Spookey Ruben

Spookey Ruben (born in Ottawa, Canada) is a Toronto-based musician, composer and video director. Due to his father's work as a space engineer Spookey grew up in Germany, Holland, and Washington, D.C. In his childhood, Spookey's parents insisted he take up an instrument and so he chose classical guitar. At age 13 he got his hands on an electric guitar and spent the remainder of his teenage years playing in array of hardcore and speed metal bands^[1] (most notably Transilience). It was at this time that he received his nickname "Spooky", a result of his high-school friends teasing him about his metal-head appearance with his long hair and Satanic T-shirts. At age 19 he moved to Toronto and enrolled in film school at York University, but kept musical ideas rolling on a 4-track recorder.^[2]

Spookey began developing his own unique songwriting and production techniques, mixing keyboards with acoustic and electric guitars and trademark distinctive high vs. low vocals. These experiments led to his solo debut album Modes of Transportation Vol. 1 (TVT Records) which was engineered by Mark Plati^[3] (David Bowie). International critical acclaim followed, hailing the album as the 'Pet Sounds of the 90s'. Disputes with TVT resulted in his leaving the label and years of apparent silence.^[2] Eventually, Ruben simultaneously released two separate CDs entitled Bed and Breakfast (Hi-Hat/Zomba) that were later repackaged as a double album. Alone at the Zoo, co-produced by John McEntire of Tortoise/The Sea and Cake was released as a special limited 'album of demos' in 2003.

In 2005 he was approached by Los Angeles underground recording artist coL, the two struck up a friendship and Spookey later released a limited edition (50) of homemade cdr's of coL's 2nd album.^[4]

On June 16th, 2009 his latest album, Mechanical Royalty, was released in Canada on Hi-Hat/Sonic Unyon.

Discography

Albums

• Modes of Transportation Vol. 1 (tvt records 1995, quattro Japan 1996, intercord Germany 1996, emi uk 1997)
• Wendy Mcdonald - Live in Japan EP (tvt records 1996)
• Modes of Transportation Vol. 2: What's a Boy to do? (quattro japan 1998)
• Brunch (quattro japan 2000)
• Bed and Breakfast (hi-hat/zomba - released separately in 2002, 2003 then repackaged in 2006)
• Alone At The Zoo (hi-hat 2003)
• Ausfahrt Walsrode EP (lamm/universal 2006)
• Mechanical Royalty (hi-hat/sonic unyon - special edition ep: 2008; full length edition 2009)

Singles

• ""These days are old"(1995)
• "Running Away" (1995)
• "Wendy Mcdonald" (1996)
• "Brand New Game" (2002)
• "Shauna" (2003)
• "Glenn Take Care" (2003)

Dizzy Playground

In 2008, Spookey Ruben began filming webisodes for Exclaim Magazine Online. There have been four episodes, which include musicians from various bands. ^[5]

Episodes

• Omen of the Goblet - Featuring Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene
• Exit to Panama - Featuring Hannah Krapivinsky & Anna Edwards of Foxfire
• Space Package - Featuring John McEntire of Tortoise/The Sea and Cake
• Cavity Central - Featuring Melissa Auf der Maur of Hole/The Smashing Pumpkins

References

External links

• Hi-Hat's Website

• Mote MGZN's Interview
• Official Myspace Page