Whale: The Oral History of Canadian Drumming Prodigy Ryan Loerke

In 2003, in the quiet vacation city of Kelowna, British Columbia, eighteen-year-old Ryan Loerke jumped at a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—to drum professionally for major label-signed rock band Stutterfly. Over the next decade, Ryan would embark on a spirited journey with Stutterfly, Secret & Whisper, and other musical ventures that seemed destined for stardom. He would play big stages in the States and Japan, shoot music videos, get supplied with industry-leading drum endorsements, and experience the highs and lows of fighting to stay alive in the America-dominated alternative music industry. Written in the form of interviews between Ryan and longtime friend Matthew Ratzlaff, "WHALE" reveals an intimate portrait of a professional drummer from Canada’s millennial generation. By turns inspiring, hilarious, insightful, and tragic, offered is a deep dive into the dedicated and creative mind of a modern musical role model and the vibrant musical culture that shaped him.