Episode 163 with Maroon 5 founding drummer Ryan Dusick

Dusick left the band in 2006

Ryan Dusick, the founding drummer of Maroon 5 and Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) alumnus, has recently authored a book entitled Harder to Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery.

Dusick founded the hit band Maroon 5 with singer Adam Levine, guitarist Jesse Carmichael, and bassist Michael Madden in the mid 90s. The band skyrocketed to stardom in the early aughts, going from jam sessions in Dusick’s parents’ garage to playing the biggest arenas in the world. The quick transition to fame took a toll on Dusick’s mental health, and the psychological pressures and physical toll of newfound success influenced his decision to leave the band in 2006.

Dusick joins me to talk about the book that was released last fall. We discuss his struggle with accepting the loss of his band, the importance of maintaining clear mental health, and how everyone — whether a Maroon 5 fan or not — can relate to the book.

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Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com