Like many people in my generation, I was rock music-obsessed when I was growing up. My wall was covered in posters of Zeppelin, Rush, Van Halen, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, and others. 

And I constantly fantasized about becoming a rockstar.

Obviously, that was not my path. Yet, I still wonder, what would it actually be like to become a rockstar? And, regarding this episode, what would it be like to become a rock star in a mega-band and lose that status? Harder still, what would it be like to watch your rockstar bandmates enjoy international fame to levels seen by very few bands create platinum records, play halftime at the Super Bowl, and win a bunch of Grammys?

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Maroon 5 founding drummer, Ryan Dusick (https://www.ryandusick.com/), who shared what that was like. Ryan was there from the early days long before Maroon 5 was even a thing, back when they were known as Kara’s Flowers. He grew up with Adam Levine and other band mates. Together, they created what I consider one of the greatest albums of all time, Songs About Jane. Ryan was part of the band’s enormous success. and, as you will hear, anxiety, perfectionism, and other phenomena sidelined him, eventually taking him out of his coveted position as drummer. You will hear what it was like to deal with the loss, the FOMO, the social comparison, struggles with addiction, and a kind of heartache few can imagine. But it doesn’t end there. In this interview, you’ll hear how he found and continues to find meaning afterwards. Today, Ryan is an Associate Marriage and Family Counselor, and I am confident he is and will continue to become a superb therapist. He wrote a phenomenal memoir I loved so much that I listened to it twice called Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery.

So, listen in as Ryan and I get into life before, during, and after Maroon 5.

Book link: https://amzn.to/3XiaiOt This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).