Reef are an English rock band from Glastonbury whose members include Gary Stringer on vocals, Amy Newton on guitar, Jack Bessant on bass, and Luke Bullen on drums.

[3] Its video, directed by David Mould, features the band members on pulleys and wires to create an energetic aerial display.

In early 1999, they released their third album, Rides, recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, used by the Beach Boys for Pet Sounds and Michael Jackson for Thriller.

Working again with Glow producer George Drakoulias, the band also enlisted the skills of David Campbell (father of American artist Beck) for the string arrangements.

Jack told NME magazine that the album was showing a more mature side to Reef but they were still having fun, using slide guitars, and trying to achieve a "filmic" feel to some tracks.

"Set The Record Straight" was the highlight of the album, and this track was also used as the theme tune for the BBC Television drama series Red Cap, starring Tamzin Outhwaite.

Bessant was vacating the property and used the opportunity to hold a small gig with a select guest list, predominantly from the music industry.

[3] The video features the members of the band stranded in a drifting lifeboat, drawing straws for who would sacrifice themselves to save the others.

During 2001, after a low key tour supporting Texas, they took a long summer break, in North Devon, to write new material for their fifth album.

Jack Bessant denounced the complete lack of support from Sony and Kenwyn House called the release "a kiss of death.

In January 2003, their drummer Greensmith quit the band on the eve of a major UK tour, and as the greatest hits were released.

Reef played a small parody of this for Chris Evans TFI Friday show in the late nineties, for a feature called 'It's Your Letters'.

Evans claimed that the band had contacted him to stop playing the clip, as fans were apparently singing along at gigs, but these allegations were largely unfounded.

Indeed, the band had written to Evans, however Gary Stringer explained it differently, "We don't want people to think that's all we're about" and went on "... he's gone on telly and said we storm offstage whenever someone in the crowd sings that version of it.

Other members include Jonas Jalhay on guitar (other bands: Lady Sovereign, Imma) and Nathan "Tugg" Curran on drums (ex-Reef, Basement Jaxx, Kano).

[11] In 2014, Gary Stringer and Jack Bessant (as part of their StringerBessant project) did a song with Czech pop-singer Anna K.[12] From 21 August to 9 October that year, Reef undertook a UK tour, culminating in a sold-out gig at the Guildhall in St. Ives, Cornwall.

For several numbers, the band brought in a backing choir from The Academy of Music and Theatre Arts (AMATA) at Falmouth University.

Glow producer George Drakoulias and Gary Stringer spoke to BBC Radio Cornwall about the tour for a spot on David White's morning show.

The single features a gospel choir recorded in Los Angeles and the video shows the band surfing in Cornwall.

In February 2017, Reef were named as being the Sunday night headliner for the inaugural Amplified Festival taking place on the weekend of 21–23 July 2017 at Quarrydowns, between Northleach and Aldsworth, in Gloucestershire.

A subsequent intimate gig (for approximately 250 people) at O'Neill's Flamingo Bar in Soho's Wardour Street, saw good reactions from ardent fans (Laners).

[21] At Glastonbury Festival in 2022, Reef were last minute replacements for The Damned who were forced to pull out due to Covid, playing a headline set on The Field of Avalon Stage.