ryan howatt is the teacher of heavy. ryan, like others, is also on the path of kyuss, mediated by the original deep heavy of black sabbath and the metered jamming of the allman brothers. for sheer diligence and undeniable groove, he is perhaps the most prolific member of astron. he can be found teaching kids the ways of rock in watsonville, or jamming at the studio.

ryan's hand can fly like rubber bands when he anchors a bass line, and he is also the runner up in the drumming skills department in the band. he gets his huge, round, distorted tone from vintage ibanez basses, sunn and ampeg electronics, and cabinets from earth, sunn, ampeg and others. a rat pedal, a tube driver, and a distinctive-sounding wah round out his collection of sound-producing implements.

ryan's trademarks tend towards the heavy power grooves. his touch is undeniable on solar princess.

with his wife lori, ryan abides in capitola-by-the-sea.