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Reuben talk about old people who hide in bus shelters, dog food, and biting elbows.....
How has the tour been so far?
Jamie:It's been wicked!
Jon: Apart from Sheffield.....
Jamie: Shut up!!!! laughs, then says in robot voice it was great, there were loads of people there, there were more than ten people there, honest. laughs
How long have you been together for as a band?
Jamie: About two years, we've had this little boy motions to Guy filling in for drums when our last drummer went on a skiing holiday, then when he came back he decided he didnt want to do it anymore, so then there was Guy, he'll do. laughs
Who are your influences?
chorus of "oohs"
Jon: Ooh hard questions....erm....Well the thing is, the bands we really like aren't the bands we're influenced by.
Who do you like then?
Jamie: Strapping Young Lad, Mr Bungle, Tomahawk, At the Drive In....
Guy: Refused, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Tool.....
Jamie: aaah man you make us sound like fools....
Guy: Elviss, Vex Red, Hundred Reasons
Jami: Elviss, Elviss, Elviss.... ooh, Caretaker, heard of them? no? you should check them out they're good....
Your new single is 'Stux' (tell me it's alright) is released on the 12th of August, what is the song about and what was your inspiration for it?
Jamie: Because I wrote it when I was really young it was about a relationship I was having at the time, thats a bit sad really isn't it, I don't write songs about stuff like that anymore but I wrote it when I was about 15, so, that's what its about...... I wrote it on a plane!!!!
You've got an unusual concept for the video for 'Stux' featuring an estate agent selling a house with a band in. How much input do you have in the making of your videos?
Jon: 100%. It's a friend of ours that does the videos, so it's sort of a co-effort between the three of us and him.
Jamie: We just had a sort of brainstorming session and someone went 'How about theres a house...' 'Wicked!' then someone else went 'and theres us in the house', and someone else went 'yeaah' and someone else went "and what about if noone liked the band' because we wanted to make it quite realistic obviously, realism is the key! laughs, anyway, then someone else went 'yeah and we change members' and it all made us laugh, so we did it.Sorry, I'm fixing my guitar but I'm well interested, sorryyyyyy!
You were originally called 'Angel', why did you change it to Reuben and what made you choose it?
Jamie: WOW you've done some homework!!!!
Jon: Well every other band in Britain has started off being called Angel at one point in their life...
Jamie: interrupts BECAUSE IT WAS A CLASS NAME!
Jon: Theres a dance act called Angel, and theres a female artisty person called Angelle.
Jamie: Yeah yeah yeah anyway, we heard about a band called Angel in Australia being sued by another band called Angel, so they changed their name to Angel City or something and we didn't want to change our name to 'Angel Band' or something crap like that.
Jon: And we were gonna release a record, and we were gonna do tha artwork so we thought, 'right, we need to change are name now', and we decided on Reuben.
Guy: We could have just swapped the 'E' and the 'L' around and become 'Angle'...
Jamie: Or 'Lange'...
Jon: Or 'Nagle'...
Jamie: Or 'Nagel'...Nigel! We should've just called our band Nigel!!!!
Jon: Anyway, we called ourselves Reuben as Reuben is the name of Jamie's first ever friend!
Jamie: No, seriously, seriously! When I was in nursery I knew this boy with ginger hair called Reuben, and his mum made wicked pancakes....
Jon: And we had a song called 'Words from Reuben'. so we thought about that but then decided that it was a bit too epic. so shortened it to Reuben!
Jamie: We certainly did!
Jon: Not 'Rude Ben'.
Where do you get inspiration for your songs from?
Jamie: Basically what I do is I go ' Oh I wish my band didn't suck, what would we sound like we didn't suck?', Then I think of some cool band..... why are you laughing, this is seriously how I do it! Then I think " what does a cool song sound like, oh I know, like that" then start trying to play it!
What has been the high point so far for you?
Jamie: Dammit, we haven't answered this yet, we always forget it, and it really annoys me, ooh i'm gonna do something really annoying now. bangs glass on table loudly see? That's going to really annoy you now when you play that back on tape....
Jon: What was it, what was it, there was something wicked that happened that was wicked...
Jamie: Going on tour with Mclusky, that's gonna be cool, hasn't happened yet , but that was nice laughs . This tour, this tour generally, it's all the interesting people we meet, and getting to be interviewed by people like you, that's wicked, seriously its amazing. Getting to #2 on the most wanted chart. Getting played on actual MTV thats an up point.
