Reef

views updated May 18 2018

Reef

Rock band

For the Record

Selected discography

Sources

Reef, from Englands West Country in Somerset, astounded even their staunchest fans in 1997 by attaining the number one position on the British charts with their second album, Glow. This feat was foreshadowed by two back-to-back top ten singles, Place your Hands and Come Together, before the release of Glow. The Los Angeles Daily News included Reefs Glow on their Best of 97 Music list and described the release as, Bluesy, guitar-driven rock from Britain of the sort the Rolling Stones used to make. Jim Farber of the New York Daily News wrote, (Reef) clearly recalls the early-70s rock-soul of Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth. Reefs not as slavishly retro as, say, the Black Crowes or Primal Screameven though they share the same producer.

Vocalist Gary Stringer and guitarist Kenwyn House were raised in Somerset, England near Glastonbury. Bassist Jack Bessant and drummer Domenic Greensmith were raised in nearby towns. Stringer told Live magazines Tom Lanham, When I was fourteen and living in Glastonbury7,000 people, real small townthere were no cool clubs to go to, nothing to do. So I went over to my mates house and noticed he had a guitar. My other mates had a drum kit and a bass so I started shouting, which turned into singingit was just something to do. From then on, I never, ever thoughtof being a singer. I wasa singer. Lanham described Stringers vocal style as a unique blend of Joe Cocker and Van Morrison, with a little scratchy Howlin Wolf thrown in for good measure. Stringer and Bessant met while studying at Strode College, where they formed a band that eventually became known as Chief. Chief included future Kula Shaker drummer Paul Winterhart. Stringer told Lanham that his friends all chuckled when he quit college to work for the equivalent of $125 a week at a local newsstand, but he knew what he wanted. He was saving up for a P. A. system.

When Chief disbanded, Bessant went first to Canada, and then to America. He bought an acoustic guitar and began to write his own material. Stringer took a three-month trip to Morocco and began crafting his own songs, as well. When Stringer and Bessant returned to Somerset they formed a new group. After relocating to London, they met drummer Greensmith, who introduced the duo to House. House was already somewhat familiar to Stringer from a pool hall in Glastonbury, where House was perceived as a bit of a pool hustler. The four began playing together in 1993 as Naked, and were soon signed to Sonys S2 label. After hearing the bands demo tape, Paul Weller invited them to join his tour as an opening band. Stringer told Lanham, We used to pick fruit on the farms in the mornings to make ends meet. Wed cut our hands up from picking so much, and wed be real dirty as well. (We would) straight away dive into the sea and catch those waves. Then wed go onstage at night with wet hair. Wicked laughs, wicked times.

After changing their name to Reef, the bands second single, Naked, rose to number eleven on the British chart. Their debut release, Replenish, followed soon after and established a trademark sound for Reef, characterized by tough, solid guitar riffs, relaxed drums, and a soulful, scratchy vocal style. Their popularity blossomed after non-stop touring, which included high-exposure tour dates with the Rolling Stones and Sound-garden. Replenish, reached the British top ten in 1995 and Reef performed for the first time in the U.S. later that year. After their U.S. tour, the band toured Europe for the remainder of 1995, and then toured Japan and Australia at the start of 1996.

Reef teamed with American producer George Drakoulias, in 1996 for their sophomore release, Glow, on Epic. Drakoulias had previously worked with such diverse musicians as Black Crowes, the Beastie Boys, Maria McKee, and Charlie Rich. Reefs members were initially skeptical about working with Drakoulias because they wanted to avoid comparisons with the Black Crowes, but the match proved to be ideal. The sessions for Glow began in England and were finished in Los Angeles,

For the Record

Members include Jack Bessant (born, 1972), bass; Domenic Greensmith (born, 1971), drums; Kenwyn House (born, 1971), guitar; Gary Stringer , vocals.

Stringer and Bessant met while studying at Strode College, where they formed a band that eventually became known as Chief and included future Kula Shaker drummer Paul Winterhart; the four band members began playing together in 1993 and were signed to the Sony label under the name Naked; toured with Paul Weller; after changing their name to Reef, the bands second single, Naked, rose to number 11 on the U.K. chart; released debut album, Replenish, 1995; toured with the Rolling Stones and Soundgarden; debut release Replenish reached the U.K. Top Ten in 1995; performed for the first time in the U.S. in 1995; released Glow, 1997; Glow reached number one on the English charts in 1997.

