Reuben biography
Reuben were an English three-piece musical group from Camberley, Surrey. Their music was a fusion of alternative rock and heavy metal, as their songs cover a variety of styles, ranging from heavy and upbeat, such as their 2005 single "Blamethrower" to slower, more melodic songs such as their 2004 single "Moving to Blackwater". The former style of song often featured vocalist Jamie Lenman switching between shouting and whispering, a technique often used in heavy metal and post-hardcore music. The band gained respect in the UK underground music scene, and were known for the devotion to their fans and their fans' devotion to the band. Reuben never achieved mainstream success, due to never charting in the UK Top 40, but still gained minor achievement by charting four singles in the UK Singles Chart. their highest charting single being 2004's "Freddy Kreuger" that reached UK #53.
In June 2008, Reuben entered a state of indefinite hiatus. Fans were emailed by the band manager, making them aware of the hiatus, assuring them that this was not the end for Reuben.
History
Formation and early demos
The band formed in 1998 when singer/guitarist Jamie Lenman and bassist Jon Pearce originally played with Jason Wilcock as
Angel, sharing local stages with many bands, one of which would become Hundred Reasons. Between 1998 and 2000, Angel recorded and self-released a string of limited edition demos. The songs and artwork of one of these demos,
Betrayed, was available to download via the band's website. Many Angel songs were used as b-sides to Reuben singles.
Line-up change and Pilot EP
In March 2000, they parted ways with Wilcock, and Mark Lawton joined as drummer, with whom they wrote and recorded the
Pilot EP, which was released in January 2001 on the Badmusic label after they changed their name to Reuben. The group decided to go ahead with recording the EP after they had won a battle of the bands in Bookham, Surrey. Following the release of
Pilot EP, Lawton left and was replaced by their final drummer, Guy Davis. The new line-up toured around the UK, and were the subject of a two hour special on Zane Lowe's XFM Radio Show, despite not yet releasing an album.
First album success
Their debut album
Racecar Is Racecar Backwards was released in June 2004 through Xtra Mile Recordings. It spawned the chart singles "Freddy Kreuger" and "Moving To Blackwater", and led to their nomination for a
Kerrang! Award for Best British Newcomer. They gained a loyal fanbase with their numerous singles, which were popular on the underground music scene, receiving airplay on MTV2.
Second album
2005 saw the release of the band's second album,
Very Fast Very Dangerous on Xtra Mile Recordings, spawning a further three singles, including the download-only "Blamethrower". The album received reasonable reviews, and many of the songs featured on this album proved popular at gigs.
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