Guy: Getting to #87 in the UK charts.
Jon:Selling out of all the records, that was brilliant. laughs We only had like ten done... and my mum bought them all but that was wicked! laughs
Do you prefer playing live, filming videos, or recording in the studio?
Jamie: Lets think.... playing live! Filming videos is quite stressful and so's recording, but a bit less....
Jon: When we're onstage we're quite far apart, but when we're in the studio we're right next to each other so we get into ruckuses.
Jamie: Its all fun though, but you don't get a reaction from the crowd when you're filming videos, or in the studio....I dunno. That was cheesy! I knew that was gonna sound cheesy when I said it. But there we go. You need a cheese disclaimer somewhere in this!
Apart from the police, what are you scared of?
Jamie: Old people who live in bus shelters..... thinks THAT FUCKING METEORITE THATS GONNA WIPE OUT EVERYTHING ON EARTH IN 2019! That's pretty severe!
Guy: OH MY GOD, what am I going to do! Unzips bag and sticks his head inside it then zips bag up, and sits with bag on head
Jamie: Guy's gone into self defence mode!!!!
Guy: muffled I think I'll survive if I do this!!!!!!
Unzips bag and takes head out
Jamie: What else...Giant scorpions!
Jon: Driving!
Jamie: erm... Sucking.... live.
Guy: laughs I was wondering what you were gonna say then!!!!
Jamie: Fish!
Guy: Slipping off the edge of a cliff face....
Jon: Going on the dangerous bit of Hadriens Wall
Jamie: That was well scary but kind of tantalising at the same time....I tell you what im NOT scared of, that flying fish ride at thorpe park! That's PANSY! laughs You look at it and you're like WICKED rollercoaster, but its not, it sucks!!!! Another place.... Legoland! There are NO rides at all in lego land!That sucks too! You're like wow lets go to the legoland museum! looks comatose from boredom wow,look, another brick, woohoo.
Jon:You can drive these car things though and a get a medal!
What are your ambitions for this band?
Jon:Gold tooth, Honeys! laughs
Jamie: BIFBIB, one of those things where you take the first letter.. an acronym! well BIFBIB standing for "bitches in the front, bitches in the back" laughs I'm gonna get a tatoo of it on my chest, actually I might get it done backwards so if I was running behind your car, you'd beable to read it! laughs and look in the mirror and be like SHIT MAN! No seriously though, we'd just like to get enough money to beable to keep on doing what we're doing, release good records, get it done by a good producer, go on tour with good bands etc.
How do you feel about all the post hardcore/nirvana/silverchair comparisons that keep coming your way?
Jamie: confused We've been compared to postcards!?!?
Everyone laughs
Jon: POST-HARD-CORE!
Guy: You've just invented a new genre, Postcard core!
Jamie: What is posthardcore anyway????? It's like little pigeon holes everywhere, "Emo post alien grunge magnet!" sort of thing!
Jon: We are straight-forward "Boom!"
Jamie: Yeah it says it on my guitar baby! well, not this one....
Boom?
Jamie: Basically, when you hear our band if you had to write down what our band sounded like in one word, you'd go BOOM!!!!! becuase thats what we sound like.... well... you could say rubbish I suppose but thats not very nice !
What was the first gig you went to?
hysterical laughter
Jamie: Guy, Guy, save yours til last, ours will be crap compared to that!
Jon: Mine was local band in a local pub!
Jamie: Mine was 'Magic, a kind of Queen' laughs
Guy: Check this.....the first band I ever saw.... was in Singapore at the arena................. MC Hammer!
hysterical laughter
Jamie: Go on go on, Guy, who was the support band?
Guy: Vanilla Ice!
laughs again
Jamies guitar string breaks
Jamie: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHHH! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS FUCKING GUITAR!!!!!!
What is your favourite song of yours?
Jamie: Whatever we say will sound really arrogant won't it....
No because I'm asking!
Jamie: It's a song called 'Approaching by stealth' my favourite.
Guy: DOH!
Jamie: Was that yours too? Anyway, its funky with a groove and sounds like eighties cheesy metal..... looks at Jon Are you trying to fix my guitar string with tape? laughs and sticks tape to forehead. check it out! My favourite song is Overdose by InMe.. no! wait! Underdose! phone rings, Jamie laughs Hold onnnn I've got showbiz mates calling meeeee laughs
Guy: Yeah but I'll change it now.... erm... Freddy Kreuger, but thats just because it's new, and it blatantly won't be my favourite song in two weeks time.....
