From the Outside: Rufio Return After 16 Years

From the Outside: Rufio Return After 16 Years

Rufio were never just another early‑2000s melodic pop‑punk band — they were a lightning strike. A burst of youthful urgency, technical guitar wizardry, and wide‑eyed sincerity that hit Southern California like a shockwave and rippled far beyond Rancho Cucamonga. For so many fans, Perhaps, I Suppose… wasn’t just a debut album; it was a rite of passage, a soundtrack to growing up fast and feeling everything at once.

Twenty‑five years later, Rufio have returned with From the Outside, a new EP born not from nostalgia or industry pressure, but from a quiet, unexpected spark between old friends. Bassist Taylor Albaugh and guitarist Clark Domae sat down with Highwire Daze to talk about the emotional weight behind the new songs, the realities of anxiety and adulthood, the strange beauty of their early recording days, and the surprising outpouring of love from fans who never stopped listening.

This is Rufio in 2026 — older, grounded, grateful, and still capable of hitting you right in the heart.

First of all, introduce yourselves. Tell me what you do in Rufio.
Taylor: My name is Taylor, and I play bass in Rufio.

The New EP — From the Outside

The new EP is called From the Outside. Is there an overall story or concept behind that title and the song?
Taylor: Yeah, definitely. From the Outside was one of the earlier songs we worked on when we started the EP. Scott wrote it about his dad, who passed away a couple of years ago. It was a really personal song for him, and once we had it finished, it just felt like the right title for the EP. It captured the emotional core of what we were doing, so we made it the title track.

The Single “Maps”

The new single coming out is Maps. Tell me a little about that song and the inspiration behind it.
Taylor: Maps was actually the first song we started recording — well, the second one, now that I’m remembering correctly. When Scott sent over the lyrics, I originally thought it was about Clark, like revisiting old song ideas and taking Scott back twenty years to the heyday of the band. I was wrong. It turned out to be about something completely different. But yeah, Maps was one of the earliest tracks we worked on for the EP.

Clark joins the call.

Clark: Hey guys, sorry for jumping in last minute.

Hey Clark, good to have you here. We’re talking about Maps — feel free to jump in anytime.

Re‑recording “Dipshit”

You also re-recorded one of your older songs, “Dipshit.” What made you decide to revisit that particular track after all this time?
Taylor: Mostly because the original recording is… pretty rough. Clark has always said it’s basically unlistenable because of how sloppy he thinks his playing was back then. We originally planned to include the re-recording on the EP as a sixth track, but mixing something old with all the new material didn’t feel right. So we released it on its own as a way to announce the EP.

Clark: Yeah, what Taylor said is true. My part specifically is really bad on the original. We also wanted to redo a song people liked — something that was a crowd favorite but not too big. We didn’t want to touch “Above Me,” so “Dipshit” felt like the right choice.

Why Now?

What made you guys decide that now was the time to record and release brand-new music?
Taylor: Honestly, nothing specific. It came out of nowhere. We were talking about some of Scott’s solo albums, and somehow that led to Scott saying, “We could try doing another Rufio album or EP.” I was immediately on board. A couple days later, we were all at a friend’s Christmas gathering at Clark’s house, pitched the idea to him, and he was in too. There was no big plan — just a spontaneous idea that we decided to run with.

Introducing Dylan Roy

Who is the new member of the band, Dylan Roy?
Taylor: Dylan is a longtime friend of Scott’s. Scott produced a band Dylan was in when Dylan was like thirteen or fourteen — super young. I met him back then too. When we decided to do the EP, we were trying to figure out who would play drums, and Scott suggested Dylan. He does a lot of other projects, including a metal band, so he was more than capable of handling it.

Clark: Scott was even in a band with him at one point, I think.

Life After Rufio

After Rufio broke up — up until now — what were you both doing? Any music? What were you working on?
Clark: Mostly just working and living a normal life. We each have families — I have two kids, Taylor has one. We’ve done little side projects here and there, but nothing too serious.

