As an indie rock lover from days gone by, I admittedly love good old Canadian kids with kick ass kick drum beats to bop your head to, catchy guitar licks and slightly moody yet somehow uplifting lyrics. If this type of music is up your alley, then you need to know Tokyo Police Club (though you probably already do). I caught up with drummer Greg Alsop to rag on indie rock labels, his band’s history and their hopes for the future.
Since The Strokes officially became old, redundant and over-played, I have been searching for a band of similar substance to fill the void and TPC is here to save the day with the April release of their debut full-length album. Elephant Shell is packed with one potential indie rock anthem after another (I highly recommend tracks "Juno" and "In a Cave") but before we discuss the awesomeness of this album let's rewind to where and when it all began.
Tokyo Police Club @ Virgin Fest 2007
While growing up in the quiet town of Newmarket, ON, members of TPC each discovered their love of music and were inspired to join a band. "It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was six years old,” Alsop explains. “To make music a job seemed fantastic, “
Initially formed out of the ashes of another high school jam band, Tokyo Police Club was made up of Alsop, Dave Monks, Graham Wright and (the oddly named) idea maker, all of whom loved music and jammed as a way to pass the time (current guitarist Josh Hook came later). Their first big break came in 2005 at
Pop Montreal. Their biggest gig to date caught the attention of attendees and bloggers nationwide and beyond. That experience and the attention it garnered made the bandmates want to pursue music full-time, so each promptly dropped out of university (much to the dismay of their parents).
In 2006, Tokyo Police Club released their first EP,
A Lesson In Crime to great acclaim, and fans have been waiting in anticipation for a full-length album ever since. Although there was a two year gap, the band kept busy touring and releasing the
Smith EP in 2007 while receiving rave reviews and gaining cred with everyone from Rolling Stone Magazine to the New York Times. In July 2007, the band signed on with American label, Saddle Creek, a union that Alsop claims has been beneficial for the group. "So far Saddle Creek has been amazing to work with. We did a lot of research beforehand and they seemed like great people in respect to what they’ve done with their artists,” he suggests. But the decision to sign with an American imprint when there are so many great Canadian labels around is one that has provoked plenty of controversy among the group’s Canuck fanbase. As far as Alsop concerned, though, they aren’t looking at the entire picture. “They’re not the only label we are working with,” he points out. “We have chosen a different label for every area that we’re distributing in. In the US we’re with Saddle Creek but we’ve also started our own label here in Canada called Mean Beard . . . The decision to sign with Saddle Creek is not a snap at Canada or the music industry here, we just didn’t want to be touring Canada (and only Canada) the rest of our lives."
Tokyo Police Club @ WinterCity Fest 2008
So for those of you Canadian fans who were wondering if you should quit loving TPC because you were questioning their loyalty to our fair country, wonder no more. Tokyo Police Club are hardly sell-outs; you can love their music completely guilt free. They may have gone international but Tokyo Police Club still love Canada. And though when they’re not on the road, all of the band members have moved from Newmarket to downtown Toronto, they live in regular apartments like you and I — no penthouse condos just yet.
- by Melissa Bessey -