Jamie: OI, what you saying boy?????
Jon: Alpha Signal 7
Jamie: WOOOO! controversial choice but a good one!
Jamie: oooh just thought of something, check it out check it out, look look look, right, If you bite your elbow, well obviously you cant, but if someone bites your elbow.... hang on this is pointless unless I do it, can I bite your elbow? let me bite your elbow....it doesn't hurt at all, check it out. bites my elbow see! it doesn't hurt!
It doesn't actually!
Just see if you can clear up a disagreement for me.... The first line in Wooden Boy, "if all I am is flesh and blood I might as well be -----" what are the words at the end?
Jamie:What do you think it is?
I'll write it down then you tell me what it is and I'll show what what I wrote, see if I'm right.
Jamie: OK, done it? It's Dog food. looks at paper where i'd written dog food You were right! Well done! Does that sound like it should make sense to you?
Yeah, all dog food is is meat and blood.....
Jamie: What did the other person think it was?
Dark blue...
Jamie: WELL SHE'S A TWAT!!!!!! Ooh that reminds me, I went on some song meanings site the other day and I look like such a twat as they've got all my lyrics wrong!!!!!!
Finally, what advice would you give to someone just starting out in a band, is there anything that you wish you had known at the very beginning?
Jon: Don't take sweets from strangers!!!!!! laughs
Jamie: Just be honest, don't try to sing in a certain style or accent, do what you want to do, don't try and copy anyone else! Just be honest.... unless your a liar!
Guy: Have a spare guitar!
Jamie: Yeah and don't have two guitarist cos it's rubbish... actually do, unless you're a three piece!
everyone laughs
Jon: Yeah! Don't have a three piece band with four members!
Jamie:And no matter how great an idea it seems at the time, never do a Nirvana cover, you won't beable to do it!
Jon: Never play 'Come as you are' in a music shop, you won't beable to do it!
Jamie: Let's face it boys and girls, you can't hack it, it's not that difficult, but you won't beable to do it!
How has the tour been so far?
Jamie:It's been wicked!
Jon: Apart from Sheffield.....
Jamie: Shut up!!!! laughs, then says in robot voice it was great, there were loads of people there, there were more than ten people there, honest. laughs
How long have you been together for as a band?
Jamie: About two years, we've had this little boy motions to Guy filling in for drums when our last drummer went on a skiing holiday, then when he came back he decided he didnt want to do it anymore, so then there was Guy, he'll do. laughs
Who are your influences?
chorus of "oohs"
Jon: Ooh hard questions....erm....Well the thing is, the bands we really like aren't the bands we're influenced by.
Who do you like then?
Jamie: Strapping Young Lad, Mr Bungle, Tomahawk, At the Drive In....
Guy: Refused, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Tool.....
Jamie: aaah man you make us sound like fools....
Guy: Elviss, Vex Red, Hundred Reasons
Jami: Elviss, Elviss, Elviss.... ooh, Caretaker, heard of them? no? you should check them out they're good....
Your new single is 'Stux' (tell me it's alright) is released on the 12th of August, what is the song about and what was your inspiration for it?
Jamie: Because I wrote it when I was really young it was about a relationship I was having at the time, thats a bit sad really isn't it, I don't write songs about stuff like that anymore but I wrote it when I was about 15, so, that's what its about...... I wrote it on a plane!!!!
You've got an unusual concept for the video for 'Stux' featuring an estate agent selling a house with a band in. How much input do you have in the making of your videos?
Jon: 100%. It's a friend of ours that does the videos, so it's sort of a co-effort between the three of us and him.
Jamie: We just had a sort of brainstorming session and someone went 'How about theres a house...' 'Wicked!' then someone else went 'and theres us in the house', and someone else went 'yeaah' and someone else went "and what about if noone liked the band' because we wanted to make it quite realistic obviously, realism is the key! laughs, anyway, then someone else went 'yeah and we change members' and it all made us laugh, so we did it.Sorry, I'm fixing my guitar but I'm well interested, sorryyyyyy!
You were originally called 'Angel', why did you change it to Reuben and what made you choose it?
Jamie: WOW you've done some homework!!!!
