Rob Benvie

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Rob Benvie

| image = Robbenvie1.jpg

| background = solo_singer

| origin = Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

| instrument = Guitar, vocals

| genre = Indie rock
alternative rock

| occupation =

| years_active = 1990s–present

| label = Murderecords
Sonic Unyon Records
Elektra Records

| associated_acts = Bankruptcy
Thrush Hermit
Camouflage Nights
The Dears
Tigre Benvie
The Tennis Injury
The Tim Robbins Experience
Drug Dog

| website =

}}

Rob Benvie (born in Halifax, Nova Scotia) is a Canadian musician and writer who has performed with alternative rock acts Thrush Hermit, Bankruptcy,{{cite news|last1=Lindsay|first1=Cam|title=Tuns / Bankruptcy Dakota Tavern, Toronto ON, December 19|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/tuns_bankruptcy-dakota_tavern_toronto_on_december_19|accessdate=21 April 2017|date=Dec 20, 2015|language=en|archive-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610202808/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/tuns_bankruptcy-dakota_tavern_toronto_on_december_19|url-status=live}} Camouflage Nights, and The Dears. He also records and occasionally performs live as Tigre Benvie.

Musical career

Benvie first gained notoriety as the guitarist, singer and songwriter in Halifax rock band Thrush Hermit. Thrush Hermit also included Joel Plaskett, Ian McGettigan and Cliff Gibb. Touring extensively throughout North America, Thrush Hermit released two EPs on Murderecords: Smart Bomb and The Great Pacific Ocean. Their first full-length Sweet Homewrecker was released on the American label Elektra Records. In 1999, Thrush Hermit released Clayton Park on Sonic Unyon Records.{{cite news |title=Halifax's Thrush Hermit included among 2020 Polaris Heritage Prize contenders |url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/lifestyles/regional-lifestyles/halifaxs-thrush-hermit-included-among-2020-polaris-heritage-prize-contenders-512402/ |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=The Guardian |language=en |archive-date=30 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030014916/https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/lifestyles/regional-lifestyles/halifaxs-thrush-hermit-included-among-2020-polaris-heritage-prize-contenders-512402/ |url-status=live }} In 2010, Thrush Hermit briefly reunited for a successful reunion tour, followed by another in 2020 with the reissue of Clayton Park.{{cite news |title=Thrush Hermit reunites, sets Marquee Ballroom date {{!}} The Chronicle Herald |url=https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/lifestyles/thrush-hermit-reunites-sets-marquee-ballroom-date-294860/ |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=The Chronicle Herald |language=en}}

Prior to the Thrush Hermit era, Benvie distributed numerous home recordings under such names as The Tennis Injury, Yammer, Drug Dog, and Day Pass. Since Thrush Hermit's 1999 break-up, Benvie has produced several solo albums under his own name and as Tigre Benvie.{{cite web |title=Tigre Benvie Bankruptcy |url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/tigre_benvie-bankruptcy |website=exclaim.ca |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=en-ca |archive-date=13 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213034209/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/tigre_benvie-bankruptcy |url-status=live }}

In 2001, he joined The Dears as bass/guitar player, and in years following continued to perform and record with the band in various faculties, most actively for 2008's Missiles and 2011's Degeneration Street.{{cite web |title=The Dears performing new album in full on select dates |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-dears-perfo/ |website=BrooklynVegan |date=22 July 2010 |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=en |archive-date=2 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402092923/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-dears-perfo/ |url-status=live }}

Benvie and McGettigan have recorded and performed as Camouflage Nights. After a string of tour dates and limited edition audio and video releases, the band's long-delayed debut LP was released in April 2012 by Sonic Unyon Records.{{cite web |title=Camouflage Nights - Camouflage Nights {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/camouflage-nights-mw0002334841 |publisher=Allmusic.com |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=en |archive-date=23 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823195119/https://www.allmusic.com/album/camouflage-nights-mw0002334841 |url-status=live }} Camouflage Nights has remixed artists such as Stars,{{cite web |title=Stars: Do You Trust Your Friends? |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10240-do-you-trust-your-friends/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=en |archive-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805113540/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10240-do-you-trust-your-friends/ |url-status=live }} Every Move a Picture, Pony Da Look, along with scoring numerous film and television projects.

In 2015, Benvie founded the rock band Bankruptcy. Their debut LP For The Future was released in April 2016.{{cite web|title=Bankruptcy Announce 'For the Future' LP, Premiere Title Track|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/bankruptcy_announce_for_the_future_lp_premiere_title_track|access-date=2 January 2021|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca|archive-date=7 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807135255/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/bankruptcy_announce_for_the_future_lp_premiere_title_track|url-status=live}} Bankruptcy's follow-up album, Computers Make the Drinks, was released in 2019.{{cite web|title=Bankruptcy Computers Make the Drinks|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/bankruptcy-computers_make_the_drinks|access-date=2 January 2021|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca|archive-date=2 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402092947/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/bankruptcy-computers_make_the_drinks|url-status=live}}

Writing

In May 2001 literature and humour website McSweeney's Internet Tendency featured an essay by Benvie titled "The Porn I Like". Benvie's first novel, Safety of War, was published by Coach House Books.{{cite news |title=On Rob Benvie's Maintenance |url=https://www.torontoreviewofbooks.com/2012/04/on-rob-benvies-maintenance/ |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=The Toronto Review of Books |date=18 April 2012 |language=en |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121173633/https://torontoreviewofbooks.com/2012/04/on-rob-benvies-maintenance/ |url-status=live }} In 2011, Benvie published a second novel, titled Maintenance,{{cite web |title=Book Review: Maintenance, by Rob Benvie |url=https://nationalpost.com/afterword/book-review-maintenance-by-rob-benvie |website=nationalpost |access-date=2 January 2021 |language=en-CA}} along with a full-length instrumental 'audio companion' available via download through Coach House.{{cite news |title=Rob Benvie soundtrack in tune with his new novel |url=https://quillandquire.com/authors/2011/11/24/rob-benvie-soundtrack-in-tune-with-his-new-novel/ |access-date=2 January 2021 |work=Quill and Quire |date=24 November 2011 |language=en |archive-date=30 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130082342/https://quillandquire.com/authors/2011/11/24/rob-benvie-soundtrack-in-tune-with-his-new-novel/ |url-status=live }} His third novel, Bleeding Light, was published in 2021.{{Cite news|title=21 Canadian books we can't wait to read in July|work=CBC Books|url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/21-canadian-books-we-can-t-wait-to-read-in-july-1.6086370|access-date=2021-10-01|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001031804/https://www.cbc.ca/books/21-canadian-books-we-can-t-wait-to-read-in-july-1.6086370|url-status=live}} His fourth novel, The Damagers, was published in 2025 by Knopf.{{Cite web |title=The Damagers by Rob Benvie {{!}} Penguin Random House Canada |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/747413/the-damagers-by-rob-benvie/9781039055681 |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=www.penguinrandomhouse.ca |language=en}}

Benvie also co-wrote the screenplay, with frequent collaborator Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, for McCabe-Lokos' 2021 film Stanleyville.{{Cite web|title=Oscilloscope Picks Up Maxwell McCabe-Lokos' Dark Comedy 'Stanleyville'|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/festivals/oscilloscope-laboratories-maxwell-mccabe-lokos-stanleyville-1235032474/|url-status=live|website=Variety|date=2 August 2021 |access-date=2021-10-01|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001031804/https://variety.com/2021/film/festivals/oscilloscope-laboratories-maxwell-mccabe-lokos-stanleyville-1235032474/}}