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Birds
Of Tokyo
When
lead singer Ian Kenny agreed to form what became Birds Of Tokyo he could
not image the new group would overshadow his longstanding engagement in
front of Perth heavy rockers Karnivool. Nor did guitarist
Adam Spark think he was about to start a group when in 2004 he approached
Kenny to sing on some demos intended to be sold for publication rights.
Kenny, who was also driving a truck to building sites between Karnivool commitments welcomed
the opportunity of some extra-curricular singing.
Those
supposed demos turned out so well, Ian Kenny and Adam Spark decided
to release the songs themselves by forming what became Birds Of Tokyo with the inclusion of Anthony Jackson
(bass), and Adam Weston (drums) from another popular local Tragic Delicate.
They took their name from an article one member had read about the absence
of birds in Tokyo's high-density CBD due to pollution and overcrowding.
They thought they would become the Birds Of Tokyo.
Thinking
of Birds Of Tokyo
as a side-line studio project the group made its recording debut in 2005 with a pair
of EPs (Birds of Tokyo, One Way/Stay) released in association with the
independent label Egg Records. Encouraged by the response they put their
music on stage. Two years later, Birds of Tokyo released their full-length
album debut, ‘Day One’. Well
received and respected at home in Perth, the Birds were surprised when most
of their eastern states shows supporting the album
sold out. Within days of being released, ‘Day One’ also sold out across the
country. While the band’s distribution label hastily set to work pressing
more albums, the band returned to Perth to reassess their position. Kenny
handed in his truck keys. He’d joined Karnavool
when they were already established, had been singing with bands since he
was 13. This is what he’d always dreamed of.
Their
second album, 2008’s ‘Universes’ marked the Birds’ mainstream breakthrough,
highlighting what was becoming the group’s trademark sound, soaring vocal melodies, catchy prog-rock based guitar hooks, and a driving rhythm
section. The album was recorded in Perth. Two videos (for the singles
"Silhouettic," "Broken
Bones") were filmed in Los Angeles while the album was being mixed by
high-profile mixer Tim Palmer (U2, the Cure, Pearl Jam). This was getting a
lot more serious – and exciting - than they’d initially expected. The album
peaked at No.2 on the national albums chart.
In
2009 Birds Of Tokyo took their music on a national tour acoustically, but
not simply by unplugging and swapping their amplifiers and drum sticks for
acoustic guitars and brushes. Working with producer, composer and long-time
collaborator, Anthony Cormican - who had
previously written and arranged strings on the band's Day One and Universes
albums –they also incorporating them into an ensemble of string quartet and
grand pianist. A double
album, ‘The Broken Strings Tour’ was recorded at The Enmore
Theatre in Sydney on on November 14 and the
Melbourne Town Hall the following day.
Until
now the Birds Of Tokyo had recorded and been released independently. They
now signed a major
label deal with EMI and the self-titled third album was recorded over three
continents with producer Scott Horscroft [The
Presets, Silverchair]. After a few weeks in
Sydney at the start of the recording, they then spent the majority of the
process in Sweden in a small industrial town called Gothenburg.
‘Birds
Of Tokyo’ debuted at No.2 in August 2010, earned gold record sales and
spawned a top 10 single in ‘Plans’ In March 2011 the band announced that
Bass player Anthony Jackson had departed.
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