| Spookey Ruben | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | ? |
| Born | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Alternative, Power pop, Industrial, Progressive pop |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Hi-Hat, TVT Records(former) |
| Associated acts | Mark Plati, John McEntire, Esthero, Ariel Pink |
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. He spent 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'. In 1996, Ruben contributed to the AIDS benefit album Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip produced by the Red Hot Organization. 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.
On June 16, 2009 his latest album, Mechanical Royalty, was released in Canada on Hi-Hat/Sonic Unyon.
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In 2008, Spookey Ruben began filming webisodes for Exclaim Magazine Online. There have been six episodes, which include musicians from various bands.[4]