A lesson in living in the here and now
- Text by Paden Vaughan
At eight-years-old Rueben Hollebon thought he’d try his hand at singing, before being rejected from his local choir and told that he in fact couldn’t sing. Following years of dull jobs and playing football almost everyday in his native Norfolk, the singer/songwriter picked up a guitar at 18, soon finding himself studying music and audio systems at Huddersfield University. But after focusing on other people’s music for so long, he decided that it was time to shift from practicing alone at home to writing and releasing his own.
With his debut album Terminal Nostalgia released in May last year, Rueben is continuing to establish himself as an artist. His journey has been subtle, albeit difficult at times, and is the subject of a new short film from Other Brother Studios.
The four-minute film sees Reuben disclose his experiences growing up on a housing estate in Norfolk, and his transformation from someone who never felt the need to be creative, to a professional musician. Reuben grew up with his father’s extensive record collection as the soundtrack to his life in a small town that could offer little stimulation during his teenage years.
In some ways Terminal Nostalgia looks back on with a subtly that is matched by Reuben’s introverted demeanour, and this has been vital in his composition:
“Intent in music is strong enough, if it’s strong enough, [that] you don’t have to give away all the other clues,” he says. “You don’t have to communicate absolutely everything to feel something that’s coming from there.”
Despite this, Reuben avoids too much nostalgia, which became an integral part of his debut. The album’s title alone hints to a deeper message of living in the now, something that Reuben imparts through his subtle yet impactful songwriting.
“It came from a warning to not get stuck in enjoying how much you’re remembering experiences but actually just enjoying experiences,” he says. “As long as something was interesting, I wanted to know it.”
Reuben is on tour from 17 -22 January 2017.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Huck teams up with Eastern Margins for a special SXSW London showcase
From Shibuya to Shoreditch — Taking place at Village Underground on Monday, performances will come from MONO, Nina Utashiro, Ena Mori, Jianbo, LVRA & Soda Plains.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Analogue Appreciation: Shura
I Got Too Sad For My Friends — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s English singer-songwriter Shura.
Written by: Shura
After Assad’s fall, Syria’s musicians rebuild from the rubble
Spaces Between the Beats — Following decades of dictatorship and 14 years of civil war, the country’s classical and creative scenes have an opportunity to build from scratch. Andrei Popviciu speaks to the people hoping for a flourishing new era of art and sound.
Written by: Andrei Popoviciu
At Belgium’s Horst, electronic music, skate and community collide
More than a festival — With art exhibitions, youth projects and a brand new skatepark, the Vilvoorde-Brussels weekender is demonstrating how music events can have an impact all year round.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Tony Njoku: ‘I wanted to see Black artists living my dream’
What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s avant-garde electronic and classical music hybridist Tony Njoku.
Written by: Tony Njoku
Block9 reveals its Glastonbury Festival 2025 plans
Party and protest — The nightlife hub will feature a bigger-than-ever Saturday daytime block party across The NYC Downlow and Genosys, and a huge collaboration with artist-activist group Led By Donkeys.
Written by: Isaac Muk