Jon: Well every other band in Britain has started off being called Angel at one point in their life...
Jamie: interrupts BECAUSE IT WAS A CLASS NAME!
Jon: Theres a dance act called Angel, and theres a female artisty person called Angelle.
Jamie: Yeah yeah yeah anyway, we heard about a band called Angel in Australia being sued by another band called Angel, so they changed their name to Angel City or something and we didn't want to change our name to 'Angel Band' or something crap like that.
Jon: And we were gonna release a record, and we were gonna do tha artwork so we thought, 'right, we need to change are name now', and we decided on Reuben.
Guy: We could have just swapped the 'E' and the 'L' around and become 'Angle'...
Jamie: Or 'Lange'...
Jon: Or 'Nagle'...
Jamie: Or 'Nagel'...Nigel! We should've just called our band Nigel!!!!
Jon: Anyway, we called ourselves Reuben as Reuben is the name of Jamie's first ever friend!
Jamie: No, seriously, seriously! When I was in nursery I knew this boy with ginger hair called Reuben, and his mum made wicked pancakes....
Jon: And we had a song called 'Words from Reuben'. so we thought about that but then decided that it was a bit too epic. so shortened it to Reuben!
Jamie: We certainly did!
Jon: Not 'Rude Ben'.
Where do you get inspiration for your songs from?
Jamie: Basically what I do is I go ' Oh I wish my band didn't suck, what would we sound like we didn't suck?', Then I think of some cool band..... why are you laughing, this is seriously how I do it! Then I think " what does a cool song sound like, oh I know, like that" then start trying to play it!
What has been the high point so far for you?
Jamie: Dammit, we haven't answered this yet, we always forget it, and it really annoys me, ooh i'm gonna do something really annoying now. bangs glass on table loudly see? That's going to really annoy you now when you play that back on tape....
Jon: What was it, what was it, there was something wicked that happened that was wicked...
Jamie: Going on tour with Mclusky, that's gonna be cool, hasn't happened yet , but that was nice laughs . This tour, this tour generally, it's all the interesting people we meet, and getting to be interviewed by people like you, that's wicked, seriously its amazing. Getting to #2 on the most wanted chart. Getting played on actual MTV thats an up point.
Guy: Getting to #87 in the UK charts.
Jon:Selling out of all the records, that was brilliant. laughs We only had like ten done... and my mum bought them all but that was wicked! laughs
Do you prefer playing live, filming videos, or recording in the studio?
Jamie: Lets think.... playing live! Filming videos is quite stressful and so's recording, but a bit less....
Jon: When we're onstage we're quite far apart, but when we're in the studio we're right next to each other so we get into ruckuses.
Jamie: Its all fun though, but you don't get a reaction from the crowd when you're filming videos, or in the studio....I dunno. That was cheesy! I knew that was gonna sound cheesy when I said it. But there we go. You need a cheese disclaimer somewhere in this!
Apart from the police, what are you scared of?
Jamie: Old people who live in bus shelters..... thinks THAT FUCKING METEORITE THATS GONNA WIPE OUT EVERYTHING ON EARTH IN 2019! That's pretty severe!
Guy: OH MY GOD, what am I going to do! Unzips bag and sticks his head inside it then zips bag up, and sits with bag on head
Jamie: Guy's gone into self defence mode!!!!
Guy: muffled I think I'll survive if I do this!!!!!!
Unzips bag and takes head out
Jamie: What else...Giant scorpions!
Jon: Driving!
Jamie: erm... Sucking.... live.
Guy: laughs I was wondering what you were gonna say then!!!!
Jamie: Fish!
Guy: Slipping off the edge of a cliff face....
Jon: Going on the dangerous bit of Hadriens Wall
Jamie: That was well scary but kind of tantalising at the same time....I tell you what im NOT scared of, that flying fish ride at thorpe park! That's PANSY! laughs You look at it and you're like WICKED rollercoaster, but its not, it sucks!!!! Another place.... Legoland! There are NO rides at all in lego land!That sucks too! You're like wow lets go to the legoland museum! looks comatose from boredom wow,look, another brick, woohoo.
Jon:You can drive these car things though and a get a medal!
What are your ambitions for this band?
