The Ruts D.C Q&A
B13 interrupts Dave Ruffy of the ruts (while he is rehearsing with Dexy’s, as he is playing with them on there up and coming tour) to ask a few questions. The Ruts D.C will be playing at the Hare & Hounds Saturday 6th October. Tickets are available from www.theticketsellers.co.uk
For more information visit: http://www.theruts.co.uk/
1.) Hi Dave its been too long! 30 years since Rhythm collision, why the massive gap?
Dave Ruffy: Well, it kind of happened spontaneously, In December 2008, Segs and I were commissioned to remix some Ruts DC dub stuff from 1982 for a german company Echo Beach, the session went very well and the Engineer (Steve Dub) suggested we used our remix money to make some new recordings, so we called up Neal Fraser (Mad Professor) and went and did a few days at Ariwa, recorded on to 24 track tape came out with a few tunes which we have worked on at various studios and eventually mixed them mostly with Mike Pelanconi (Prince Fatty) in Brighton and we found we had a new album which we’ve called Rhythm Collision vol. 2 (released about 30 years after the old one)
2.) were you not tempted into getting Ruts D.C together earlier; say after the success of the 2007 benefit gig?
Dave Ruffy: Well not at the time although that was a great show, we did it for Paul Fox really, of course Henry (Rollins) was great fronting the band, and was a big fan of the Ruts, before the show Segs and I were in contact with him a lot and it was very evident that if we were going to do the show at all it had to have Integrity and not just be old fellas shouting! we did the show and really enjoyed it, dear Paul passed away a couple of months later and we felt we had reclaimed our Integrity and left the whole Ruts thing on a well deserved high.
But after writing new material with Segs for RC vol 2, Rob from Alabama 3 (who guests on a track Smiling Culture on the new album) suggested we did a few gigs supporting them last December, we played a short set at a few gigs a combination of a few new tunes and a couple of classics, it all went very well,so we thought we’d do some more shows, this year we did a festival in Croatia recently and a show at the Rebellion festival in Blackpool a few weeks ago which went amazingly well.
We have a great band at present,we are a five piece now, Segs does most of the lead vocals and Bass of course and were very fortunate in finding our great new guitarist Leigh (Heggarty) , we have also recruited Seamus Beaghen on organ (who you may remember from the Duplicates?) and we have our Molara with us who we met years ago with Zion Train, She does a couple of tunes and she and I do most of the back up vocals .
3.) You always had a strong connection with reggae and were one of the few bands that could convincingly pull it off? Tell us, what records were you listening to back in the day
Well I was into bluebeat and ska and rock steady as a lad in the east end, all types of stuff really Prince Buster and the Tighten Up albums were at every party one of my first gigs was at a huge blues dance at Luton baths we played soul and rock-steady (reggae hadn’t been invented yet) I know that Segs (who’s a bit younger than) me Inherited a lot of records from his Sister and had loads of great 7′ records when I first met him
and what are you listening to now?
Dave Ruffy: well I listen to all sorts really but I must admit I don’t buy much new music I tend to go further and further back in time I’m listening to jump blues collection 1944-1960 which is a bunch of mainly U.S stuff that they played In Jamaica pre Ska time and I’m just re discovering the first two Rolling Stones albums from ’64 and ’65 (I had them first time round) they feature Brian Jones heavily who was a great musician at that time, I like Alborosie and some of that Dubstep is pretty good, I’m listening to a russian cellist called Mstislav RostropovichI, I watched a great program on BBC 4 recently he’s worth a listen too a remarkable musician and a remarkable man.
4.) Recently, I came across a photograph of Bob Marley carrying a copy of the Ruts L.p ”the crack” Tell us how did you feel when you saw this?
Dave Ruffy: Well it was pretty amazing, my wife treated me to a caribbean holiday earlier this year for a birthday treat and someone posted it the day I arrived, It was quite an omen for me as Segs and I were just deciding to do some shows or not and when I saw that I just thought ….Yes, my mate Dave Collis who does some of our artwork has made me a t-shirt with it on too! class
5.) Rhythm collision volume 2 sounds fresh and re-unites you with the Mad professor, when can we expect a full release?
Dave Ruffy: Thanks yeah it did we started with Mad Prof but finished it with Prince Fatty who did a marvellous job, he has a real analogue studio, we put the five track sampler out a while ago and the whole album is pretty much done now,and we will definitely have it out this year
6.) Finally, you are well travelled chaps; what do you like most about birmingham?
Dave Ruffy: things I like about Birmingham…. the Christmas market, the unpretentious people, the curries, Top Banana vintage store in Moseley and my lovely friends I have there.
7.) Dave, we look forward to seeing you on the 6th October.
I’m really looking forward to it too come on down!
