Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Rud.
Ryan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We had all been 10-year veterans of the MPLS music scene with a fair amount of local success in each of our bands. Erik (singer/guitar), Ryan (guitar and lap steel), and Joel (drummer) had played together those years in the same band. Craig (bass player) was in a different band but both bands played around together quite a bit and all had become very good friends.
After about 5 years of being bandless and tired of the singer-songwriter phase of his life, Erik reached out to his two former bandmates and Craig in 2005 to start up another loud rock band, perhaps for one last time since they were all now in their early 30’s, married, a few with first children on the way. It seemed we all had one more ride left in us. Nothing to lose you know? Tuesday nights at the terminal bar would eventually lead to Saturday night headlining spots at the Uptown Bar and Turf Club. College radio airplay would lead to TV spots on Such shows as Criminal Minds and other MTV reality-type shows.
The secret to their success was/is their friendship respect for each other and a democratic process of writing and collaborating when creating those songs. Never was a finished song brought by any member for everyone else to learn. Everybody was in on the process from start to finish. Over the years we have honed this process. It has been 18 years now. A 6-year break to explore other musical outlets was taken from the years 2015 to 2021. An invitation to play at a motorcycle club’s Christmas party in 2021 brought us back together.
During rehearsals for this show we couldn’t help but start writing new material. In looking back at what we might have taken for granted and seeing the opportunity to continue again, we seized the chance, wrote a handful of new songs, and went and recorded them at the famed Pachyderm studio in the spring of 2023z. In our time together, the mules have released 4 albums with a new one set to be out in Nov. 2023.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been a long road. Mostly smooth. The only struggles that were encountered early on were when a few members had families and had to pick and choose what shows were going to be worth playing and leaving their wives to take care of their families for the weekend as opposed to taking everything that came our way.
Sometimes it was a hard pill for the members without this responsibility to take. But eyes were kept on the bigger picture. We learned to forgive and forget pretty well and often.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The Rockford mules are first and foremost brothers and PALS. Share the same dream passion and goal from way before they were even formed.
As life becomes real reality plays its part and dreams are not realized as they were hoped, who stays in the saddle, who finds a way to keep creating and writing? Realizing the priority it is in your life when time makes it harder to continue. The mules have made their way as they can.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Listen more than you speak. And learn to read a room. Be kind. Be honest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therockfordmules.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therockfordmules
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therockfordmules/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfuP_B728Es
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/therockfordmules
