- Reuben Keeney's tunes have the support by the likes of Sasha, Carl Cox, Slam, Paolo Mojo and Luciano,
- In 2009, he was awarded 'Best New Artist' in Irish Dance Music,
- David Guetta, Laidback Luke and Paul Van Dyk love his spinning his latest works,
- His first gig was at the age of 13,
- He is about to head to Australia,
- He just turned 18.
It's "pretty exciting" for the first tour that's all about Reuben Keeney with Thick as Thieves this September. Having only just reached our legal drinking age, it's "really exciting times," to be seeing a "different culture" and bringing some awesome sounds our way. It's "crazy going to a completely different continent," he said, to not sound sheltered came quickly to his defense laughing, "I've been to Ibiza!!!" Nevertheless, the difference this time is that is will include the mans first long haul flight. Laughing, "Mum is a little nervous about the flights! I'm just really thankful for the chance."
Reuben Keeney of Ireland started making tunes at around 12 or 13 and is already coming into his own. A master with 6 odd years under the belt he admits, it's a little "weird to say 'already 6 years in', I just turned 18!!"
It's at this point you want to demand photo ID and additional confirmation with a birth certificate and an eye witness. Reuben is and will be sensational. I'm sure you'd want to argue that at his 'tender' age, he's still got a lot to learn. However you only need to talk to this guy. He's got a voice as deep as an Irish Barry White and his head in a space that you cannot believe he is only 18. "I'm also over 6 foot which throws a lot of people," he joked. At this rate he is almost ready to coin his autobiography with two years on Justin Bieber (well ok... maybe not.)
Even when he was little, he always had music. He started out the same way many in the industry would; you head out to the clubs and after a while you start to just get sick of the the stuff that other people were making. His first gig was at only 13, a week after xmas when getting new CDJS, the want and need to use them was strong. "I was so nervous at a local club!" but found the experience "good and am thankful. I've stayed in touch with the promoters." The occasion "wasn't my first time in a club, but the first time playing." (We only hope it was an underage one...)
It wasn't long before he realised that "DJs can't make it unless they have the production behind them," so as quickly as it all started, his life turned to production. "It worked out good for me. I just never expected it to go this way."
Until recently the main battle was until he finished school, "Dad used to DJ so knows the ins and outs. They (his parents) have been really supportive about it and always known: that's what I do." He just needed to finish School at the same time.
'Back in the day' of his first productions, his direction was totally different to the chunky, deep, filthy techno and house beats you hear today. "When I started, the direction was so different. In 5 years might be completely different again. It has just been evolving over the last two or 3 years," he said, "just trying to keep it fresh, I'm happy where it is." Then again who knows, "maybe (in five more years he'll be) into to death metal."
"From such an early age a DJ called Fergie," has been a real mentor. "I'm lucky knowing someone who knows the industry. To have the good influence and a friend who knows what to expect and who knows how to deal with it." This makes for his astoundingly grounded attitude and passionate direction, coming from the solid influences around him. "He's great as he knows how things work."
With the solid support, "it's just weird" he admits. With people like Paulo Mojo around him too, he's in the position to take over to world.
The next globe conquest is down under. "Every track is a bit different," he hinted, just to get us a little more excited. The tour trip meant a cancellation of playing in Ibiza, so he wants "to to a good job of it!" Even though his legal options have opened him up to a few Aussie brews, while playing he'll be having nothing but water to focus, with maybe a cider afterwards laughing, "only in the last 6 months I've started getting all that..." It is just all about the music.
Before long he'll back back home and in the studio. "I'm now in studio five days a week since finishing school. Now its agents and managers and bookings," he laughed. Over the last year, "Mark Knight has been a great help, I just did a remix!" he admits (you could hear him smiling about this). "Its great to talk to these people but weird when talking to them. One day they are in one country then the next, in another."
Getting even more into and out of his production, Reuben's been "talking to people that I'd never thought would talk to me, asking for tips while thinking '2 years ago I was asking them!!'" The advice is coming together with some fresh tracks and attempts to make loads of mashups, "these days its too easy for people to play the same thing. It's so easy to pick up records," he said in preparation. His trick for Australia is to bring the knowledge that no one "will have the same track as me."
Asking again for ID, Reuben knows, "it's not normal for a young guy to go out and play."
It's even more abnormal, that he is this good.
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