British India (band)
| British India | |
|---|---|
 British India performing in the Regal Ballroom at the High Vibes festival, Northcote on 23 September 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Melbourne, Australia |
| Genres | Indie rock, garage rock[1] |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Flashpoint, Shock |
| Website |
www |
| Members |
Declan Melia Nic Wilson Will Drummond Matt O'Gorman |
British India are an Australian indie rock band, formed in Melbourne in 2004. The band comprises lead vocalist, lyricist and guitarist Declan Melia, guitarist Nic Wilson, bassist Will Drummond and drummer Matt O'Gorman.[2] They have released five studio albums.
History
Formation and early work
The members of British India met at high school,[3] forming when friends Declan Melia and Nic Wilson asked schoolmates Will Drummond and Matt O'Gorman to join their band, whilst attending St. Bede's College, in Melbourne, Australia, in 2004.[4] Reportedly social misfits throughout high school, the band would converge during school lunchtimes and study periods to rehearse and compose in the school music room and as this occurred the quartet played cover versions of songs by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Beatles, Blur, and Starsailor. The band's name was originally noticed by Wilson on a b-side by Strawberry Alarm Clock.[5] In 2005, after playing regularly across Australia for a year, the band signed with In-Fidelity Recordings and began work on their debut EP, with producer Lindsay Gravina. In June 2005 they released a single, "Outside 109 / Automatic Blitzkrieg".[6] The song's inspiration came from a quip made by Mick Jagger in an interview in 1964. Melia told Australian Music Online the song's lyrics referred to the band's gigging in Melbourne, and "being just outside of national recognition".[7]
On 21 November 2005, the band released their debut EP Counter Culture, on Flashpoint Records. Following recording at Sydney's Flashpoint Studios with studio owner Harry Vanda.[8] Drummond said that in recording the EP, the band "crammed all their great ideas " onto it.[9]
Recordings
British India spent a couple of years receiving "premature hype" from the likes of Australian radio station Triple J,[10] until finally making their break with 2007 single "Tie Up My Hands", taking the number one spot in the jtv music television programme. Along with the single, in 2007 they released their debut album, Guillotine, which was produced by Harry Vanda. Guillotine was also nominated for Triple J's J Award in 2007, as well as winning the Australian Independent Record (AIR) Award for Best New Independent Artist.[11] Through the 11 months following the release of Guillotine, British India played to an array of sold out shows and also at music festivals Big Day Out, Homebake, Golden Plains, The Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Pyramid Rock Festival,Groovin' the Moo and Come Together Music Festival.[3]
In April and May 2008, British India recorded a second album, again going to Flashpoint Studios to record their second album, Thieves. The album was released just 12 months after their debut and found massive success on the Australian national charts, entering the ARIA Album Chart at No. 5. The first single to be released from the album was titled "I Said I'm Sorry".
In September 2009 they released the single "Vanilla", which was made available for free download on Triple J's website. Their third studio album was also announced and entitled Avalanche, and was released in March 2010. They recorded the album opposite Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas in Melbourne's Sing Sing Studios over a couple of months.[12]
In 2012 the band signed to major label Mushroom Records and recorded in their own studio in Melbourne. They released their fourth album "Controller" in March the following year, which saw the band achieve their first gold record for the debut single off the album "I Can Make You Love Me", with a video clip directed by Oh Yeah Wow. Other singles from the album included "Summer Forgive Me", "Plastic Souvenirs" and "Blinded". The album received extensive Australian airplay nationally, including Triple J and Triple M.
British India released their fifth album Nothing Touches Me on 13 March 2015.
Media
On 17 August 2010, British India featured on the TV soap Neighbours playing in "Charlie's Bar" on Ringo's bucks night. When interviewed on the subject Declan Melia called the decision to appear "A real misstep of integrity, by appearing on the show we were helping confirm the very mediocrity we'd been trying to defy every step of our musical career".
And they also played on Hey Hey It's Saturday and the Grand Final edition of Before the Game.
At the end of 2011 the band entered the studio to record their Fourth Untitled Album. The Band also played on the 2012 St Kilda Festival Main stage. "She Prefers Older men" was released as a free track on the band's website. The band released their new single in May 2012 titled "I Can Make You Love Me".
In October 2013 they were the opening act for Fall Out Boy's Australian tour.
In September 2015 they were the opening act for the Imagine Dragons Smoke + Mirrors Tour for the Australian leg.
Discography
Albums
- Guillotine (30 June 2007)
- Thieves (19 July 2008) AUS #5
- Avalanche (30 April 2010) AUS #10
- Controller (22 March 2013) AUS #10
- Nothing Touches Me (13 March 2015) AUS #5
EPs
- Counter Culture - 21 November 2005
Singles
- "Outside 109 / Automatic Blitzkrieg" (2005)
- "Black & White Radio" (2006)
- "Tie Up My Hands" (2007)
- "Run the Red Light" (2007) AUS#50 / AUS#22 (ARIA Physical Singles Chart)
- "I Said I'm Sorry" (2008)
- "God Is Dead, Meet the Kids" (2009)
- "Vanilla" (2009)
- "Beneath the Satellites" (2010)
- "Avalanche" (2010)
- "March Into the Ocean" (2011)
- "I Can Make You Love Me" (2012) - #70 AUS, ARIA Gold[13]
- "Summer Forgive Me" (2013)
- "Plastic Souvenirs" (2013)
- "Blinded" (2013)
- "Wrong Direction" (2014)
- "Suddenly" (2015)
Compilation appearances
- Discoveries (2007) – "Black & White Radio"
- Triple J Hottest 100 Vol.15 (2007) - "Tie Up My Hands"
- Triple J's Like a Version 4 (2008) - "And I Was a Boy from School"
Music videos
| Music video information |
|---|
Black & White Radio
|
Tie Up My Hands
|
Run the Red Light
|
I Said I'm Sorry
|
God Is Dead, Meet the Kids
|
Vanilla
|
Beneath the Satellites
|
Avalanche
|
90 Ways to Leave Your Lover
|
Because of You
|
March Into the Ocean
|
She Prefers Older Men
|
I Can Make You Love Me'
|
Summer Forgive Me'
|
Plastic Souvenirs'
|
Blinded'
|
References
- ↑ "British India: Thieves". Access All Areas.net.au. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
- ↑ "British India". news.com.au. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
- 1 2 "British India/Thieves". Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
- ↑ Donovan, Patrick (7 May 2010). "British India: Avalanche". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ Christine Lan (15 August 2007). "British India". Beat. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- ↑ "Outside 109 / Automatic Blitzkrieg". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- ↑ "British India lay bare their debut single... (5 June)". Australian Music Online. 6 June 2005. Archived from the original on 5 August 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- ↑ "Counter Culture". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ↑ "British India talk about recording with Harry Vanda (5 Nov)...". Australian Music Online. 21 November 2005. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- ↑ "Thieves". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
- ↑ "AIR 2007 Winners.". Retrieved 25 February 2008.
- ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/homeandhosed/blog/s2691551.htm
- ↑ British India Land First Gold Record With 'I Can Make You Love Me' themusic.com.au. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
External links
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