Ryan Redwood will release ‘The Tale of the Mad Ones’ on 15th May 2026, returning with a high-octane indie single built on chaos, bad decisions and a sharp sense of character. Framed as a fast-moving tale of a man fuelled by drugs and alcohol on a night out, the track pushes Redwood further into rough-edged, shout-along territory.
There is a clear storytelling instinct at the centre of the release. The song follows its central figure as one poor choice rolls into the next, eventually ending with him “going down for lines”. That gives ‘The Tale of the Mad Ones’ a sense of momentum that feels fitting for a song rooted in nights that spiral before anyone has the chance to stop them.
An indie banger rooted in real life
The track began as a tongue-in-cheek idea between Redwood and his best mate Alex Slack, after the pair joked about writing a song together. Slack handed over a handful of throwaway lyrics, which Redwood then used as the basis for the full story. That starting point gives the single an easy sense of authenticity, with the release leaning into the idea that most people will recognise at least one “mad one” in its portrait of reckless excess.
Produced by Jack Murphy of Norwich indie-rock outfit Youth Killed It, ‘The Tale of the Mad Ones’ is also the first of Redwood’s songs to be made with Murphy. The release is framed as a bigger step forward, balancing big shout-it-back moments with rough, honest storytelling and an early Arctic Monkeys-style charge. It is a combination that suits a song like this, where the appeal lies as much in the energy as in the mess it captures.
Review
On paper, ‘The Tale of the Mad Ones’ sounds like a strong fit for Ryan Redwood’s instincts. The concept is immediate, the tone is lively, and the whole thing seems built to move quickly without overcomplicating itself. That matters with a track like this: it needs enough personality to feel like more than just another song about a messy night out, and the storytelling angle gives it that extra lift.
What works especially well is the sense that Redwood is leaning into character rather than polish. The early Arctic Monkeys comparison makes sense in the way the song appears to value pace, wit and recognisable behaviour over anything overly refined. If the finished version lands with the same energy suggested here, this could be one of his most immediately fun and memorable releases so far.
You can pre-save ‘The Tale of the Mad Ones’ here and follow Ryan Redwood on Instagram.
