"My love was all I had / Growing up, growing up was no problem (no problem) / One day I packed a bag / Let me go, let me go, I'm not joking (I'm not joking)..."
The first time I saw, became aware of Tokyo Police Club was seeing them on Letterman in 2007. If I remember correctly it was their television debut and they played "Nature Of The Experiment" from their debut EP "A Lesson in Crime" culminating in Letterman's band backing up the boys during the rousing end with every member throttling tambourines. An electric moment for sure, I especially was amped up Greg Alsop's punchy and sort of unconventional drumming, Josh Hook's guitar (and tamb work) that felt perfectly simple and surprising in it's sonic positioning to the song (like tension filled counter playing) vocalist bassist Dave Monks intensity and keyboardist vocalist Graham Wright curled over his tiny Alesis keyboard with the kind of John Lennon green military-esque jacket looking like a cross between a mad science nerd and a member of R.E.M. A cast in amber performance.
[The high-energy indie rock outfit Tokyo Police Club began as a favorite of mid-2000s music blogs, but lasted far longer than many of their contemporaries thanks in part to their evolving sound. While their early EPs boasted a brash style in keeping with the rock revival earlier from earlier in the decade, the band opted for a more introspective approach on 2008's debut album Elephant Shell. Whether they took their music in a more polished direction, as on 2014's Forcefield, or in a rawer one, as on 2018's TPC, the hooks that defined Tokyo Police Club's music remained. Vocalist/bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist/vocalist Graham Wright, guitarist/percussionist Josh Hook, and drummer/percussionist Greg Alsop formed Tokyo Police Club in 2005, after their previous band Suburbia called it quits. They began performing shows in the Toronto area, and the rousing receptions they got convinced them to make Tokyo Police Club a full-time venture. Early in 2006 the band signed with local label Paper Bag Records and released their debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, which drew comparisons to the Strokes, Buzzcocks, and Pixies, that April. In 2007, the band issued the Smith EP, another short, sharp blast of guitar pop, and signed to Saddle Creek Records. In 2008, the label released Tokyo Police Club's emo and dance-punk informed debut album Elephant Shell, which featured the single "Your English Is Good." That year, Wright also released the solo EP The Lakes of Alberta. By the end of 2008, Tokyo Police Club were working on their second album. The lighthearted and expansive Champ, which featured production by Rob Schnapf, arrived on Mom + Pop Music in 2010. That year also saw the release of Wright's debut album Shirts vs Skins. After touring heavily in support of Champ, Tokyo Police Club embarked on the Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years project, which found them cranking out versions of a decade's worth songs by artists including Kelly Clarkson and Queens of the Stone Age. Amidst all this activity, Monks relocated to New York and Alsop moved to Boston. In 2013, the band returned to the studio with co-producer Doug Boehm, who helped them polish their sound on 2014's Forcefield, which included the summery tracks "Argentina (Pts. 1, 2 & 3)" and "It's Hot Tonight." The following year, Monks released his debut solo EP All Signs Point to Yes. The band continued to record at spontaneous sessions in New York City, resulting in a pair of 2016 EPs: Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 1 appeared that April, with Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 2 (which featured a collaboration with Rostam) arriving that September. To make their fourth album, Tokyo Police Club worked on their songs in an Ontario church before reuniting in the studio with Schnapf. The results were TPC, which Dine Alone released in October 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi]
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https://soundcloud.com/tokyopoliceclub
https://www.instagram.com/wearetokyopoliceclub/
https://www.facebook.com/tokyopoliceclub
