This Canadian indie rock band comprises David Monks (b. Dublin, Eire; vocals/bass), Graham Wright (b. Newmarket, Ontario, Canada; keyboards/vocals), Joshua Hook (b. North York, Ontario, Canada; guitar/percussion) and Gregory Alsop (b. Newmarket, Ontario, Canada; drums). Formed in 2005, all four members of Tokyo Police Club were school friends and members of a previous outfit that had since split up. Rehearsing in a basement, the band soon began performing in and around the Toronto area, steadily building up a small yet passionate fanbase. As the time approached for the members of Tokyo Police Club to go their separate ways, and for the outfit to naturally disband, they were invited to perform at the Pop Montreal Festival. Their show was a huge success, the culmination of the hype that had been gradually building up over the preceding months, and persuaded the band to pursue a career in music.
Signing to Paper Bag Records in the USA and Canada, and Memphis Industries in Europe, Tokyo Police Club released their debut, A Lesson In Crime, in April 2006. Although comprising just eight tracks, the mini-album gave an excellent overview of the band's talents. Similarities with the Strokes early material were easy to hear, with Monks' vocal melodies and detached singing style instantly comparable with those of Julian Casablancas, while driving bass lines supported lead guitar flourishes. Although the tracks were short and to the point, with the record lasting under 20 minutes, the musical nature of the band's concise songs leant themselves to such a short length. Stand-out tracks included "Nature Of The Experiment" and "If It Works".
Tokyo Police Club's growing reputation was boosted yet again in 2007 with high profile performances around the world, including the Coachella festival and sell out shows throughout Europe.
