Terror Bird
Terror Bird is the bedroom-based pop project of Nikki Nevver. The project was first conceptualized in 2004 after Nevver moved to Montreal and began writing songs on acoustic guitar and electric piano. The first songs were mainly strange, satirical break up songs with lyrics influenced by early Bowie, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Leonard Cohen.
After a short depression, Nevver moved flew back to her hometown, Langley. She moved back in with her mother at the age of 19. To her mother's dismay, she bought an organ and began composing "strange music" (according to one of her neighbors). Until Nevver could afford a Tascam four track, she experimented with recording onto one, or several tape decks (to create a layered effect). Favorite places to record included the bathroom of her best friend's apartment, or her own bedroom.
After starting to date her future husband and future band member, Jeremiah in early 2005 , Nevver's lyrics became less focused on lost love, but still focused on darker topics such as family problems, anxiety, nightmares, and body issues. Some songs were not so dark, but featured bizarre poetic lyrics and strange instruments (some of which were not actual instruments). Nevver moved to Vancouver with Jeremiah and started to use a 4 track, small keyboards lent to her and new drum presets from keyboards. Later this year, she played her first couple of shows alone along to a 4 track tape recorder. She cried at both and eventually decided she would be more comfortable if she had other band members on stage with her.
Jeremiah agreed to play drums. He was in the band until 2012, when he left the band suddenly. There have been many other band members in Terror Bird, but Jeremiah is the only member to have played on any releases. His drumming is featured on the Sociopaths are Glam cassette and the Secret Rituals record, for example. He has also helped immensely with recording, producing, and has come up with the odd keyboard part! Jeremiah and Nikki also used to write songs together in a post-punk, goth band called Modern Creatures (which toured the US twice and eventually broke up).
The most recent live band members include Jen Riego and Liane Chapman, who used to play in a band called Certain Breeds which Terror Bird once did a split 7 inch with. Liane and Jen came on the May 2013 "All This Time" European tour. Other live members who have played on tours have been Mel Camman, Daniel Ja & Tommi Schreck (of the band, unhappybirthday), Bianca Carr, and Daniel Pitout (of the band, Nu Sensae).
After recording on a 4 track for some time, Terror Bird recorded "Sociopaths are Glam" and "Human Culture" using a four track and a Boss 8 Track. It was worked on at the Terror Bird practice space in Vancouver, and at home. "Secret Rituals" was recorded in Little Red Studios in Vancouver by Felix Fung. Felix co-produced the album, along with Nevver. This album featured Jeremiah on live drums (except for on the song "She Kissed Me", on which Nevver played drums and Jeremiah played bass). Other instruments used included piano, synth, and organ. "All This Time" was recorded in Vancouver by Nevver, in her bedroom, using Garageband.
Releases include:
S/T Cassette (Thankless, CAN) 2007
"Shame is on Your Side" 7'' EP (Summer Lovers Unlimited, CAN) 2008
"Sociopaths are Glam" Cassette (Night People USA) 2009
"We Were Monsters" Cassette (Scotch Tapes USA) 2009
"Shadows in the Halls" 7" Limited to 300 (Atelier Ciseaux CAN) 2010
"Who's Sorry Now?" Certain Breeds/Terror Bird split 7 inch (Global Symphonic CAN) 2010
"Human Culture LP" (Night People USA/ADAGIO 830 DE) Feb. 2011
"Waiting for Nothing" 7 inch (Verulamium UK) upcoming 2011
"Outside/When I Woke Up" 7 inch (Night School UK) 2011
"Secret Rituals" LP (ADAGIO 830 DE) 2012
"Lost Forever in Silence" Digital Release (DZ US) 2012
"All This Time" LP (Night School UK) 2013
Terror Bird has also been featured on a Rough Trade synth compilation, plus self-released many cassettes, digital tracks and cdr's. Terror Bird has toured the USA once, the UK twice, and Europe four times.
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
|
Statistics:
- 153,464plays
- 11,074listners
- 165top track count
|
