Nate Ruess
Nate Ruess | |
|---|---|
 Ruess performing at Bonnaroo in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Nathaniel Joseph Ruess |
| Born | February 26, 1982 Iowa City, Iowa, United States |
| Origin | Arizona, United States |
| Genres | Indie pop, indie rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Fueled By Ramen |
Nathaniel Joseph "Nate" Ruess[1] (born February 26, 1982) is an American indie/indie pop singer-songwriter from Arizona. Ruess was the singer of The Format and currently lead vocalist of the band Fun.[2]
Early life
Ruess was born February 26, 1982 in Iowa City, Iowa. He was the younger of two children, his sister Libbie being one year older.
In 1986, his family moved to a farm in Glendale, Arizona, where he remained throughout his childhood. He attended Deer Valley High School and graduated in 2000. Having an uncle, John Ruess, who performed on Broadway, Ruess was always somewhat interested in music and performing. He joined punk bands in high school (Nevergonnascore, This Past Year) and, upon graduation, chose to pursue music instead of attending college. He never took formal singing lessons or learned to play an instrument and was often told by peers that he lacked the talent to make it professionally. In an interview with American Songwriter Ruess states, "I’m not one to take lessons, so I decided that the only way I was going to learn how to sing, if what they were saying was true, was to go in my car and put on any sort of music from a vocalist that might be really hard to mimic, turn it on as loud as possible and try to hit all those notes.”[3] He took a job in a law firm as a way to support himself while he pursued his musical ambitions. [4]
In 2001, at the age of 19, he launched the band The Format with his longtime best friend, Sam Means. This was his first musical endeavor to garner widespread attention.
Career
2001-2008: The Format
After forming in 2001, The Format released a demo, titled EP, which generated local interest and led to the band being signed to Elektra Records in 2002. They released their first studio album, Interventions + Lullabies, on October 21, 2003, leading to more local mainstream success. The band's fanbase began to grow. The Format released their second EP, Snails, with Atlantic Records in April 2005. However, while working on their second album, Dog Problems, they were dropped from Atlantic. They eventually created their own label, The Vanity Label, and released the album on July 11, 2006. On February 4, 2008, Ruess announced through the band's blog that The Format would not be making another album.
We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close and in fact are still passing the Twin Peaks box set back and forth in an attempt to figure out who REALLY killed Laura Palmer. We also want to thank everyone with and within the Format, particularly Mike, Don, and Marko, whom without, none of this would have ever even been fully realized. We both suggest you support their musical talents and whatever they decide to do. And lastly we want to thank the fans who made this the best 5 years of our lives.[5]
2008-present: Fun.
Immediately after the split of The Format, Ruess contacted Jack Antonoff of Steel Train and Andrew Dost, formerly of Anathallo, to form a new band. They released their first demo, "Benson Hedges", through Spin's September 20, 2008 article on fun.[6] Four months after releasing their first single, "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)" through Myspace on April 6, 2009, fun. released their first studio album, entitled Aim and Ignite. Despite receiving generally positive reviews, the album was not a commercial success, peaking at 71 on the US album charts. The band supported Jack's Mannequin on tour in both 2008 and 2010, and Paramore in 2010. On August 4, 2010, they announced that they had been signed to the Fueled by Ramen label. On May 17, 2011, the band was featured on Panic! at the Disco's single "C'mon". They also opened for Panic! at the Disco during their 2011 Vices & Virtues Tour. Their second album, Some Nights, was released on February 21, 2012 and featured production by Jeff Bhasker. The album's first single, We Are Young (featuring Janelle Monae), which had been covered on Glee the previous December and featured on a Chevrolet commercial during the Super Bowl in February 2012, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts on March 8, 2012. On July 9 2012 they played at Scottish music festival T In The Park in Ballado, Scotland.
Personal life
Ruess is currently dating the sister of bandmate Jack Antonoff, Rachel. When not on tour, the three of them live together in New Jersey with Antonoff's parents. [7]
References
- ^ Eliscu, Jenny (2012). "Fun". Rolling Stone: 30.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Escudero, Nicki (16 June 2011). "Former Format Singer Nate Ruess Wants to Have fun. in Arizona". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ "fun.:Everyday Anthems". fun.:Everyday Anthems. American Songwriter. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ^ Interview & Show Preview: fun. @ Showbox SoDo Friday, 6/24, Back Beat Seattle, 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
- ^ News post, titled "Important." The Format's official website. Accessed February 4, 2008.
- ^ "Members of the Format, Steel Train, Anathallo unite as Fun", Spin, 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
- ^ Eliscu, Jenny (2012). "Fun". Rolling Stone: 30.
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