwind it.

I began the year with an ambitious bout of winter touring in Western Canada.  I was out there solo for a spell, then joined by my gal Shari for the final 3 weeks of it, which made me feel spoiled.  I travel on my own so often, so to have the finest of company was quite a treat.  We visited & played some of my favourite venues & house concerts delivering the farm-to-table tunes as always.

Upon coming home, we took in a bucket list concert at Vancouver’s Commodore by Jack White.  We were so damn close to the front.  I was so inspired.  Just a tour de force.  We’ll never ever forget it.

The next few months were spent writing, recording and gearing up for more summer & fall touring.  My songs are, and have always been such reflections of my everyday life, so it’s been hard to not delve into some major life changes that I’ve been through over the past few years.
I didn’t want to make a ‘divorce’ record, although they can be great…. (see Beck’s ‘Sea Change’).  I wanted to stay positive; empower myself and potentially move the listeners in the process.

August 1st we released “Memoir” ~ I figured it’d go straight to BandCamp only, but somehow new management was convinced that it deserved a better fate…

If anything you’re still hungry
and finding out that its better when its hard
understand that a misunderstanding 
won’t tell it all
won’t write your whole memoir

Hey speaking of the higher ups… I want to send out a brief, but hearty thank you to my gal from the states, making things happen these days… Stacey Taylor has stepped up for me huge during these past 2 years of transition from one management & label to where we are today… 
She insists that everything is for the ‘interim’ and that we’ll find a new, permanent home for the music one of these days…
She flew up to Vancouver Island this past summer… all the way from Fort Lauderdale Florida where she’s based, and we strategized a bit, kicked her arse on my favourite trail, and she took in one of my shows.  The effort & kindness she exhibits is unmatched.  Love you Stace!

Festival season flew by, and Shari & I caught more killer shows courtesy of Father John Misty & Blue Moon Marquee… Fall arrived & saw more touring, more recording, my 46th birthday featuring an accidental viral TikTok Tragically Hip cover that’s still gaining steam, & another release of a new single, “There She Is.”

There she is
the sun that rises up over my town
a promise I believe this time around
there she is all around me 
there she is my sanctuary

I’ve been working on new material with the great Steve Dawson, in Vancouver’s Warehouse Studio.  His PopUp sessions allow for a shoot-from the hip fast recording pace, which I love.  There’s an immediacy and an honest, organic feel to all the work we’ve done together so far… and what’s coming in 2026 will just build on that.

(l-r: Sheldon Zaharko, Steve Dawson, Darryl Havers, c’est moi, Jeremy Holmes, Liam MacDonald.  Not pictured: mixing/mastering wizardry of Jordan Pritchett & Andrew at Railtown Mastering, respectively)

Which I guess, brings me to this morning.  The rain has stopped again for now, and its high time for a hike or some kind of movement.  I’m happiest when I’m out in it…  even if the weather is the shits.  It gets grey out here in the Pacific Northwest, and when I’m not writing it’s important to open up the lungs and get some space in between the distractions, the thoughts of impending doom &/or expectations of life/family/career whathaveyou….

Sigh. I love you, hometown.

Ok … what else…. I announced some spring dates yesterday.  They’re solo dates…. Western Canada for now.  The “Under the Influence Tour” will be a little different in format, in that I’ll be performing & telling stories about some of my very favourite cover songs of all-time.  We’re all music fans first , and I’ve got a very long & eclectic list of artists I love, and it’ll be such a treat to perform a host of different covers every night, mixed in with my original material as well.  Everything from Father John Misty to CCR to Nirvana, I’ll try to make it different each & every night.  Clubs, wineries, halls & house concerts – you ask, I’ll be there.  Still love the job, my friends.  Always.

This one might be the longest blog in my website’s history, so I shall leave you for some time… I have a few songs to write this winter.  Please be kind to each other & have a safe & happy holiday season.

~R

Ryan McMahon