Singled Out: Sean Griffin (The Ruffians)'s People Are Mad

07-12-2025

Sean Griffin, frontman of Gaelic punk cult favorites The Ruffians, just released his debut solo single "People Are Mad", and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

People are mad started out of a conversation with a friend. I was telling him about a song I had just wrote and texted him "People are Mad" in the course of our conversation. He said great title for a song, and I sat down and wrote it.

I found myself at around that time often shaking my head and muttering to myself "people are mad" just observing the way all of us are so different, silly, crazy and human.

It could be quirks, life , frustration, jobs, stress, habits, vices, politics, choices, etc. we are all bonkers. The way I just saw things at the time, and still do. As I imagine many of us do. I have to laugh to keep from going insane. There is also this weird sense of acceptance also realizing we are all in this together and that many things are out of our control. It is a bit like the serenity prayer. " Help me to accept the things I can change..., and the wisdom to know the difference."

I wrote the song on my acoustic guitar and on the back of an envelope(unpaid utility bill), and after a short burst of creativity wrangled it out of the air. A bit later I wrote the bridge, and it was time to take it to Grammy Award winning producer Kenny Siegal who helped flesh it out.

We worked with a great bunch of musicians and it was particularly fun bringing in an actual clown to finish it off properly. Michael Farkas besides being a great harmonica player is also a clown and had all manners of bells, whistles, harps, train whistles, and sounds that really helped transform my song into a completely crazy world. I love the brush work on the Drums by Lee Falco, the amazing walking bass that really moves the song by Brandon Morrison, the Carnival like piano and organ by Will Bryant, and the souring pedal steel of Kenny Siegal. And the banjo by David Moore that just plunks along as if to say keep going nothing to see here.

When it was time to get it mixed and we brought it to Paul Kolderie. His approach and creativity brought it to a whole new level. He completely nailed it in the first attempt. Then we had it mastered by Greg Calbi who made it sparkle.

I was hoping to have something that would be very catchy like Zippity doo dah,meet Sargent Pepper, with a bit of my dark Irish humor thrown in for good measure. As things seem to keep on getting amped up all we can do is mutter to ourselves "People Are Mad" and enjoy the party.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here