Ruben V.

Writer

Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands

About

Driven by an all-encompassing love of music and writing, I've spent most of my professional life trying to combine the two. Writing for various blogs, working at a record store, and ultimately running my own music publication, Front, for several years. I've contributed to OOR, 3voor12, Gonzo (circus), among others, and have done copywriting for festivals like Into The Great Wide Open and Grasnapolsky; and artists like Elephant, Ploegendienst, The Dawn Brothers, and Nagasaki Swim. In recent years, I have broadened my interests to include climate activism, (increasing) biodiversity, community organizing, and (local) politics. I've been working part-time managing volunteers at the Rotterdam Dakpark community garden, and have contributed to Vers Beton. In the summer of 2025, I will have completed by education to become a high school teacher of History.

Experience

  • Interim-docent geschiedenis at Dalton Lyceum Barendrecht
    May 2026 - Present · 3 mos

  • Platenverkoper / nieuwsbriefscribent at Velvet Music Leiden
    Sep 2024 - Present · 1 yr 11 mos

    Resident record store snob, resident copywriter. Getting Leiden into trad folk, alt-country and ambient since 2018.

  • Schrijver at Vers Beton
    Apr 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 4 mos

    Reporting on local issues, including the local government's biodiversity policy, the port and the Rotterdam citizens assembly on climate.

  • Schrijver at OOR Magazine
    Mar 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

    Regular contributor. I've written essays about Nick Drake, The Disintegration Loops, Silver Jews and Kurt Cobain, and have interviewed Big Thief, Bill Callahan, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Boygenius, Arooj Aftab, Mdou Moctar, Kara Jackson, Waxahatchee, among others.

  • Schrijver at Gonzo (circus)
    Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Regular contributor. I've interviewed Marina Herlop, Galya Bisengalieva, The New Eves, and Daniel Bachman, among others.