Taylor: Yeah, same. Since the last album in 2010, we all settled into normal lives. Clark and I are both married with families. Scott does production and mixing full-time, and he’s released a bunch of solo albums. Scott and Clark did an ’80s rock project together, and Scott and I did an alternative rock project. Clark calls it “alt-country,” which I didn’t think was a real genre, but honestly the two best songs we wrote do sound pretty alt-country. So yeah — we’ve done various little projects, but mostly just living life.

Touring with The Ataris

Warped Tour was here in Long Beach a few weeks ago. I got to interview Mike Davenport of The Ataris there, and I remember you guys toured with them. What was that experience like?
Clark: Mike was great. That whole tour was amazing. The lineup was stacked — we played first, Autopilot Off played second, Sugarcult was third, and The Ataris headlined. Sugarcult was blowing up at the time, so their fanbase was huge. It was right before they really broke, so we watched them go from a smaller band to a giant radio band halfway through the tour. It was wild to see that happen in real time. And Mike Davenport was super cool. John, their guitar player at the time, was really cool too. The drummer was great — we’d go out at night and hang. It was a fun tour all around.

Warped Tour Memories

You guys also played Warped Tour on your own. What was that experience like?
Clark: Warped is iconic, but it’s also grueling. People leave that part out. If you’re not one of the bigger bands, you’re either driving yourselves or sharing a bus. The last time we did it, we drove an RV. You have to check in by eight in the morning because you don’t know when you’re playing. You might play at eleven, you might play at six. So you’re up early every day.

But the East Coast dates are cool because the drives are short. There’s a barbecue every night, and everyone hangs out. One year there was a drum-off — everyone set up their kits. The dude from Matchbook Romance, Mike (our drummer at the time), LP from Yellowcard… they all had their kits out and were battling. It was awesome.

Warped is a mix of “I slept three hours, we partied at the barbecue all night, now I’m exhausted,” and “This is the coolest thing ever.” Good days and bad days.

Taylor: Clark, you’ve gotta tell him about your workout partner on Warped Tour.

Clark: Oh man, that was the best. I like to work out — I’m really into that. There were a few people on Warped who were into it too, so we had a little group. M. Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold would show up. Brian from Story of the Year would show up sometimes. The Audio Karate guys. We’d all work out because Avenged brought almost a full gym with them — flat bar, everything.

They’d hand you a beer while you were lifting. I remember getting a knock on the door in the morning: “Hey Clark, come on, let’s go work out.” He’d toss me a Budweiser — not Bud Light — a Budweiser. So we’d be drinking Bud at ten in the morning, hitting chest. It was the most manly thing I’ve ever done.

And honestly, the Avenged guys are probably the nicest dudes in music. Easily.

Pop Goes Punk Covers

Let’s talk about the Pop Goes Punk stuff you did. You covered “Like a Prayer.” What made you choose that track? And did Madonna ever hear or comment on it?
Clark: I have no idea if she ever heard it. That was before social media, so it’s not like she would’ve commented on it. I think we picked it just because we liked the song. I’m pretty sure John picked it — the very first line is John on the microphone, so I think he was the one who chose it. It’s a cool song, and it’s long — like five minutes — which we liked.

You also covered “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” for Punk Goes 80s. What made you choose that one? And did Simple Minds ever hear or comment on it?
Clark: Same thing — I have no idea if they ever heard it. I’ve never met those guys. That one came about because Mike Jimenez, our original drummer, loves that era of ’80s music. I don’t know if it’s considered new wave, but it’s that mellow pop vibe. Mike picked the song, and he actually arranged most of it. Scott just sang over what Mike put together.

The 2010 Era — Was That the End?

When you released Anybody Out There and The Loneliest EP, did you think that would be the last material for a while?
Taylor: When we were recording it, we weren’t thinking ahead. But after it came out and we toured on it, it started to feel like maybe the band had run its course. The reunion wasn’t received as strongly as we hoped. Part of that was the hiatus — when a band disappears for a few years, people move on. We did a headlining tour after the album came out, and the turnout wasn’t great. That’s when it felt like, okay… maybe this is it.

Clark: And the industry wasn’t in a great place for pop‑punk at that time. That era was kind of dead.

