Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with The Ruffolos! Together we discussed their relationship with cats, their name, their influences, their album “Immersing In The Aftertaste of Special Yesterday”, and so much more! Check it out below!
1. Hello! Mustard would like to thank you all for being here. How is everyone?
Hi Mustard ! Thank you for having us. We are doing well and are glad to be here today.
2. Mustard has observed that dogs are human’s best friend. Could you share more about the inspiration behind your band name? Does The Ruffolo’s have a favorite dog breed?
Dogs are indeed human’s best friend. Our dogs even write our songs for us but shh don’t tell anyone! The band name actually comes from a skit from the show Key and Peele where they say they would like a dog named Ruffolo. For whatever reason, we found it funny and soon found an urban dictionary definition that it meant “Cock” which made us laugh, So we tried out Ruffolos at a show because its a funny cock joke lol but what we tell our grandmas is its named after our first logo which resembled a cholo dog – “Ruff-olos”. Also fun fact, we probably should have spelled it Ruffalo with an A, but our mistake has taken a life of its own.
Ruffolos love all dogs but it just may have to be Huskies because of Rob the singer/guitarist, although T-Dogg the drummer would argue its Border Collies and Nic the bassist would argue its Pitbulls. But Mutts are sweet too and deserve all the love.
3. You’re a multi-genre band. Mustard is curious about your creative process. How do you as a band blend and compose differing sounds to create an authentic Ruffolo experience?
Honestly we have a mutual understanding that we just play what we feel sounds good and is fun in the moment. Right now were on a Ska Trip but tomorrow we may be tracking Punk, Reggae, Jazz, Experimental, or whatever our dogs and cats write for us.
4. Who (or what) influences The Ruffolo’s?
Good music and fun times influence us! Musically, we would have to say we have strong influences from Sublime, Fishbone, Streetlight Manifesto, No Doubt, Long Beach Dub All Stars, Fortunate Youth, Mars Volta, 311, The Toasters, Bob Marley, etc. We have also been receiving support from G Scott & Scott Klopfenstein of Littlest Man Band/Reel Big Fish & Mike B of Bite Me Bambi/My Superhero who are influencing our next steps as a band to reach that next level. Shout out to those beautiful souls for taking time to hear our goals and help us make plans to reach them!
5. Touring and making tips at live shows have helped crowd-fund your EPs. How important is fan engagement? What makes a Ruffolo show unique? Do you have any fun tour stories or a moment that sticks out on tour?
The Ruffolos have always been a band for the people by the people. It began as a residency bar band in Whittier, CA where we played for 7 months every Wednesday. And now has led to an 8 piece band with an international following and true grassroots engagement. Grassroots is extremely important to us and we pride ourselves in creating an authentic fanbase rather than many other bands paying for followers and paying for streams. While we don’t have the biggest following, we sure do create a family atmosphere for all of our Ruffolo Soldiers which is what makes it unique. Whether we play at local venues, festivals or big stages, we foster a safe space for our friends and family and fans to network, have fun and let loose!
From backyards, front yards, alleys, bars, festivals, amphitheatres, beaches, etc. We have so many fun memories and experiences. I think our best memory at this moment was a recent show called Ruff Vasion at Pike Bar in Long Beach where we packed the place and everyone sang along and really got into it. It was a big step in our career really getting that fan engagement even with unreleased songs!
6. Mustard has observed that dogs do not always get along with cats. Or vice versa. Do you know why this is? Would The Ruffolos be interested in ever touring with Catbite?
Our band is actually split between dog lovers and cat lovers and we all love the show CatDog. So yes, Catbite and Ruffolos on an official CatDog World Tour. Lets do it !
7. Your debut album “Immersing In The Aftertaste of Special Yesterday ” was released in April of last year. It was a top three reggae album on iTunes/Apple Music. How did it feel to see it top those charts? Could you share more about what went into this album?
Honestly, it was a really amazing feeling seeing the two albums in front of us being Bob Marley Records. How that all happened. We have no clue, but we are forever grateful for our fans. This album was all recorded, mixed and mastered in a bedroom in Pico Rivera, CA. We had some bad experiences with recording services and finally decided to invest in ourselves which led to the creation of Marrano Beach Records. So this project was completely DIY from start to finish. We actually never played with the horn section “The Brass Boys” before and until after the recordings which gave a unique dynamic to the songs, but now we are now a collective unit ready to take over the world with our Ruff Wave of Ska.
Ska.
8. Additionally, Mustard wonders about Special Yesterday. Is this a recipe or food product enjoyed by humans? Is an aftertaste typical or is it an outlier?
Special Yesterday is a unique blend of Reggae, Rock, Ska & Punk for the soul. So yes it is soul food enjoyed by all creatures big and small, but is now better that it has been introduced to Mustard. Tasty…. with an Aftertaste of Special Yesterday no matter what time or day enjoyed.
9. Do you have any upcoming shows or work you’d like to share?
We are actually playing House of Blues Anaheim opening for Scott Klopfenstein on Friday July 15! Please follow us on Bands in Town for more upcoming shows and join us on our grassroots journey towards making Ruffolos a household name!
10. Where can readers listen to your music?
Readers can find our music on all streaming platforms but we will provide a one stop shop link below to find music videos, our twitch account, social media, music, etc.
And we thank you all for your time and support. We hope to help bring good vibes and fun memories to all. ALSO NEW SINGLE RELEASE MAY HAVE DROPPED – CHECK OUT OUR NEWEST SONG CALLED LIONS DEN!!!!
https://drum.io/ruffolosoldiers
Link to all things Ruffolos
Music Shelf With Mustard 