Ruud Dielen has spent the last decade shaping Glorious Wolf into one of the most quietly ambitious and emotionally resonant projects in modern prog. What began as a one‑man studio experiment has grown into a richly collaborative, ever‑evolving musical world — one driven by instinct, curiosity and a deep awareness of the times we’re living through.
In this Q&A, Ruud opens up about the origins of the Glorious Wolf name, the moment he committed to music full‑time, and the global challenges that inspired his latest album Elements Of Hope. From the impact of world events on young people to the joy of building a studio that finally matches his creative vision, this is a candid, thoughtful conversation with an artist who has never stopped growing.
Who is answering the questions?
Ruud Dielen founder of Glorious Wolf
How did you get to the band name, and what does it mean to you?
According to a Google search, the band name is the 'meaning of Ruud' (my first name) – the name Ruud means "famous wolf" or "glorious wolf". The latter felt right immediately.
When did you realise that you wanted to do music full time?
My zodiac sign is Gemini; one part of me always wanted to be the musician, and the other was an entrepreneur. My mind always said, "You have to provide for your family, so there must be financial security," but my heart has always kept me with my music. After the children left home, I started focusing on music full-time.
How did the idea for your latest release come about?
The idea behind our recent album 'Elements Of Hope' originated from the daily news footage that repeatedly showed the many global struggles, chaos, and challenges that many people, and especially children, are suffering from. The images of children in emergency situations affected me so deeply that I used this as the theme (how a growing child develops in these challenging times) for the album.
Can you tell us about the themes and influences that run through out?
The challenges that children, teenagers, and young adults face, as climate change, Artificial Intelligence, the many stimuli from social media, and wars in many parts of the world. They are the ones who will soon lead the world; how will they deal with the many challenges we face globally?
Who produced the release, and what were they like to work with (If you produced it yourself, then what do you love the most about working that way?)
Elements Of Hope was produced by myself and sound engineer Sjef Eikemans, with occasional help from sound engineer and studio owner Toon de Quant. I have a home studio, and the nice thing is that I can go there to work whenever I feel like it or am inspired. It is a relaxed atmosphere, and that has an effect on the music.
How would you say that the sound of the band has grown/changed over the last couple of years?
Glorious Wolf started in 2015 as a one-man studio project, and the first (digital) album 'Aquarius' was recorded entirely instrumentally and with limited resources. For the second album, 'Zodiac', I invited several guest musicians and singers. This album therefore features several vocal tracks as well as the instrumental parts, where my strength still lies.
I approached the next album, 'Mysterious Traveler', more professionally; whereas the drums on the predecessors were generated by Superiordrummer, on this successor all the drums were played by Kike Paglia (an Argentinian), a fantastic drummer who greatly benefits the music. This album also features vocal tracks again, sung by Frank van der Borg and Celia van Onna. I played all the other instruments myself.
With our latest album, 'Elements Of Hope', which was recently released on June 7th, we continued this trend, building a new studio with expanded recording equipment, allowing us to take the level to an even higher plane. Thanks to the collaboration with sound engineer Sjef Eikemans, we have been able to achieve a beautiful final result that we are very proud of. Everything fits together perfectly now, and we are very proud of that.
The latest album also features more guest musicians again: Kike on drums, Frank on lead vocals, Jyoti Verhoeff on lead vocals, Ties van Diessen on backing vocals, Tim Ros on bass guitar on 5 of the nine tracks, Harry Knapen on Hammond organ and Yamaha CP70 piano, Reg Parham on saxophone, and Thomas Zunk on Theremin and Mellotron. I personally wrote, recorded, and produced all the songs, and played all the guitars, (fretless) bass guitar on 4 songs, synthesizers, and Mellotron. So yes, we have definitely grown over the years.
What do you want your latest release to do for the representation of the band?
The first reviews for our album 'Elements Of Hope' are already very promising, and we are getting a lot of airplay on various prog-rock-oriented radio stations; let's hope this increases Glorious Wolf's popularity. We are signed to the label OOB Records, which is represented by The Band Wagon in the USA, so let's hope we get heard by the general public.
What else can we expect to see from the band in 2026?
First, I need to take a break and spend time with my family and friends. I also have some side projects I'm working on and a band I perform with regularly. Hopefully, inspiration for new Glorious Wolf work will return soon.
A huge thank you to Ruud Dielen for taking the time to share his story, his process and the heart behind Glorious Wolf. It’s conversations like this that remind us why we love running these Q&A features — honest insight, creative passion and a glimpse into the journey behind the music. We’ll be watching closely to see where Glorious Wolf heads next.
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