Allow me to introduce Christopher Ruiz, also known as “CRISPy” CRUIZeR

The Instagram profile @crispycruizer reads: One handed bad ass musician coming to take the world by storm! I love life, all kinds of humor, and trying all kinds of new things!

“I was fortunate to grow up in an extended family of musicians and avid listeners. From each family member I was exposed to a different eras, genres, and styles of music from around the globe and throughout the ages. At the time I never knew all that absorption of whatever each family member was into musically would serve me well as I started to venture into the craft and art of music. Music is an ever evolving learning curve and it is wonderfully frustrating! My Mom always wanted us kids to be creatively talented, it was always something important to her and in that we thrived. It is by her example of patience that I found the right mentality to pursue a creative outlet.”

As a small child in a musical family the fine art of music, especially drums, came natural to Christopher. First being taught by his father he developed a sense of what was important as a drummer — keeping time and being consistent. As his skills developed as a percussionist Chris finally had a chance to follow in his big sister’s footsteps and entered into a music program where he discovered the drum kit, “I CAN USE MY FEET TOO!?” And the rest as they say is history, but the story does not end there…

“For about 5 years I did all my practicing in my head and then when I could get behind a drum kit again at school I then tested out the ideas. Time was limited behind the actual instrument for so long I became accustomed to this method. To this day I practice this way, and more or less that carried into my song writing approach as well. It wasn’t until I was 14 that I got my own drum kit (a birthday gift from my loving and supportive family), now bearing this wonderful gift really boosted my abilities! My Dad had the foresight to get me a double kick pedal, something I have never even tried or heard of, I was doing all that technique with one pedal for a long time and now here was this new challenge I embraced without hesitation. I remember once that drum kit I could call ‘my own’ was set up I started locking myself in my room endlessly practicing, no social life to speak of, barely making time for homework. That’s the only way to get good at something, and it was the first time I felt like I finally found that something I wanted to get good at. In my bed room I managed to fit my drums, my queen bed, and other musicians (most often my youngest uncle who is one of my biggest inspirations) for a jam sessions. It was so hot in there without air conditioning, in the sometimes triple digit summer heat, but I would not trade those moment for anything in the world!”

Having never shied away from a challenge in the realm of musical creativity, at the age of 17 Christopher decided to try his hand at song writing. He had purchased a bass and an amp not knowing if he could even physically play it, but was determined to find out. Within a small amount of time he was writing drum and bass parts for what would be the foundation of his solo album Isolation Dissolution. Knowing that music needed more than just drums and bass he then purchased his first acoustic guitar; a beautiful warm sounding nylon string that he would roam the streets with as he learned to play. But that still was not enough to get the the ball rolling so he then joined the Sound Arts Program of a local junior college, where he learned to play keyboard, studied MIDI tracking, and audio engineering while simultaneously improving his drumming skills and music theory at another local junior college. The two schools were in the opposite direction of home and the time spent commuting in heavy traffic was not wasted as song ideas were pouring out. Always with multiple songs in his head at the same time!

“So I grew up surrounded by music of all kinds but nothing ever resonated with me until the first time I heard the Jimi Hendrix Experience album, Are You Experienced?, it just blew me away! I knew then and there I wanted to be a rock musician, but one that is involved in creating a unique sound no one else is doing. As time progressed I started getting further into the more aggressive music genres that were becoming mainstream. This movement came at the right time in my life while I was defining my personal taste in music and what I wanted to accomplish musically. I recall I was watching the movie Airheads for the first time and there was a scene at a concert where White Zombie was tearing it up with the song Feed The Gods. The blaring sound, the hard edged look of the band, the imagery and energy of the crowd, the intensity of it all — I knew that was where I wanted to be! The 90’s were very eye opening times for me with bands of Alternative Rock like Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains and Nirvana coming to the forefront. Then in came more unique Heavy Metal acts that influenced my drive to be faster like Pantera, Slipknot, and Meshuggah. But when I heard Goth Industrial music paved by Nine Inch Nails that took me by storm! I started cueing into the poetry of the lyrics of all the music I was listening to. Suddenly I wanted to become a song writer. Hard Rock, Punk, Heavy Metal and the like were just something I wanted to focus most of my energy on. It became a high of its own, an addiction to a more specific adrenaline rush like no other. Really. I started sneaking out of the house at night to play shows with local metal bands, checking out concerts, so many concerts at times I forget who I saw until a song triggers a memory. In those formative years I began to love music and especially the stage in a way I never imagined.”

It was at the age of 20 he got his first taste as a hired studio musician; walking in was this 90’s metal head punk looking kid to lay down some old fashioned country beats. Heads turned and doubts were cast about his ability to deliver but they quickly subsided as the music played on and the metronome was not lost. It was the producer of that session that pushed Chris to pursue more studio sessions and utilize his knowledge of genres and styles. As the studio sessions continued and the live performances started to take off (working with multiple bands simultaneously) the nickname “The Machine” was dubbed for having no falter and at times no need for a metronome. Still the hired gun at studios abroad for drums, at times bass as well, the quest for the long distance tour looms as the greatest challenge ahead…

“I never expected to be a studio musician, playing on other people’s albums was just one of those things that landed on my lap and sounded like a cool thing to try at the time. But I love it! To be able to bring to life a creative idea that someone has is one of the greatest honors. To build from scratch a song that will outlive us all is so inspiring and humbling. There comes a time though when one has to chase their own dream, for me that is touring, if I can accomplish that I am set! My mentor often told me ‘Never waste a talent,’ and I don’t intend to waste this one.”