Too many to name... there have been so many over the years. Some famous, some not, most of 'em great. Let's just say, I've been very lucky to make music with the best of the best.
Influences
Musicaly speaking, I'm truly infuenced by everything and everyone around me. I'm a firm believer that you play your personality, and your personality is forged by every experience you have. I also know that hearing Marvin Gaye sing "What's Going On" gets me off as much Angus Young playing "Back in Black," or Hank Mobley playing "I Should Care." However, I imagine this question to mean what drummers have infuenced me most. (A question I dread - but here goes, in no particular order) Vinnie Ruggiero, Philly Joe Jones, Keith Moon, John Bonham, Elvin Jones, Steve Gadd, Sonny Payne, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chad Sexton, Dave Grohl, Herlin Riley, Tony Williams, Dave Garibaldi, Billy Higgins, Alex Van Halen, Phil Rudd, Mel Lewis, Greg Huchinson, Jeff Porcaro, Samantha Maloney, Brian Blade, Taylor Hawkins, Omar Hakim and Mikkey Dee are the cats I REALLY checked out.
Welcome to the Official MySpace Music Page for, me, Charles Ruggiero - drummer. I was never good at writing a bio, so here's a recent article from a local paper (thanks Nick):
Born in Rochester N.Y. Aug. 31st, 1971, Charles was destined to be a drummer. His father, Vinnie Ruggiero, was a genius drummer and a musician's musician. "There was always music around the house in some way or another. Plus, guys like Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, Freddie Hubbard, and Jon Hendricks would come and stay with us."
Although his father passed away before Charles turned 10, his recordings and his legend were passed down. "Yeah, when I started to really persue music, at about 12, I started to go and sit in on my teacher's gigs." His teacher, Steve Curry, had incidently been one of Vinnie's best students. "Steve was great, and he had all these gigs with the 'old guard' who had played with my dad, so they'd sit around and tell stories about him. I was probably too young to hear some of it but..."
During middle school and high school Charles got serious about drumming, playing anywhere he could. "Jazz band, school chorus, musicals, local bands...anything." As his reputation grew, he won various scolarships and beat out hundereds of other drummers to play for All County and All State Jazz ensembles. He knew he was onto something when other high schools, and even local colleges, started to hire him to play for their music programs. "It was awesome not to have to work at Pizza Hut anymore."
In 1990, Manhattan School of Music offered a full scholarship
and a chance to study with Justin DiCioccio. "My time at MSM was invaluable. Justin is the best, and the scene in New York at that time was beautiful. I was playing a lot with Joshua Redman, Peter Bernstein, Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings, Chris Potter, Dwayne Burno, and guys of that ilk. And seeing drummers like Jimmy Cobb and Greg Huchinson every night didn't hurt...well, it hurt a little."
After a few years on the NYC jazz scene, Charles eventually landed the gig with Jazz superstar, Chuck Mangione. "That was fun. I'll never forget it. I got back to playing music with a back beat and we were flying all over the world to do it. Plus, the first few months the band had a 'special' guest...Steve Gadd." Charles soaked up all he could in the short time he and Gadd shared a stage. "You had to. Who even gets that opportunity? And he's, well, beyond words...as a player AND person."
After leaving Mangione's band, Ruggiero played in various projects, splitting his time between Rochester and NYC. Finally off the road, he began making several records as a sideman. He has also recorded three albums with his own band, The Macktet, a joint venture with Ian Hendrickson-Smith, Al Street, and Adam Scone. "That band is killer. Good groove, good time, good vibes. It's just 'feelins good' music. I can't say enough about that band."
In 2003, former MTV/VH1 vee-jay, Abby Gennet, asked Ruggiero to play on a demo of a few of her songs and Rock-n-Roll band SLUNT was born. "SLUNT has been incredible. I had forgotten how fun smackin' some drums around can be." The band's rise was quick. In only their second year, they were on tour with Marilyn Manson and Motorhead, supporting their debut "Get a Load of This." In 2006, their sophmore CD, "One Night Stand," was released and earned them both critical aclaim and a spot on tour with Paul Stanley this past winter. "We grew a lot as a band between records and, as a result, I got to open up groovewise on this new one, which is nice. I love playing drums, I love to use my instrument to create music. I look forward to that every day." So do we, Charles, so do we. - Nick Porter
Charles proudly endorses the following companies exclusively:
Someone was very EXTREMELY excited to see you play tonight. They talked about it ALL DAY LONG today on set. They even sang a little song and danced while getting ready to see you. It was very cute and you would've died laughing. Hope you kicked ass. Sorry we missed it but you know where we were...
I saw you on TV. It was so funny because it was like 7 AM and Oren was just flipping through and he was like, "Hey! That's Charles!" Nice winning. The kazoo part was the best.
You guys are so sappy. I love it. Thanks for schooling about what a drum tech really did. The party was fun, huh? I think I'm still farting tacos. Bahahaha!
Hey man, very long time..!! Hope your well.. Still playing "Ramy" card game..? Never did it since this memorable tour in France, very long time ago.. All the best..
Why I love Charles... because we come up with plots for german porn movies together, because he forces my sons to realize how cool i am, because he will come and hang out with me when i am being a crazy person, and because he's fuckin' Charles...need I say more?
Whatever it is, I'll say it. I won't be got out of anything anymore, thanks. I'm--terribly sorry to have kept you waiting, but--there's been a slight hitch in the proceedings. I've made a terrible fool of myself, which--isn't unusual...Oh, Dexter, I'll be yar, now, I PROMISE to be yar!
APPLAUSE!! APPLAUSE!! Thank you for sharing this with us. Your father establishing a rhythmic pattern of you in this world, an extension of your DNA in vibration from the deepest love in his heart and the depths of his soul. Blood and fire!! I love to see and hear the creative process of great artists. It's really special.
"What do you mean, a--a wake-up call for the city of New York? Let's just say I'm not--a Jimmy Breslin fan." "He's the reason I became a writer, but that's beside the point." "Jess, Sally is a GREAT orderer. She can order in a way that--even the CHEF didn't know it could be so good." "Harry. You and Marie are both from New Jersey." "Really? Where are you from?" "South Orange." "Haddenfield." "Ohhhh." (awkward silence)
"Oooh, Ingrid Bergman. Now she's low-maintenance." "Low maintenance?" "There are two kinds of women: low maintenance and high maintenance." "And Ingrid Bergman is low maintenance?" "An LM. Definitely." "Which one am I?" "You're the worst kind. You're high maintenance, but you think you're low maintenance." "I don't see that."
