“Oops,” was all Ryan Masters could say after injuring his shoulder last Saturday during the Santa Cruz Bodysurfing Contest. “I wouldn't have considered going on this wave in any other situation, but I still went because I'm an idiot.”
There are many ways to describe the Smoke Chaser singer-songwriter, but “idiot” has never been one that has crossed my mind. He’s a loving father, a caring friend, a firefighter and a talented Renaissance Man who puts a lot of soul and heart into everything he does. It’s only natural that his passion may sometimes quiet his rational inner voice.
“On my way to the ER, I learned I advanced from the heat, which means I didn't even need the wave from a scoring perspective,” Masters explained. “But that's life. Humiliation and pain punctuated by startling moments of joy. What are you going to do?”
Masters says the “third-degree AC joint separation” is already improving, so the rising indie rock outfit Smoke Chaser (pictured below in 2022) will not have to worry about performing without their frontman for one of their most important shows thus far.
On Friday, Sept. 22, Smoke Chaser is set to play the Benefit Concert for Zayante Fire at Felton Music Hall. Funds raised will assist Zayante Fire repair and expand its siren-based Early Warning System. This is very important for Santa Cruz County, especially when working and living in harder-to-access spots in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The overall goal: “make Lompico Canyon and the greater Zayante Fire Protection District safer.”
Headliner Coyote Island continues to grow a sizeable global fanbase following their full-length debut Holy Illusion, released last June, with guest collabs from notables including Matisyahu, Blvk H3ro and Mihali & Ghanaian. The brainchild of Mike O’Hehir (his first single, “Here Before,” racked up over 2 million streams), the Maine-based group delivers an infectious genre mashup inspired by music from all over the world.
Meanwhile, Smoke Chaser has a lot in the pipeline. And an injured wing doesn’t seem to be slowing Masters down.
The band recently released their official video for “Bears It Well,” the first single off their full-length debut, Alazapul, produced by Jon Spivak.
Visit Heroic Dose Records to preorder Alazapul on vinyl before it goes to press on Sept. 30.
Check out Smoke Chaser’s live performance of “The Devil's Dance Card” at the West End Celebration.
Smoke Chaser is applying for the 2024 festival circuit and has already begun working on a second album to be released in the first half of 2024. Additionally, in November, the band plans to collaborate with the Paper Wing Theatre in Monterey and Big Surcus to shoot a video for “Possum Belly Queen.”
Tickets for the Benefit Concert for Zayante Fire are available HERE.
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