A Dirty Dozen with MINUTE AFTER MIDNIGHT – July 2026

According to a recent press release: ” MINUTE AFTER MIDNIGHT, the brainchild of Derrick Ryan that sprouted from the fertile musical grounds of Nashville in 2016, is back with a new track. Today, he shares “It Was Never A Phase.” Minute After Midnight continues to welcome listeners into his world. Ryan has mastered the art of moody melodics that feel at once wholly intimate and crafted in a bedroom all the while sounding huge and ready for the main stage. When he declares, “What if I disappear? / What if I run away? / Would you still be here / Or would you just walk away?,” his pain and passion is palpable in his vocal delivery. This anthem will have fans waving their arms back and forth while singing in unison. There’s a fearlessness to Minute After Midnight’s music, where peeling back the layers and exposing the nerve via music exists as the only therapy he needs.” We get Derrick to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

“It Was Never A Phase” isn’t as cryptic as some of our other material. It’s very to the point about the internal struggles I still deal with personally. I think so many people think that success will bring them the healing they’ve been looking for when in reality, I reached a major milestone while still bringing all my trauma, insecurities with me, and bad habits with me. Yes, the music was never a phase- the skinny jeans, and checkered vans, but also the sadness, grief, and reality of life that made me resonate with music in the first place still remain. As for nuggets and lore the music video is full of them and more will be revealed in time regarding the relationship to “the hatman.”

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

It started with skateboarding in Knoxville. I skated with a few people who were in a band, and they invited me to a local hardcore show in Knoxville, Tennessee. At this time, I was seeing bands like Whitechapel before they ever blew up. I went to my first big concert at a venue called “The Valarium”; it was As I Lay Dying. I remember distinctly looking up at and thinking to myself, “this is what I want to be”. I was 14, maybe 15. At the end of the concert, he told everyone to rush the stage and get up there with him. That was my frist pov looking out into a crowd. I vowed to never give up till I could be there myself.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

As a teen, once I found my passion for heavy, alt, emo, popunk, music what ever we call it. I was going to as many concerts as I could. From We The Kings to Bring Me The Horizon, I was obsessed with catching as many concerts as I could. My ears paid the price years later cause I was an idiot and didn’t wear ear protection. But I felt like I’ve taken notes from every performance. My neighbor was the tour manager for Fall Out Boy on a tour called the Black Clouds and Underdog Tour. There I got to go backstage and meet Fall Out Boy, Hawthorne Heights, and All-American Rejects. From First to Last was also playing; they still had Sonny I didn’t meet them, but I did walk by who is now my good friend Matt Good, and who I’ve done most of my songs with. I think it’s one of those full-circle moments that truly shaped the musician I am today.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I think MGK would be my go-to. It would be a tough battle between Avril, Oli, or the Biebs… Uhhh gotta love the Biebs. But MGK has a rebellious energy and aura that I would be so stoked to have him on a song.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Well right now I’m playing a lot of Palworld. Since the update, I’ve been grinding it nonstop. Outside of that, I enjoy traveling, gym, and just being cozy watching a good movie.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

The easiest way to put it is if you went to Warped Tour it’s a combination of all that. Some of our songs are pop-punk tracks, some of them are metalcore. I even have some acoustic stuff. Or I just say emo music. I’ve been called the emo Nickelback, and I’m not one of these people what hates on them, but I like to think of myself as a little more rough around the edges.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Well I’m always the one to break out the acoustic. As for my band, it’s different cause I’m consistently changing musicians till I find the right lineup to stay. MAM didn’t start like a normal band I navigated us here alone and hired musicians to play for gigs. It was the only way I could lead the vision directly where I wanted it without having to take in the creative opinion of others. This will be a good question for when I’m consistently touring in the future. As I plan on having the same consistent musicians around.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I’d have to say when I was When We Were Young Festival last year, Avril Lavigne walked by me for a brief moment. Starstruck isn’t the exact word for it, but it definitely caught me off guard and she is definitely the pop punk princess.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Well, music being an outlet is my favorite aspect. Having a direct way to cope with life and releasing built-up trauma and grief through music has saved me more times than I can count. There are a few things I’d do; 1. Day Trading, 2. Chiropractor (I love popping people’s backs; idk why it’s so satisfying), or 3. Personal Masseuse. Physical touch is definitely my love language, and I like to think I can give a pretty damn good back rub haha.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

“What do you hope people feel after listening to your music?” My answer would be that I hope people feel understood. If someone walks away feeling a little less alone or finds the strength to keep going because of one of our songs, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. What genre are you? I get why people ask, but I think the music is more about emotion that fitting it into a specific category.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I wrote a song called “All Over Again” about that. Looking back, I realize every up and down was necessary to reach the point I’m at. I don’t believe in accidents or coincidence anymore. Every moment in life is designed to teach you something about yourself. So without all the failures and mistakes, I wouldn’t have had the knowledge to navigate myself to this point.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would have loved to watch the process of Sempiternal by Bring Me The Horizon being made.

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Category: Interviews