The high-energy indie rock outfit Tokyo Police Club began as a favorite of mid-2000s music blogs, but lasted far longer than many of their contemporaries thanks in part to their evolving sound. While their early EPs boasted a brash style in keeping with the rock revival earlier from earlier in the decade, the band opted for a more introspective approach on 2008's debut album Elephant Shell. Whether they took their music in a more polished direction, as on 2014's Forcefield, or in a rawer one, as on 2018's TPC, the hooks that defined Tokyo Police Club's music remained. Vocalist/bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist/vocalist Graham Wright, guitarist/percussionist Josh Hook, and drummer/percussionist Greg Alsop formed Tokyo Police Club in 2005, after their previous band Suburbia called it quits. They began performing shows in the Toronto area, and the rousing receptions they got convinced them to make Tokyo Police Club a full-time venture. Early in 2006 the band signed with local label Paper Bag Records and released their debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, which drew comparisons to the Strokes, Buzzcocks, and Pixies, that April. In 2007, the band issued the Smith EP, another short, sharp blast of guitar pop, and signed to Saddle Creek Records. In 2008, the label released Tokyo Police Club's emo and dance-punk informed debut album Elephant Shell, which featured the single "Your English Is Good." That year, Wright also released the solo EP The Lakes of Alberta. By the end of 2008, Tokyo Police Club were working on their second album. The lighthearted and expansive Champ, which featured production by Rob Schnapf, arrived on Mom + Pop Music in 2010. That year also saw the release of Wright's debut album Shirts vs Skins. After touring heavily in support of Champ, Tokyo Police Club embarked on the Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years project, which found them cranking out versions of a decade's worth songs by artists including Kelly Clarkson and Queens of the Stone Age. Amidst all this activity, Monks relocated to New York and Alsop moved to Boston. In 2013, the band returned to the studio with co-producer Doug Boehm, who helped them polish their sound on 2014's Forcefield, which included the summery tracks "Argentina (Pts. 1, 2 & 3)" and "It's Hot Tonight." The following year, Monks released his debut solo EP All Signs Point to Yes. The band continued to record at spontaneous sessions in New York City, resulting in a pair of 2016 EPs: Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 1 appeared that April, with Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 2 (which featured a collaboration with Rostam) arriving that September. To make their fourth album, Tokyo Police Club worked on their songs in an Ontario church before reuniting in the studio with Schnapf. The results were TPC, which Dine Alone released in October 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi
FINAL TOUR TICKETS: https://bnds.us/hui9k9
Tokyo Police Club, indie rock, indie pop, alt pop, emo, confessional pop, somber pop, alt rock, Final goodbye tour, disbanding, final tracks "Catch Me If You Can" and "Just a Scratch", Newmarket, Ontario, Canada,
I only saw them live twice. Once in San Diego at this long defunct street scene thing that was really great while it lasted. I saw them in 2008 and remember that Tokyo Police Club along with TV on the Radio, MGMT, Hives and Devo left the greatest impression among a utterly stacked bill of artists / bands although I kind of didn't like them because they are Canadian (just kidding). A great band for many reasons and one that stayed together since they played together in high school (as Suburbia). God, I can't remember the second time but it most certainly must have been between 2010 and 2015.
I always admire bands that start as a core group and stay like that, it is incredibly rare really. In January Tokyo Police Club announced a farewell tour and released their final last two songs, namely "Catch Me If You Can" and "Just a Scratch", recorded with producer Jesse Turnbull at Toronto's Taurus Recording.
The two tracks are quintessential Tokyo Police Club. Maybe a wee bit more glossy than past days and you can decide which period is the band's most halcyon moments. Listening to both "Catch Me If You Can" and "Just a Scratch" and you fully realize that these guys feel forever youthful and maybe forever a bit unsure, a bit angsty and a lot empathetic. Qualities born out of a million broken hearts and blessings at the same time. And that youthful presence that it feels like they don't have to tap into because those starry eyed feeling may have never left (at all).
They also released this heartfelt statement via Josh Hook:
“We have been so fortunate and privileged to have been able to share our music but even more to have had personal moments shared with us—from graduations to birthdays and onstage proposals,” Josh Hook said in a statement on the impending farewell tour. “To still see the same familiar faces who have been coming out since the beginning of our touring days and to be connected with so many people through music over almost 20 years of life is truly an honour. This final tour will be the best retirement party anyone could ask for. Thank you so much for being with us on this wild ride.”