Taylor: Yeah, and the timing was weird. It was the early days of streaming — the industry was in a transition period. We printed CDs for that album, which is unheard of now. Nobody prints physical CDs anymore. So the release landed in this strange moment where everything was shifting.

25 Years of Perhaps, I Suppose…

Let’s go back twenty‑five years. Perhaps, I Suppose… came out in 2001 — which means it’s the twenty‑five‑year anniversary. When you look back on that recording now, what do you think of it?
Clark: It’s really weird to think about. I was sixteen or seventeen when we recorded it. We were still in high school. We’d record from six at night until midnight in Riverside, then drive home, sleep five hours, and go to school. Technology wasn’t there yet. We recorded on ADAT tape. Pro Tools existed, but most people didn’t really know how to use it the way they do now. Editing wasn’t great. We only spent two thousand dollars.

We didn’t play to a click. The tempos are all over the place. And my playing… well, my playing is really bad. I don’t listen to it. To this day, I can’t. It’s cringy for me. But I appreciate what it allowed us to do — travel the world, experience things I never dreamed of. I just can’t listen to it.

And Taylor?
Taylor: I wasn’t in the band back then, but I remember being in high school when that album came out. Being from Rancho Cucamonga, Rufio was the end‑all be‑all of the local music scene. I remember hearing that album in 2001 and thinking it was awesome.

Now, I don’t really listen to it either — the only time I’d put it on is if I needed to learn a part for a live show. But at the time? It was huge.

Rufio in 2026 — Will They Tour Again?

Let’s come back to Rufio in 2026. Would you guys like to tour or play shows again?
Taylor: We don’t have any plans to tour or play shows. Scott has been pretty open about it — he has a lot of anxiety around performing live. I think Clark and I would like to, but it’s not something Scott wants to do, and I respect that completely.

Will There Be More Music?

Is this a one‑time EP, or might there be more music in the future?
Clark: We kind of play things by ear. As of right now, this is it — but who knows? Maybe one day we’ll want to do another one.

Taylor: Exactly. This EP came about totally out of nowhere. So I won’t say we’ll never do it again, but right now there are no plans for more Rufio material. And this EP wasn’t meant as a precursor to a full‑length.

Messages for the Fans

Do you have any messages for Rufio fans who’ve been following you all this time — or new fans discovering you now?
Clark: I’m surprised by the response we’ve gotten. I really appreciate that people stuck around. Some people have commented, “I still listen to that album every day,” and that blows my mind. So yeah — thank you. We really appreciate everyone who stayed with us all these years.

Taylor: I agree. And I feel like I’m in a special position because I was one of those fans before I was in the band. For everyone who’s been listening since Perhaps, I Suppose… in 2001 — and then waited sixteen years for anything new — it’s amazing to see how excited people are. I’m grateful for everyone who’s been so excited about this EP.

Taylor’s Origin Story

And just to complete the story — Taylor, you joined the band in 2010. What were you doing before that?
Taylor: Just local bands. I had some projects with mutual friends who were also friends of Scott and Clark. That’s how I ended up connecting with them. I wasn’t doing anything big before joining Rufio. Around 2009, when the idea of recording a new album came up, they asked me to be part of it. It was cool — and honestly a little stressful — because being the new member and replacing someone like Jon Berry comes with pressure. It became this inner battle of trying to do my own thing while also meeting the expectations of fans and filling the shoes of what Jon had created.

In Conclusion

Rufio’s story has always been one of sincerity — no grand plan, no calculated comeback, just four musicians following the thread of whatever feels honest. From the Outside isn’t a reunion album or a promise of future tours; it’s a moment. A snapshot. A reminder that music made with heart can echo for decades, even when life pulls everyone in different directions.

For longtime fans, this EP feels like a letter arriving years later from someone you once knew intimately. For new listeners, it’s an introduction to a band whose legacy was built on passion rather than polish. And for Rufio themselves, it’s proof that the spark is still there — even if it flickers quietly now instead of burning at full blaze.

Whatever comes next, this chapter stands as a testament to the impact they made, the lives they touched, and the enduring power of songs written by teenagers who had no idea they were about to change people’s lives.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

Rufio on Instagram