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 Records Shock Records
Website	Official MySpace
Members	Declan Melia Nic Wilson Will Drummond Matt O'Gorman

British India are an Australian indie rock and garage rock band. The band formed in Melbourne in 2004, comprising lead vocalist, lyricist and guitarist Declan Melia, guitarist Nic Wilson, bassist Will Drummond and drummer Matt O'Gorman.^[2] They have released four 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 international 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]

National success

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, set for release 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]

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 is now releasing their new single in May called "I Can Make You Love Me".

In October 2013 they were the opening act for Fall Out Boy's Australian tour.

Discography

Albums

• Guillotine - 30 June 2007
• Thieves - 19 July 2008 - AUS#5 (ARIA Album Chart)
• Avalanche - 30 April 2010 - AUS#10 (ARIA Album Chart)
• Controller - 22 March 2013 - AUS#10 (ARIA Album Chart)

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
• "Summer Forgive Me" (2013)
• "Plastic Souvenirs" (2013)

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

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British India (band).

• Official British India MySpace
• British India - Live & Acoustic