Jon:Gold tooth, Honeys! laughs
Jamie: BIFBIB, one of those things where you take the first letter.. an acronym! well BIFBIB standing for "bitches in the front, bitches in the back" laughs I'm gonna get a tatoo of it on my chest, actually I might get it done backwards so if I was running behind your car, you'd beable to read it! laughs and look in the mirror and be like SHIT MAN! No seriously though, we'd just like to get enough money to beable to keep on doing what we're doing, release good records, get it done by a good producer, go on tour with good bands etc.
How do you feel about all the post hardcore/nirvana/silverchair comparisons that keep coming your way?
Jamie: confused We've been compared to postcards!?!?
Everyone laughs
Jon: POST-HARD-CORE!
Guy: You've just invented a new genre, Postcard core!
Jamie: What is posthardcore anyway????? It's like little pigeon holes everywhere, "Emo post alien grunge magnet!" sort of thing!
Jon: We are straight-forward "Boom!"
Jamie: Yeah it says it on my guitar baby! well, not this one....
Boom?
Jamie: Basically, when you hear our band if you had to write down what our band sounded like in one word, you'd go BOOM!!!!! becuase thats what we sound like.... well... you could say rubbish I suppose but thats not very nice !
What was the first gig you went to?
hysterical laughter
Jamie: Guy, Guy, save yours til last, ours will be crap compared to that!
Jon: Mine was local band in a local pub!
Jamie: Mine was 'Magic, a kind of Queen' laughs
Guy: Check this.....the first band I ever saw.... was in Singapore at the arena................. MC Hammer!
hysterical laughter
Jamie: Go on go on, Guy, who was the support band?
Guy: Vanilla Ice!
laughs again
Jamies guitar string breaks
Jamie: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHHH! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS FUCKING GUITAR!!!!!!
What is your favourite song of yours?
Jamie: Whatever we say will sound really arrogant won't it....
No because I'm asking!
Jamie: It's a song called 'Approaching by stealth' my favourite.
Guy: DOH!
Jamie: Was that yours too? Anyway, its funky with a groove and sounds like eighties cheesy metal..... looks at Jon Are you trying to fix my guitar string with tape? laughs and sticks tape to forehead. check it out! My favourite song is Overdose by InMe.. no! wait! Underdose! phone rings, Jamie laughs Hold onnnn I've got showbiz mates calling meeeee laughs
Guy: Yeah but I'll change it now.... erm... Freddy Kreuger, but thats just because it's new, and it blatantly won't be my favourite song in two weeks time.....
Jamie: OI, what you saying boy?????
Jon: Alpha Signal 7
Jamie: WOOOO! controversial choice but a good one!
Jamie: oooh just thought of something, check it out check it out, look look look, right, If you bite your elbow, well obviously you cant, but if someone bites your elbow.... hang on this is pointless unless I do it, can I bite your elbow? let me bite your elbow....it doesn't hurt at all, check it out. bites my elbow see! it doesn't hurt!
It doesn't actually!
Just see if you can clear up a disagreement for me.... The first line in Wooden Boy, "if all I am is flesh and blood I might as well be -----" what are the words at the end?
Jamie:What do you think it is?
I'll write it down then you tell me what it is and I'll show what what I wrote, see if I'm right.
Jamie: OK, done it? It's Dog food. looks at paper where i'd written dog food You were right! Well done! Does that sound like it should make sense to you?
Yeah, all dog food is is meat and blood.....
Jamie: What did the other person think it was?
Dark blue...
Jamie: WELL SHE'S A TWAT!!!!!! Ooh that reminds me, I went on some song meanings site the other day and I look like such a twat as they've got all my lyrics wrong!!!!!!
Finally, what advice would you give to someone just starting out in a band, is there anything that you wish you had known at the very beginning?
Jon: Don't take sweets from strangers!!!!!! laughs
Jamie: Just be honest, don't try to sing in a certain style or accent, do what you want to do, don't try and copy anyone else! Just be honest.... unless your a liar!
Guy: Have a spare guitar!
Jamie: Yeah and don't have two guitarist cos it's rubbish... actually do, unless you're a three piece!
everyone laughs
Jon: Yeah! Don't have a three piece band with four members!
Jamie:And no matter how great an idea it seems at the time, never do a Nirvana cover, you won't beable to do it!
Jon: Never play 'Come as you are' in a music shop, you won't beable to do it!
Jamie: Let's face it boys and girls, you can't hack it, it's not that difficult, but you won't beable to do it!
© 2003 Jen Thomas
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