LINER NOTES:
[The high-energy indie rock outfit Tokyo Police Club began as a favorite of mid-2000s music blogs, but lasted far longer than many of their contemporaries thanks in part to their evolving sound. While their early EPs boasted a brash style in keeping with the rock revival earlier from earlier in the decade, the band opted for a more introspective approach on 2008's debut album Elephant Shell. Whether they took their music in a more polished direction, as on 2014's Forcefield, or in a rawer one, as on 2018's TPC, the hooks that defined Tokyo Police Club's music remained. Vocalist/bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist/vocalist Graham Wright, guitarist/percussionist Josh Hook, and drummer/percussionist Greg Alsop formed Tokyo Police Club in 2005, after their previous band Suburbia called it quits. They began performing shows in the Toronto area, and the rousing receptions they got convinced them to make Tokyo Police Club a full-time venture. Early in 2006 the band signed with local label Paper Bag Records and released their debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, which drew comparisons to the Strokes, Buzzcocks, and Pixies, that April. In 2007, the band issued the Smith EP, another short, sharp blast of guitar pop, and signed to Saddle Creek Records. In 2008, the label released Tokyo Police Club's emo and dance-punk informed debut album Elephant Shell, which featured the single "Your English Is Good." That year, Wright also released the solo EP The Lakes of Alberta. By the end of 2008, Tokyo Police Club were working on their second album. The lighthearted and expansive Champ, which featured production by Rob Schnapf, arrived on Mom + Pop Music in 2010. That year also saw the release of Wright's debut album Shirts vs Skins. After touring heavily in support of Champ, Tokyo Police Club embarked on the Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years project, which found them cranking out versions of a decade's worth songs by artists including Kelly Clarkson and Queens of the Stone Age. Amidst all this activity, Monks relocated to New York and Alsop moved to Boston. In 2013, the band returned to the studio with co-producer Doug Boehm, who helped them polish their sound on 2014's Forcefield, which included the summery tracks "Argentina (Pts. 1, 2 & 3)" and "It's Hot Tonight." The following year, Monks released his debut solo EP All Signs Point to Yes. The band continued to record at spontaneous sessions in New York City, resulting in a pair of 2016 EPs: Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 1 appeared that April, with Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 2 (which featured a collaboration with Rostam) arriving that September. To make their fourth album, Tokyo Police Club worked on their songs in an Ontario church before reuniting in the studio with Schnapf. The results were TPC, which Dine Alone released in October 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi]
What a lovely ride guys. Click on the pic below to access upcoming tour dates!
-Robb Donker Curtius
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://soundcloud.com/tokyopoliceclub
https://www.instagram.com/wearetokyopoliceclub/
https://www.facebook.com/tokyopoliceclub
The high-energy indie rock outfit Tokyo Police Club began as a favorite of mid-2000s music blogs, but lasted far longer than many of their contemporaries thanks in part to their evolving sound. While their early EPs boasted a brash style in keeping with the rock revival earlier from earlier in the decade, the band opted for a more introspective approach on 2008's debut album Elephant Shell. Whether they took their music in a more polished direction, as on 2014's Forcefield, or in a rawer one, as on 2018's TPC, the hooks that defined Tokyo Police Club's music remained. Vocalist/bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist/vocalist Graham Wright, guitarist/percussionist Josh Hook, and drummer/percussionist Greg Alsop formed Tokyo Police Club in 2005, after their previous band Suburbia called it quits. They began performing shows in the Toronto area, and the rousing receptions they got convinced them to make Tokyo Police Club a full-time venture. Early in 2006 the band signed with local label Paper Bag Records and released their debut EP, A Lesson in Crime, which drew comparisons to the Strokes, Buzzcocks, and Pixies, that April. In 2007, the band issued the Smith EP, another short, sharp blast of guitar pop, and signed to Saddle Creek Records. In 2008, the label released Tokyo Police Club's emo and dance-punk informed debut album Elephant Shell, which featured the single "Your English Is Good." That year, Wright also released the solo EP The Lakes of Alberta. By the end of 2008, Tokyo Police Club were working on their second album. The lighthearted and expansive Champ, which featured production by Rob Schnapf, arrived on Mom + Pop Music in 2010. That year also saw the release of Wright's debut album Shirts vs Skins. After touring heavily in support of Champ, Tokyo Police Club embarked on the Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years project, which found them cranking out versions of a decade's worth songs by artists including Kelly Clarkson and Queens of the Stone Age. Amidst all this activity, Monks relocated to New York and Alsop moved to Boston. In 2013, the band returned to the studio with co-producer Doug Boehm, who helped them polish their sound on 2014's Forcefield, which included the summery tracks "Argentina (Pts. 1, 2 & 3)" and "It's Hot Tonight." The following year, Monks released his debut solo EP All Signs Point to Yes. The band continued to record at spontaneous sessions in New York City, resulting in a pair of 2016 EPs: Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 1 appeared that April, with Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Pt. 2 (which featured a collaboration with Rostam) arriving that September. To make their fourth album, Tokyo Police Club worked on their songs in an Ontario church before reuniting in the studio with Schnapf. The results were TPC, which Dine Alone released in October 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi
FINAL TOUR TICKETS: https://bnds.us/hui9k9
Tokyo Police Club, indie rock, indie pop, alt pop, emo, confessional pop, somber pop, alt rock, Final goodbye tour, disbanding, final tracks "Catch Me If You Can" and "Just a Scratch", Newmarket, Ontario, Canada,
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