Reeves Gabrels (born June 4, 1956) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. A member and guitarist of British band The Cure since 2012, Gabrels worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 1999, and was a member of the band Tin Machine. He has lived in New York, Boston, London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York's Hudson Valley. His Nashville-based band since 2007, Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Friends, features Gabrels on guitar and vocals. As a guitarist, Gabrels is recognized for his virtuosity and versatility, able to "explore sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most." He has been characterized as "one of the most daring rock-guitar improvisers since Jimi Hendrix". As a songwriter and composer, Gabrels spans genres. The songs on Ulysses, an album from 2000, range from "hard-hitting blues rock to 21st century electronica", as Guitar World put it. Describing Rockonica, in 2005 Guitar Player's Andy Ellis wrote, "Gabrels walks the line between song structure and wiggy sonics like no one else... His tunes on Rockonica have familiar verse/chorus construction (and are often maddeningly catchy), and his riffs and solos typically possess the contours that define classic rock. But bubbling and roiling under and around this foundation are layers of eerie, broken sounds and oddball textures. And Gabrels isn't shy about juxtaposing genres. For example, "Underneath" ends with a trippy mélange of Wheels of Fire-era Clapton licks, acoustic Delta blues riffs, and fluttering, guitar-generated helicopter sounds."

Reeves Gabrels

Reeves Gabrels

Acting Born June 4, 1956 Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Reeves Gabrels (born June 4, 1956) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. A member and guitarist of British band The Cure since 2012, Gabrels worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 1999, and was a member of the band Tin Machine. He has lived in New York, Boston, London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York's Hudson Valley. His Nashville-based band since 2007, Reeves Gabrels & His Imaginary Friends, features Gabrels on guitar and vocals.

As a guitarist, Gabrels is recognized for his virtuosity and versatility, able to "explore sonic extremes with a great, adaptive intuition for what each song needs most." He has been characterized as "one of the most daring rock-guitar improvisers since Jimi Hendrix".

As a songwriter and composer, Gabrels spans genres. The songs on Ulysses, an album from 2000, range from "hard-hitting blues rock to 21st century electronica", as Guitar World put it.

Describing Rockonica, in 2005 Guitar Player's Andy Ellis wrote, "Gabrels walks the line between song structure and wiggy sonics like no one else... His tunes on Rockonica have familiar verse/chorus construction (and are often maddeningly catchy), and his riffs and solos typically possess the contours that define classic rock. But bubbling and roiling under and around this foundation are layers of eerie, broken sounds and oddball textures. And Gabrels isn't shy about juxtaposing genres. For example, "Underneath" ends with a trippy mélange of Wheels of Fire-era Clapton licks, acoustic Delta blues riffs, and fluttering, guitar-generated helicopter sounds."

Known For

Saturday Night Live poster

Saturday Night Live

Self (uncredited)
Sacrée soirée poster

Sacrée soirée

Self - Tin Machine
Champs-Elysées poster

Champs-Elysées

Self - The Cure
Bowie: The Final Act poster

Bowie: The Final Act

Self
David Bowie - Live from the 10th spot poster

David Bowie - Live from the 10th spot

David Bowie: The Making of "1.Outside" poster

David Bowie: The Making of "1.Outside"

Self
The Cure: The Show Of A Lost World (Troxy Live 2024) poster

The Cure: The Show Of A Lost World (Troxy Live 2024)

Self
David Bowie: VH1 Storytellers poster

David Bowie: VH1 Storytellers

Self
The Cure: The Show of a Lost World poster

The Cure: The Show of a Lost World

Self
The Cure - Rock en Seine 2026 poster

The Cure - Rock en Seine 2026

Self
The Cure - Isle Of Wight Festival 2026 poster

The Cure - Isle Of Wight Festival 2026

The Cure - Pinkpop Festival 2026 poster

The Cure - Pinkpop Festival 2026