THE NEW REGIME play Echoplex Oct. 18
Having played drums with bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Angels & Airwaves and Paramore, Ilan Rubin is used to being in the background.
However, on his current tour with Gang of Four, Rubin is front and center as the lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player of his side project The New Regime.
A concoction of grunge, alternative and classic rock, Rubin has released two albums and two EP’s as The New Regime. His first album Coup was released in 2008 and featured Rubin on drums, vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar and bass. In addition to writing all ten songs, Rubin also self-recorded the album and released it via digital download.
His latest EP, Exhibit B, released earlier this year, was written and recorded while touring with Nine Inch Nails in 2013-14. The EP was described by one critic as showing “Shades of Rubin’s influences such as The Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin as well as shades of his work with Nine Inch Nails” resulting in what could be best described as a modernistic retro vibe.
From a very early age Rubin displayed an interest in music. Shortly after discovering his father’s 1968 Silver Sparkle Ludwig drum kit in the family garage, Rubin started playing drums at the tender age of eight. Within a year, he was jamming with the pop-punk band F.o.N. When the band performed at Woodstock 1999, Rubin earned the Guinness World Record distinction of being the youngest musician to ever play on a Woodstock stage.
Following a brief stint with Wels band Lostprophets and the release of his first EP as The New Regime, Rubin joined Nine Inch Nails as the band’s drummer. He also became the drummer of Tom Delonge’s Angels & Airwaves in 2011.
Rubin’s busy tour schedule hasn’t changed in recent months either. After serving as the opening act for Failure as part of their summer tour, Rubin wasted no time in agreeing to open for Gang of Four, an English punk rock band formed nearly 40 years ago.
Although Rubin plays every instrument on his studio albums, he typically brings along a few friends to handle bass and drum duties. Many of his songs consist of guitar solos, which range in style from blues to classic rock. Rubin has been known to extend these solos during his live performances and often jam for several minutes at a time.
The New Regime will open for Gang of Four at Echoplex in Los Angeles on Oct. 18.