Spookey Ruben

A grunge poet recording for the industrial label TVT, Spookey Ruben was born in Ottawa, Ontario, but grew up with a military family in Germany, where he formed his own speed metal bands during his teenage years. He returned to Canada to attend film school for two years, but quit to play in several area bands. Frustrated by their lack of originality, Ruben began recording more pop-oriented material by himself; when one of his demos reached TVT Records, the label signed him. Debut album Modes of Transportation, Vol. 1 was released in 1995. A split single/live EP was released two years later. 1999's What's a Boy to Do? went unreleased everywhere but Japan, hastening Ruben's exit from TVT.