Addresses: Record company Epic Records, 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022-3297.

since Drakoulias wanted Reef to work with his engineer, Jim Scott. Drakoulias and Scott inspired Reef by playing Proud Mary and other hits by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Reefs Glow reached number one on the English charts in 1997.

Glows first single and video, Place Your Hands, revealed a new direction for Reef: the fusion of a gospel choir with a reggae beat, and sad, poignant lyrics. That song was written about the devastation Stringer felt after the death of his grandfather. Place Your Hands meant to ease the pain of deathreached number six on the U.K. charts. Farber, writing about the bands new sound, said, Without accompaniment Gary Stringer begins Place Your Hands by aping the most salacious phrasings of Mick Jaggeronly knocked down an octave to recall the gritty drawl of Otis Redding. Glows second single, Come Back Brighter, reached number eight on the U.K. charts. Reef toured the U.S. in 1997, traveling from the east coast across the Midwest. The bands video for Place Your Hands was directed by David Moulder and features band members on pulleys and wires to create an aerial dance. MTV chose the video for its coveted Buzz Bin, which prompted Epic to push up Glows release. G/owpushed Reef squarely into the mainstream, and Stringer revealed the bands outlook and basic tenet when he told Lanham, I always believed that if you just make a good record, then people are gonna pick up on you at some time or another.

Selected discography

Replenish, Sony, 1995.

Glow, Epic Records, 1997.

Sources

Bass Player, May 1997.

CMJ, September 1997.

Live!, July 1997.

Los Angeles Daily News, December 28, 1997.

New York Daily News, July 7, 1997.

B. Kimberly Taylor

reef

views updated May 08 2018

reef
1. A rigid, wave-resistant build-up constructed by carbonate organisms. Types of reef include patch reefs (small and circular in shape); pinnacle reefs (conical in form); barrier reefs (separated from the coast by a lagoon); fringing reefs (attached to a coast); and atolls (isolated reefs enclosing lagoons). Factors influencing reef growth include: (a) water temperature (optimum 25°C); (b) water depth (must be less than 10 m); (c) salinity (normal marine salinity is necessary); (d) wave action (intense wave action favours coral growth); and (e) turbidity (coral growth requires clear water and an absence of terrigenous suspended sediment). The diversity of species found in a reef will be a function of salinity and water temperature, with stressful conditions resulting in a reduction of species present.

2. In mining, certain palaeoplacer gold deposits in Australia and South Africa.

reef

views updated May 23 2018

reef1 / rēf/ • n. a ridge of jagged rock, coral, or sand just above or below the surface of the sea. ∎ Austral. & S. Afr. a metalliferous mineral deposit, esp. one that is bedded and contains gold.reef2 Sailing • n. each of the several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to reduce the area exposed to the wind.• v. [tr.] take in one or more reefs of (a sail): reefing the mainsail in strong winds.

reef

views updated May 21 2018

reef A rigid, wave-resistant structure that is built up by carbonate organisms. Types of reef include patch reefs (small and circular in shape); pinnacle reefs (conical in form); barrier reefs (separated from the coast by a lagoon); fringing reefs (attached to a coast); and atolls (isolated reefs enclosing lagoons). Factors influencing reef growth include: (a)water temperature (optimum 25°C);(b)water depth (must be less than 10 m);(c)salinity (normal marine salinity is necessary);(d)wave action (intense wave action favours coral growth); and(e)turbidity (coral growth requires clear water and an absence of terrigenous suspended sediment). The diversity of species found in a reef is related to salinity and water temperature, with stressful conditions resulting in a reduction of species present.

reef

views updated May 29 2018

reef1 (naut.) horizontal strip of a sail that can be taken in. XIV (rīff). — (M)Du. reef, rif — ON. rif (RIB) in same sense; cf. next.
Hence reef vb. reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef. XVII. Hence reefer (-ER1) reefing-jacket (close-fitting jacket). XIX.

reef

views updated May 23 2018

reef2 ridge of rock at or near the surface of the water XVI; (in gold-mining, orig. Austral.) lode of auriferous quartz XIX. Earlier riff(e), in nautical use — MLG. ref, rif, pl. rēves, MDu. rif, ref — ON. rif (RIB) in same sense; cf. prec.

reef

views updated May 21 2018

reef Rocky outcrop lying in shallow water, especially one built up by corals or other organisms.