Gentleman Reg

Gentleman Reg
Birth name	Reg Vermue
Origin	Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Indie rock, folk rock, lo-fi
Instruments	Guitar Vocals Piano
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Three Gut Records Arts & Crafts
Associated acts	The Hidden Cameras Broken Social Scene Owen Pallett Royal City Constantines
Website	Gentleman Reg

Reg Vermue is a Canadian indie rock singer from Guelph, Ontario. Born in Trenton, Ontario, he records as Gentleman Reg. His musical style has been compared to Elliott Smith, Aimee Mann, The Smiths and Cat Power. He had a cameo role in the 2006 film Shortbus. Most recently he began performing with a new band called Light Fires with James Bunton from the band Ohbijou debuting songs in October 2010, at Pop Montreal.^[1]

Career

His first album, The Theoretical Girl, was released in 2000 on Three Gut Records. He released two more albums, Make Me Pretty in 2002 and Darby & Joan in 2004, on Three Gut before the label folded in 2005.^[2]

He subsequently signed to Arts & Crafts in 2008.^[3] His first release for that label, Little Buildings in 2008, was a compilation of tracks from his Three Gut albums. The album was created for release in the United States, where his earlier albums had never secured wide distribution. At the same time, he also released "You Can't Get it Back", an advance single from his first album of new material for Arts & Crafts, Jet Black, which was released in full on February 24, 2009.^[4] Jet Black marks the first proper studio album that he will be releasing in the United States.^[5]

Members of Royal City and The Constantines have regularly appeared as Vermue's band, live and on recordings. As well as long time drummer Greg Millson, who now performs with Great Lake Swimmers. Vermue was also a member of The Hidden Cameras for several years and has performed with Broken Social Scene, sung backup for Sufjan Stevens, and often guests with Owen Pallett. He also appeared on a tribute CD for The Breeders, Hellbound, performing the song "Doe".

Songs by Gentleman Reg have appeared in such films as Shortbus, Wilby Wonderful, Twist, The End of Silence, Late Fragment, and on the television show Queer as Folk.

Vermue, who is openly gay,^[6] appears in a cameo role in the 2006 John Cameron Mitchell film Shortbus. In it, his character claims to be an albino — although Vermue is fair-skinned and has very light blond hair, he is not in fact an albino,^[7] although he was born without pigmentation.^[8] Songs by Gentleman Reg are featured on the soundtrack of the film.

Discography

Albums

• The Theoretical Girl (2000)
• Make Me Pretty (2002)
• Darby & Joan (2004)
• Little Buildings (e.p.) (2008) (U.S. only release)
• Jet Black (2009)
• Heavy Head (e.p.) (2009) (Digital only release)

Compilations

• "Doe" on Hellbound: A Tribute to The Breeders (2001)
• "Over My Head (4 track)" on Friends in Bellwoods (2007)
• "For Trust" on Friends in Bellwoods II (2009)

Soundtracks

• Wilby Wonderful by Daniel MacIvor, 2004
• Shortbus by John Cameron Mitchell, 2006

Guest Vocal Appearances

• "In The Beginning w/Stars" from Unreleased by Isis Salem(ex-Thunderheist) (2010)^[9]
• "Smalltown Boy" from Unreleased^[10] by Buck65 (2010)^[11]
• "Wait & See" from Special Affections by Diamond Rings (2010)
• "Flare Gun" from Heartland by Owen Pallett (2010)
• "Blizzards" from Swift Feet for Troubling Times (Re-issue) by Ohbijou (2007)
• "Hotline Operator" from Tournament of Hearts by Constantines (2005)
• "Library" from Has a Good Home by Final Fantasy (2004)
• "Bring My Father a Gift" and "Take Me Down to Yonder River" from Little Heart's Ease by Royal City (2004)
• "Reward and Respite" from Attic Salt by Kepler (2004)
• "Communication" from Morning Noon Night by Jim Guthrie (2002)

As a member of The Hidden Cameras

Reg appeared on several of their albums and singles in different capacities.

• The Smell of Our Own (2003)
• The Hidden Cameras Play the CBC Sessions (2003)
• Mississauga Goddam (2004)
• I Believe in the Good of Life CD single (2004)
• Awoo (2006)

References

1. ^ http://www.spinner.ca/2010/10/03/gentleman-reg-ohbijou-light-fires-pop-montreal/
2. ^ Khanna, Vish. "Ever the Gentleman Reg ", Exclaim!, March 2009.
3. ^ "Gentleman Reg Inks Deal with Arts and Crafts". CBC Radio 3. 2008-07-15. http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2008/7/Gentleman-Reg-Inks-Deal-with-Arts-and-Crafts. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
4. ^ MacNeil, Jason (2007-05-04). "Gentleman Reg Wraps Record With Help From Friends". Chart Attack. http://www.chartattack.com/news/43534/gentleman-reg-wraps-record-with-help-from-friends. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
5. ^ http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gentleman_Reg/2009/02/25/8523766-sun.html
6. ^ Michael Barclay (2006-02-27). "Gentleman Reg plays the confidence game". Eye Weekly. http://www.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_06.27.02/music/reg.php. Retrieved 2007-07-18. 
7. ^ Shortbus DVD director and cast commentary
8. ^ http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=1312305
9. ^ http://www.aux.tv/newmusic/music-news/listen-to-a-new-song-from-thunderheists-isis-salam/
10. ^ http://exclaim.ca/News/buck_65_celebrates_i20_odd_years_i_with_collaborations_with_gord_downie_nick_thorburn_hannah_georgas
11. ^ http://exclaim.ca/News/buck_65_talks_i20_odd_years_i_ep_series_gets_gentleman_reg_to_help_cover_bronski_beat_on_next_instalment

External links

• Gentleman Reg
• Gentleman Reg on Myspace

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