Apartment 26
British nu metal/industrial metal band active from 1998 to 2004.
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Apartment 26 were a nu metal and industrial metal band formed in Leamington Spa, England, in 1998. The group took its name from the David Lynch film *Eraserhead*. Vocalist Terence "Biff" Butler is the son of Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. The band released two albums on major labels: *Hallucinating* (2000) on Hollywood Records and *Music for the Massive* (2004) on Atlantic Records. After Atlantic dropped them, Apartment 26 disbanded in late 2004.
The band was founded by Butler, guitarist Jon Greasley, bassist Louis Cruden, and keyboardist/programmer Andy "A.C." Huckvale. Their influences included older acts like Black Sabbath as well as Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, The Prodigy, Tool, and Fear Factory. A 1998 demo reached Doug Firley of Gravity Kills, who produced their debut EP, *Within* (1999). The EP contained five tracks, three of which were later re-recorded for their debut album, one ("Dystopia") for a soundtrack, and one ("Random Thinking") that remained exclusive to the EP.
Drummer Kevin Temple (formerly of Die Warzau and Sister Machine Gun) joined in 1999, allowing live drums alongside Huckvale’s programming. That year, Apartment 26 played Ozzfest, which led to a signing with Hollywood Records. They toured with Powerman 5000, Staind, Rollins Band, and Sevendust, then recorded their debut album under a grueling schedule. The song "Dystopia" appeared on the *Heavy Metal 2000* soundtrack before the album's release. *Hallucinating* came out in May 2000, produced by Ulrich Wild. The single "Basic Breakdown" reached No. 33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and stayed there for six weeks. Another single, "Backwards", appeared on the *Mission: Impossible 2* soundtrack. Both songs were also in the PlayStation game *Gekido: Urban Fighters*. The band toured with Disturbed and played Ozzfest again in 2000. Temple left later that year, replaced by Jeremy Colson. In early 2001, they toured England with Pitchshifter and Papa Roach. The European release of *Hallucinating* (January 2001) included a bonus track, "Void", featuring Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell. Apartment 26 played the UK edition of Ozzfest in 2001, their third consecutive year. Colson departed toward the end of 2001, and a replacement was not immediately named. In spring 2002, Hollywood Records and the band parted ways amicably while they worked on a second album.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Leamington Spa, England
- Genre
- Industrial metal / nu metal / alternative metal
- Years Active
- 1998–2004
- Label
- Hollywood / Atlantic / Murph
- Past Members
- Terence "Biff" Butler / Jon Greasley / Louis Cruden / Andy "A.C." Huckvale / Kevin Temple / Jeremy Colson / Brad Booker
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Apartment 26 were formed in 1998 by vocalist Terence 'Biff' Butler, guitarist Jon Greasley, bassist Louis Cruden, and keyboardist Andy 'A.C.' Huckvale. The band name was taken from the David Lynch film Eraserhead. Butler is the son of Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler. Their influences included older acts such as Black Sabbath, as well as Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, The Prodigy, Tool, and Fear Factory. A rough demo found its way to Gravity Kills member Doug Firley, who produced their debut EP, Within, in 1999. The band added drummer Kevin Temple in 1999 and performed on the 1999 Ozzfest, leading to a signing with Hollywood Records. Their debut album Hallucinating was released in May 2000, produced by Ulrich Wild. The single 'Basic Breakdown' peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. After parting with Hollywood Records in 2002, they recorded an unreleased album tentatively titled Detachment. They signed with Atlantic Records and released Music for the Massive in February 2004, but were dropped three months later and disbanded in late 2004.
Reader's Guide
Apartment 26's significance lies in their brief but notable presence in the nu metal and industrial metal scenes, bridging British and American influences. They gained exposure through multiple Ozzfest appearances (1999, 2000, 2001) and tours with bands such as Disturbed, Powerman 5000, Staind, and Evanescence. Their debut single 'Basic Breakdown' achieved chart success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and their song 'Backwards' appeared on the Mission: Impossible 2 soundtrack. The band's lineage—featuring the son of Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler—added a notable connection to heavy metal history. Despite being dropped by Atlantic Records shortly after their second album's release, their two albums and various soundtrack appearances left a mark on the early 2000s alternative metal landscape. The unreleased 'lost album' Detachment remains a point of interest among fans.
Did You Know?
- Their song 'Backwards' appeared on the soundtrack for Mission: Impossible 2.
- They recorded an unreleased album tentatively titled Detachment, which fans call 'Album 1.5'.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Apartment 26?
Apartment 26 were a nu metal and industrial metal band that formed in Leamington Spa, England, in 1998. They were fronted by vocalist Terence 'Biff' Butler alongside guitarist Jon Greasley, bassist Louis Cruden, and programmer Andy 'A.C.' Huckvale.
Where does the name Apartment 26 come from?
The band took their name from David Lynch's 1977 cult film Eraserhead.
Why did Apartment 26 disband?
After Atlantic Records dropped the group from their roster, Apartment 26 called it quits in late 2004.
What is Biff Butler's connection to Black Sabbath?
Vocalist Terence 'Biff' Butler is the son of Geezer Butler, the iconic bassist of Black Sabbath.
More in British Nu Metal Musical Groups 1-20
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