Are You There, Music Labels? It’s Ryan Adams, Begging For His Career Back

There was a time when Ryan Adams was merely a name that had people asking, “Wait, which guitar-playing Adams is that again?“. Currently, he’s one-half of the question, “Wait, which problematic guitar-playing Adams is that again?“. The answer of course is, he’s the one who was accused of messaging a 14-year-old girl on Twitter. Quite a few music industry types stopped answering Ryan’s calls after he was outed as a person who allegedly needs to brush up on the ins and outs of the age of consent. But Ryan would like them to start picking up his calls again! Please? Ryan has spoken out on Instagram about his industry time-out, and he asks – won’t anyone give poor Ryan a job?

The downfall of 46-year-old Ryan Adams began a little bit before he was caught allegedly messaging an underage fan. Shortly after he and Mandy Moore called it quits on their six-year marriage, he went nuclear on Twitter by trashing his former wife. About four months after that, The New York Times published an exposé, in which several female musicians, like Mandy and Phoebe Bridgers, accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse. After the exposé was published, and the FBI decided to investigate the underage chat allegations, Universal Music Group pulled Ryan’s forthcoming album, Wednesdays. A predictable move, since nobody wants an album promo tour that is 50% music, 50% uncomfortable public apologies.

The album was eventually released nearly two years later by Ryan Adams himself, on his own label, PAX AM. Last month, Ryan released his latest album, Big Colors, also on his own label. It looks like a formula that works, but no. According to Ryan, it’s not, and he doesn’t want to do the whole self-releasing thing anymore. Ryan hopped on Instagram several times and pleaded for a record label to rescue him from disgraced musician purgatory. Ryan claims he’s broke, and could really use some money from a big record label. He has since deleted his many social media cries for help, but Variety got the details of Ryan’s requests.

The desperate tone in Adams’ Instagram posts has been evident for weeks, but came to a head in messages he posted early Tuesday, in which he said he expected to be homeless soon and implored labels to “help other people believe you can get up out of the gutter” by helping him release music.

“I know I’m damaged goods,” he wrote. “I know I am and they aren’t the ideal thing, but I had a label interested for months and they wasted my time. I’m months from losing my label, studio and my home. I just really want a second chance to make some music – maybe help other people believe you can get up out of the gutter and be something. I’m 46 and scared I’m gonna be living in my sisters basement. If you are a label and interested please let me know. Sent with love and humility. I already got dropped by Capitol twice. Maybe someone still cares.” Another post read, “Please if someone takes a chance on me and this music I’ll bust my ass to support it. Sorry to sound desperate.”

Ryan also claimed to have several completed albums that could be released immediately. One such album, Blackhole, was reportedly written and recorded right before he and Mandy Moore decided to get divorced. He has also been soliciting book publishers who might be interested in buying his notebooks and turning them into a coffee table book. Additionally, one of the reasons he might be broke is because – according to Ryan Adams himself – he doesn’t own his masters or recordings.

Variety’s reporting on Ryan’s quest for a new record label wasn’t received well by Ryan himself. He posted the following note on Instagram, accusing Variety of exploiting his “struggle with mental health” and attempt at getting his career back. But, he also confirmed what they said, which is that he’s scared, broke, and really sorry. Oh, and he doesn’t have a publicist who can help him spin this situation in a better way, because his publicist quit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CR2Wc49MMYQ/

You MIGHT feel sorry for Ryan if you didn’t know that multiple women have accused him of leveraging music industry success against them in exchange for sex, or allegedly telling his own then-wife Mandy Moore that she was a shit singer and allegedly blocked her from making industry contacts. And if Ryan is as committed to growth and redemption as he claims, there’s a very easy way to start making amends. He just has to simply admit that he was wrong, and Mandy Moore is an excellent singer. Anyone who has ever dramatically lip-synced to “I Wanna Be with You” when it comes on in Target knows this.

Pic: Wenn.com