Rob Benvie
Encyclopedia
Rob Benvie is a Canadian
musician and writer who has performed with alternative rock
acts Thrush Hermit
, Camouflage Nights
, The Tennis Injury, and The Dears
. He also records and occasionally performs live as Tigre Benvie.
Benvie first gained notoriety as the guitarist, singer and songwriter in Halifax
rock band Thrush Hermit. Thrush Hermit also included Joel Plaskett
, Ian McGettigan
and Cliff Gibb. Touring extensively throughout North America, Thrush Hermit released two EPs on Murderecords
: Smart Bomb and The Great Pacific Ocean. Their first full-length Sweet Homewrecker
was released on the American
label Elektra Records
. In 1999, Thrush Hermit released Clayton Park
on Sonic Unyon Records.
Prior to the Thrush Hermit era, Benvie distributed numerous home recordings under such names as The Tennis Injury, The Benvies, Yammer, and Day Pass. After Thrush Hermit's 1999 break-up, Benvie wrote and produced two solo albums as Tigre Benvie: Year of the Mutt and Bankruptcy. In 2001, he joined The Dears as bass/guitar player, and in years following continued to perform and record with the band in various faculties; in 2009 he rejoined the band as a full-time multi-instrumentalist. He has also intermittently released music digitally under the pseudonym Drug Dog. In 2010, Thrush Hermit briefly reunited for a successful reunion tour. Later that year, he released a new Tigre Benvie EP, titled 2003.
In 2004 he and McGettigan formed Camouflage Nights
. After a string of tour dates and limited edition audio and video releases, the band's debut LP—originally slated for late 2008—is still forthcoming due to ongoing label complications. Camouflage Nights has remixed artists such as Stars, Every Move a Picture
, Pony Da Look
, along with scoring numerous projects.
In May 2001 literature and humour website McSweeney's Internet Tendency
featured an essay by Benvie titled "The Porn I Like". Benvie's first novel, Safety of War, was published by Coach House Books
. He has admitted to over ten years of work on another lengthy novel titled Barefoot Teenagers, possibly about the history of CGI, heli-skiing, and the life and death of Shannon Hoon
.
In 2011, Benvie published a second novel, titled Maintenance.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician and writer who has performed with alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
acts Thrush Hermit
Thrush Hermit
-History:Thrush Hermit was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1992 by Joel Plaskett , Rob Benvie , Ian McGettigan , and Michael Catano...
, Camouflage Nights
Camouflage Nights
Camouflage Nights is an electro-rock band from Toronto headed by Rob Benvie and Ian McGettigan, former members of the defunct Halifax indie band Thrush Hermit....
, The Tennis Injury, and The Dears
The Dears
-History:The band formed in 1995 and released their first album, End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, in 2000. Their orchestral, dark pop sound and dramatic live shows cemented The Dears at the foundation of the then-emerging Canadian indie renaissance...
. He also records and occasionally performs live as Tigre Benvie.
Benvie first gained notoriety as the guitarist, singer and songwriter in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
rock band Thrush Hermit. Thrush Hermit also included Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
, Ian McGettigan
Ian McGettigan
Ian McGettigan is a Canadian rock musician and producer.As bassist, singer and songwriter for Thrush Hermit, McGettigan gained indie rock notoriety. Thrush Hermit also included Joel Plaskett, Rob Benvie and Cliff Gibb. Touring extensively through Canada and the United States, Thrush Hermit released...
and Cliff Gibb. Touring extensively throughout North America, Thrush Hermit released two EPs on Murderecords
Murderecords
Murderecords is an independent record label that releases the music of the Canadian rock band Sloan. Originally formed in 1992 to produce just the records of that band, it later released work of other bands including Eric's Trip, The Hardship Post, Al Tuck, Stinkin' Rich, Hip Club Groove, The...
: Smart Bomb and The Great Pacific Ocean. Their first full-length Sweet Homewrecker
Sweet Homewrecker
Sweet Homewrecker is the first full-length album by Canadian rock band Thrush Hermit. It was released on Elektra Records in 1997.-Track listing:# Skip the Life – 3:23# North Dakota – 3:48# Noosed and Haloed Swear Words – 3:32# Without You? – 2:04...
was released on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
label Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. In 1999, Thrush Hermit released Clayton Park
Clayton Park (album)
Clayton Park is the second full-length album by Canadian rock band Thrush Hermit. It was released on Sonic Unyon in 1999, and is the last recording they released as a band...
on Sonic Unyon Records.
Prior to the Thrush Hermit era, Benvie distributed numerous home recordings under such names as The Tennis Injury, The Benvies, Yammer, and Day Pass. After Thrush Hermit's 1999 break-up, Benvie wrote and produced two solo albums as Tigre Benvie: Year of the Mutt and Bankruptcy. In 2001, he joined The Dears as bass/guitar player, and in years following continued to perform and record with the band in various faculties; in 2009 he rejoined the band as a full-time multi-instrumentalist. He has also intermittently released music digitally under the pseudonym Drug Dog. In 2010, Thrush Hermit briefly reunited for a successful reunion tour. Later that year, he released a new Tigre Benvie EP, titled 2003.
In 2004 he and McGettigan formed Camouflage Nights
Camouflage Nights
Camouflage Nights is an electro-rock band from Toronto headed by Rob Benvie and Ian McGettigan, former members of the defunct Halifax indie band Thrush Hermit....
. After a string of tour dates and limited edition audio and video releases, the band's debut LP—originally slated for late 2008—is still forthcoming due to ongoing label complications. Camouflage Nights has remixed artists such as Stars, Every Move a Picture
Every Move A Picture
Every Move a Picture is an inactive dance-rock band from San Francisco, USA.-Biography:The dance post-punk stylings of San Francisco's Every Move a Picture initially materialized around vocalist/guitarist Brent Messenger, bassist Joey Fredrick, and drummer Dan Aquino...
, Pony Da Look
Pony Da Look
Pony Da Look is keyboard-based band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The band members are Temple Bates , Amy Bowles , Catherine Stockhausen , and Rob Gordon...
, along with scoring numerous projects.
In May 2001 literature and humour website McSweeney's Internet Tendency
McSweeney's
McSweeney's is an American publishing house founded by editor Dave Eggers.Apart from its book list, McSweeney's is responsible for four regular publications: the quarterly literary journal,...
featured an essay by Benvie titled "The Porn I Like". Benvie's first novel, Safety of War, was published by Coach House Books
Coach House Books
Coach House Books is an independent Canadian publishing company located in Toronto, Ontario. Coach House publishes innovative and experimental poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction. The press is particularly interested in writing that pushes at the boundaries of convention.-History:The company was...
. He has admitted to over ten years of work on another lengthy novel titled Barefoot Teenagers, possibly about the history of CGI, heli-skiing, and the life and death of Shannon Hoon
Shannon Hoon
Richard Shannon Hoon was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He was the frontman and lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death from a cocaine overdose in 1995.-Early life:...
.
In 2011, Benvie published a second novel, titled Maintenance.
Discography
- 2000 - Year of the Mutt
- 2002 - Bankruptcy
- 2010 - 2003 (Tigre Benvie album)
- 2011 - Mistiness (Tigre Benvie album)