Apartment 26
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Leamington Spa , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Apartment 26 was a nu metal and industrial metal group originating from Leamington Spa, England, established in 1998. They produced two studio albums under prominent labels, Hollywood Records and Atlantic Records: Hallucinating and Music for the Massive. After their contract with Atlantic ended, the band dissolved in late 2004.
1998–1999: Formation and Within EP
The formation of Apartment 26 took place in 1998, featuring vocalist Terence "Biff" Butler, guitarist Jon Greasley, bassist Louis Cruden, and keyboardist Andy "A.C." Huckvale. Their band name was drawn from the David Lynch movie Eraserhead. Notably, Butler is the son of Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Black Sabbath, Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, The Prodigy, Tool, and Fear Factory, they recorded a demo in 1998 which caught the attention of Doug Firley from Gravity Kills. Firley, who had produced Gravity Kills’ records, agreed to oversee Apartment 26’s debut EP titled Within. This five-track EP contained three songs later re-recorded for their first album, one track ("Dystopia") reworked for a soundtrack, and one exclusive track ("Random Thinking") only available on the EP.
1999–2002: Hallucinating
In 1999, Apartment 26 expanded their lineup by adding drummer Kevin Temple, previously with Die Warzau and Sister Machine Gun, to complement Huckvale’s programmed drums with live percussion. Their inclusion on the 1999 Ozzfest roster helped secure a deal with major label Hollywood Records. Following their Ozzfest appearance, they toured alongside Powerman 5000, Staind, Rollins Band, and Sevendust. The intense touring combined with shared accommodation created challenges during the recording process of their debut album. The song "Dystopia" was featured on the soundtrack for Heavy Metal 2000 prior to the album's release.
Their first album, Hallucinating, launched in May 2000 and was produced by Ulrich Wild, recognized for his work with industrial bands such as Stabbing Westward and Static-X. The single "Basic Breakdown" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and remained there for six weeks. Another single from the album, "Backwards," was included on the soundtrack of Mission: Impossible 2. Both tracks also appeared in the 2000 PlayStation title Gekido: Urban Fighters. To support Hallucinating, Apartment 26 toured with Disturbed and participated again in the 2000 Ozzfest.
Late in 2000, drummer Kevin Temple departed and was succeeded by Jeremy Colson. Early in 2001, they embarked on a UK tour with Pitchshifter and Papa Roach. The European edition of Hallucinating was postponed until January 2001 and featured an additional track called "Void," which included vocals from Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory. Apartment 26 made their third consecutive appearance at UK Ozzfest in 2001. Colson left the group by the end of that year without an immediate replacement. In spring 2002, Apartment 26 and Hollywood Records mutually ended their partnership during sessions for their follow-up album.
2002–2005: Detachment, Music for the Massive and dissolution
During a phase without a drummer, the group created an album featuring drum programming by Huckvale. This project failed to capture the attention of any record labels and was never officially released. Supporters referred to it as Album 1.5 or "the lost album"; Greasley later characterized it as a transitional "bridge" that could have eased the audience's acceptance of Music for the Massive. Initially named Detachment, the album was planned for a 2003 launch with producers Charlie Clouser, Jason Slater, and Troy Van Leeuwen involved.
In July 2002, Brad Booker, formerly of Stir, joined as drummer and made his live debut opening for Stone Sour. The band spent 2003 developing their second full-length record and secured a contract with major label Atlantic Records. They conducted an extensive UK tour in late 2003, both headlining shows and supporting Evanescence. Music for the Massive was released in February 2004, co-produced alongside Tchad Blake. The promotional track "88" was released ahead of the lead single "Give Me More," which reached #39 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Despite this chart presence, promotion for the album was minimal, and Atlantic Records dropped the band within three months after its release. By the close of 2004, Apartment 26 had officially dissolved.
Final line-up
- Terence "Biff" Butler – lead vocals (1998–2004)
- Jon Greasley – guitar (1998–2004)
- Louis Cruden – bass guitar (1998–2004)
- Andy "A.C." Huckvale – keyboards and programming (1998–2004)
- Brad Booker – drums (2002–2004)
Former members
- Kevin Temple – drums (1999–2000)
- Jeremy Colson – drums (2000–2001)
Albums
- Within EP (1999) (Murph Records)
- Hallucinating (2000) (Hollywood Records)
- Music for the Massive (2004) (Atlantic Records)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Main. Rock | |||
| 2000 | "Basic Breakdown" | 33 | Hallucinating |
| "Backwards" | — | ||
| 2003 | "88" | — | Music for the Massive |
| 2004 | "Give Me More" | 39 |
Appearances
- Megadeth Risk Extra Value CD (pre-order sampler, 1999)
- Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack (2000)
- High Fidelity soundtrack (2000)
- Tales from the Crypt: Monsters of Metal compilation (2000)
- Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack (2000)
- Ozzfest 2000 tour sampler (2000)
- PacSun Core Sampler V1 store sampler (2000)
- Gekido: Urban Fighters soundtrack (2000)
- Metal Hammer: February 2001 magazine sampler (2001)
- Rage #1 magazine sampler (2001)
- Metal Hammer: December 2003 magazine sampler (2003)