Electronic Press Kit
Biography
The name Ruff Wizard comes from a misunderstanding Chris Escarfullery had when joining his first band Dallas, TX band, Catamaran, thinking that the band’s name was based off of its love for cats (instead of a type of boat). Years later, fueled with an obsession for yacht rock and his desire to find a use for an old Yamaha DX7, he doubled down on that earlier mistake and started a dog-named band. Through the power of friendship and Craigslist, the #ruffbois were found with Stephen Goodson on drums, Levi Weiss on guitar, Pat Witte on bass, and Chris himself on the mic and synths.
In 2019, Ruff Wizard released its debut Ruff Thymes EP with the aid of Grammy-winning musician Jordan Richardson (see Son of Stan). In 2020 Ruff Wizard was nominated by Central Track as both one of Dallas’s Best Pop Rock Acts and Band With The Best Cover Art (right before the pandemic stuck Texas). In 2021, the band continued to work hard to release their second EP, Smiles Tones, in 2021 again with the aid of Jordan Richardson.
The year is now 2023 and Ruff Wizard just released “Weather Channel” feat. Clay Pritchard. MORE MUSIC COMING SOON!!!
Press Clippings
You could say Ruff Wizard’s chemistry is that of a little magic. These guys are bubbly, fun and jubilant in their approach, and it comes through in the music. The colorful spirit of Ruff Wizard is perhaps even further evidenced in their Best Cover Art nomination for their latest album, Ruff Thymes. We’ve given their song “To My Love” a co-sign as these guys have made their own unique space in the music scene.
2020 MUSIC HONORS: DIALING IT UP FOR THE BEST POP-ROCK NOMS - Central Track
Anyone who has caught a Ruff Wizard live show can attest to the sunny, playful essence of the band’s disposition, something Weiss notes the band wanted to capture for the video.
“We wanted to show our audience not only what we look like while performing, but also that Ruff Wizard shows are fun and we are all really positive, fun dudes to have a good time with,” he [Levi, Ruff Wizard guitarist] says.
Central Track
TRK RVW... To My Love
A purple jacket folded nicely on a bed of amethysts
Small Albums
You don’t need a million-dollar budget or Vanity Fair photographer to make a memorable album cover. Sometimes you just need a good pun. For the release of Ruff Wizard’s Ruff Thymes release last June, the yacht-rock revivalists placed pictures of each band member on a glass spice jar. The blurry background behind the jars includes party balloons and streamers, helping instill the jovial atmosphere of the record. If you’ve seen the band live, you know the combination of saturated colors, slick font and cheeky facial expressions fit the breezy vibes of this Best Pop Rock Act nominee. Will Ruff Wizard continue releasing charming, goofy album art like this? Thyme will only tell.
2020 MUSIC HONORS: FRAMING THE BEST COVER ART NOMS - Central Track
On Friday, the good boys, released their debut recorded effort ["To My Love"], a single “about trying to make a relationship work by a band that listens to too much Steely Dan.” It’s an advancement on the jangly beach vibes of the cat band, with some cool keys lines and nifty guitar work that woulda made ol’ Walter Becker proud to be sure.
Central Track
To that end, “By Your Side” combines early 2010s indie rock and pop with funky ’80s synths and upbeat rhythms to assemble a danceable yacht track ready for any summer mood. Actually, the track’s instrumentals remind us a lot of those Rick Rubin-produced Strokes songs, with Escarfullery’s vocals recalling Foster The People’s Mark Foster early work on Torches. (Fun fact: Ruff Wizard even has a song called “Torches” on their 2019 Ruff Thymes EP. Coincidence?)