Rubén Bada was born in Avilés, in the northern coast of Asturies, and raised in the Cape Peñes area, where the Asturian language and culture are still healthy and alive.
Ruben got his hands on his first guitar at the age of 14 having experimented with many instruments from the age of eight including the Trombone!. After listening to some Bothy Band and Llan de Cubel tapes, he realized that the traditional music he had listened to since child (in Asturies there is a piper everywhere...) could be taken further and that strings (guitar and bouzouki) could be a key ingredient. After a couple of years learning Asturian tunes and discovering Irish music, he got his first bouzouki, a Greek one borrowed from a friend and it was at this time that he began to learn the fiddle.
Rubén started his recording career in 1998 with the band Xéliba with whom he recorded two albums. Soon after he became a highly demanded studio musician and producer, working as a band member or in the studio with Asturian acts such as Anabel Santiago, Mari luz Cristobal, N'arba, Corquieu, Dixebra, Llacín Pipe Band, Ú?, Toli Morilla...touring all over Europe.
In 2004 Rubén moved to Belfast, and soon he became part of the local music scene.
Currently, Rubén is playing with the bands "DRD", and John Mcsherry and Dónal O'Connor's "At First Light". In February 2006, Rubén was awarded "Best Instrumentalist" in the Asturian Music Awards.
Que tal ruben? este sabado a darle caña otra vez al rock...hay que ir pillando los plumas y los patucos pa suecia que ta cerca..nos vemos en caravia, un abrazo maquina.
Rubén, Myself and Desy are still in the planning stages so we need to get it together soon! I'll see you in June for the craic and the catch up. Ruadhrai
Fuck ye anyway. It's been sunny here for the last month and as soon as you send me a message it starts pissing rain. Hope the course is going well. I'm off to Corsica on the 29th so I'll catch you for a few days before that. Crash here. Chat soon Do
content que tu soies venu à notre concert à La Felguera, et vraiment désolé de ne pas avoir eu le temps de discuter avec toi, j'espère qu'on aura plus le temps de se rencontrer si tu viens en Bretagne, en tout cas tu es le bienvenu à Rennes, on pourra faire de la musique ensemble !
