It’s an hour-and-a-half before Tokyo Police Club have to perform on stage in their home nation’s capital. The show’s sell-out status is an indication of the incredible success the band has achieved since the 2006 release of their first record A Lesson in Crime, a record which suffers from an identity crisis of sorts. Eight tracks of sharp guitar pop which run for no longer than seventeen minutes all up – enough tracks to warrant the record to fall into the ‘album’ category, yet still short enough to justify an ‘EP’ label. The record itself is described as the latter in most of their own media releases, and indeed in much of the press – however band member Graham Wright treats it like their debut album.
“I think when most bands release EPs, no one really wants to get behind it because they think it won’t do very well,” remarks the keyboardist, who also has his sights set on releasing his debut solo EP later in the year. “_A Lesson In Crime_ was really an album for us – it was our statement, and it really helped to get our music out there. As for my solo EP, it’s good to have a hobby on the side, because Tokyo is my job now.”
Indeed, the record (let’s refer to it as a mini-album for reference’s sake) has gone on to sell over 30,000 copies worldwide – a feat not easily achieved in a highly competitive industry which also has to deal with the issue of piracy on a regular basis. In fact, the band’s new album Elephant Shell was leaked onto the internet in early March, over a month before the album was due to be released via their new Saddle Creek label.
“We knew it was going to happen, y’ know?” Wright admits. “That’s the nature of the music industry today. The trick is to create something that people actually want to go out and spend their money on…you always have to stay a step ahead of everyone else.”
So it’s more of a competition than just doing it for the love of music? “No, you see, it’s just that you work so hard on something, and you’re really proud of it and think it’s really worth buying, and then it’s just out there for everyone to illegally obtain. I mean, no one wants to wait for, what, four months after an album’s finished for it to be released, but that’s just how it is when you release a record.”
But the Canadian wunderkids are not quite anti-piracy. “We’re more just resigned to it. We don’t like it, but it does help to get the word out about our music. We just feel that if music is worth paying for, then why not pay for it?
“In a perfect world, everyone would always buy CDs and artists would produce great music all the time, but we all know that neither of those things are a reality,” he jokes. On that point, lead vocalist and bassist Dave Monks walks into the supposedly locked room in which Wright is seated, apparently unaware of the interview taking place. Wright explains the situation to Monks, and the two laugh it off before the keyboardist returns to the interview. “Sorry,” he says apologetically, “where were we?”
The conversation turns to the content of the new album – a record which marks a slight change in sound for the Ontario four-piece, yet still retains the peppy qualities which made them so well-received ever since they hit the Canadian music scene. Wright’s personal favourite track from the album is Listen To Math, on which Wright played a major role. He introduced some production “tricks” to enhance the sound of the song.
“It happens a lot, y’ know, where I’ll suggest something to the band and they’ll be hesitant about it, but we’ll try it out, but unfortunately it never really works. This was one of those things where I actually brought something to the table that worked, and for that, that song really stands out for me. Plus, I really liked the keyboard sounds I made for it.” But it seems that lead single Tessellate is still the winner in the eyes of the band. “After the release of A Lesson In Crime, we created Tessellate and from the very start we loved it. But we just struggled with it; we didn’t quite know what to do with it. That song went through so many incarnations before it became what you hear on the new album. But now we’re really happy with it.”
The act have been likened to a few bands, namely a mix between Death Cab For Cutie and The Strokes. Wright reveals that their mini-album was actually a result of the band trying to blatantly rip-off some of their influences; however with Elephant Shell, the band endeavoured to distance themselves from the sounds which inspire them.
“Except with In A Cave, we were trying to make a song that sounded a bit like Peter, Bjorn And John’s The Chills.” But apart from that, the band made no purposeful rip-offs of their influences, Wright assures. Maybe one day they themselves will serve as an influence to a young, upcoming band given their talent and fame. “We’re really not as famous and successful as everyone thinks. I mean, I never get recognised walking down the street. When people ask what band we’re in and we tell them, ‘Tokyo Police Club’, most people are just like, ‘Oh…’, because they have no idea whatsoever who we are. Although you do get some people who have that glimmer of recognition in their eyes when we tell them, and that’s kinda cool. But we’re doing well enough to be able to quit our day jobs and move out of our parents’ houses and make a living out of our music. It’s a dream for us, really.”
Having toured with Australian float-poppers Dappled Cities in the middle of last year, the inevitable question of when Australia can expect to see the quartet hit our shores is raised. “I can actually confirm now that we will be in Australia in late July, early August.” Just in time for Splendour In The Grass, then? “I have a sneaking suspicion that Dew Process are trying to get us on the bill for that, yeah.” Artist speak for, “Yes, we’re confirmed”? “That’s all I really know at this stage, sorry. But we’re just so glad that we can finally make it out to Australia. It’s one of those places that we feel we’ve needed to go to in the past, but it’s just so cost restrictive, y’know?”
And now that the band has reached a sound level of success, they can afford to jet around the world to satisfy fans abroad. But for many Australian acts, it’s not easy to reach the heights that Tokyo Police Club has reached. “I’m sure that’s the case, and that’s never a pleasant thing. I’m sure there’s a lot of great music over in Australia…I’m actually really surprised that much of the music from there has never made it to my earphones!”
Is Wright aware of many Australian bands? “Umm…I know The Grates. I used to know a bit of The Vines …umm… AC/DC …they’re from Australia, right?” Yes. “Oh, cool. Oh, and Powderfinger. I haven’t heard any of their music though.” While Wright might be a little shaky on his knowledge of Australian music, we’re sure he will become very well-versed in antipodean acts when the band arrives in July. “I can’t wait. I’m really excited!” As are we, Graham. As are we.
