Ross Bogan howls in his solo debut as Wolf Mask
After touring with Doom Flamingo and other rock bands for years, Ross Bogan is focusing on mental health. He released his first solo album, Sunday Scaries, under the moniker Wolf Mask in February.
“Slow down. You’re going to be all right.” That simple but powerful message helped keep Ross Bogan sane as a young gigging musician at the College of Charleston. When life felt overwhelming, he’d call home and his mom would issue that calming mantra.
That ethos guides Bogan today as his focus turns to mental health—in the lyrics of his solo debut as Wolf Mask; his studies for a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling; and his part-time job as a case manager with Backline, a national nonprofit that provides mental health resources for music industry professionals. “I’m often the first person someone talks to when they’re taking the step to get mental health support,” he says.
Bogan writes the majority of songs for synth-rock powerhouse Doom Flamingo. A former member of Sol Driven Train and a driving force behind jazz-rock trio Lureto, he composed the music for reggae band The Movement’s Ways of the World album (that’s been streamed on Spotify more than 75 million times) and often tours with North Carolina rock band Big Something.
In 2022, Bogan acknowledged that touring with multiple bands wasn’t sustainable without cutting out alcohol. “I felt like I was wandering in the dark about a lot of things,” he admits. “Partying is part of the music industry, so it can be hard to see when someone is actually struggling with it.”
See Wolf Mask on July 12 at Charleston Pour House.
Fresh perspective led him to pursue Wolf Mask. On the title track of Sunday Scaries, he sings, “I want you to know that you’re not alone/You’re one in a million/You’re just bad to the bone,” over a surrealist, floating-underwater soundscape that accelerates into the repeated encouragement, “You’re going to be all right.”
After Bogan wore a wolf mask for a music video with Lureto, he realized that the furry headpiece eased inhibitions about taking a lead role. “We all use masks to communicate every day,” he says.
Wolf Mask includes bassist Aaron Utterback (of indie band Human Resources) and Doom Flamingo members Thomas Kenney (guitar) and Sean Bing (drums). The album’s energy uplifts, flowing between ambient grooves and all-out rockers. In “Great,” Bogan asks, “So this place could change? Back to being great?” Harmonies layer a chorus of “You need love, don’t you?”
“Compassion is something I’ve wrestled with for a long time,” says Bogan of a theme in his songwriting. “The optimist in me wants to believe that compassion can bring people together. But you can be angry and compassionate at the same time and take action to accomplish goals.”
Look Out: Watch a music video for “Sunday Scaries,” the title track of Wolf Mask’s debut album.
