NC: What is the best thing about being curly?
DR: It’s a form of self-expression and it’s another way to let people know about my music and passion! And my heroes (Roger Daltrey, Eddie Vedder, Slash, to name a few”> all have long curly hair. When I’m up on stage I feel empowered in a way, like I’m paying homage to them.
NC: How do you think having curly hair impacts your life?
DR: I don’t want to say that it makes me unique because with or without my hair, I believe that I’m a unique individual. But it does make me very recognizable and it adds to the branding of my band and my look. A lot of people remember me because of my hair on stage and they’ll recognize me in a restaurant or even walking down the street. Fans will tell me that they noticed me crossing the road because they recognized my hair. It’s really cool! In our upcoming album, I write about my long hair in some of the songs.
NC: What would you tell others to encourage them to embrace their curls?
DR: If it’s who you are, embrace it 100% and never worry about other people’s negative opinions. Deep down, people are yearning for a way to express themselves and find happiness, and that takes truth and honesty. By letting your hair grow out and be curly, you’re making a statement and expressing yourself in the most natural way.
NC: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects.
DR: We’re finishing up our third album—it will be released in the middle of August. We also start shooting our music video soon…for the same song that talks about my hair! Then we’re going on tour through the Midwest and the South from August 15th-25th. Lots of awesome stuff coming up.
Want to check out Doug’s band? You can find Doug Ratner & The Watchmen on their website, Facebook, or Twitter.
