In 2005, Tokyo Police Club started by accident one day in the ordinary suburb of Newmarket when Greg, Josh, Dave, and Graham decided that they missed playing music together, their previous band having broken up several months before. The four gathered in Josh's basement, plugging in instruments and making up songs almost at random, with no goal but to recapture the magic that they felt making music together. By the time summer came, TPC had quietly begun playing shows in the Toronto area, shows at which the very few people in attendance seemed impressed by what they saw. The band seemed likely to end here, with the various members preparing to go their separate ways in the fall, when fate intervened in the form of an invitation to play the Pop Montreal festival. Packing their instruments and girlfriends into a tiny university residence room, TPC spent a week immersed in music, spending days lazily wandering the streets of Montreal and nights rehearsing loudly in the tiniest of spaces, and topping it off in style with a sold out show that saw the band play for the first time to an audience that was actually interested. A few weeks later, all four had agreed that it was time to break their mothers' hearts and pursue that most elusive of pipe dreams: a career in the music business.
The boys got straight to business, playing a series of Toronto shows, and earning a reputation for live shows that were exuberant, lively, and unrestrained. In January, the very day that Dave returned for good from university, Tokyo Police Club signed up with esteemed Toronto label Paperbag Records to release their debut EP in Canada. In April 27, 2006, A Lesson in Crime was released in Canada and U.S (February 12, 2007, UK released), and the band spent the next months on the road, bringing their optimistic brand of wide-eyed post-pop to audiences across Canada, U.S. and Europe, and making many new friends along the way.
Responding to criticisms that A Lesson in Crime is too short (16:22), Graham Wright had this to say in an interview with Ukula: "It's very quick, quick, quick, one, two, three. Some of the songs don't have a lot of space in them and the album doesn't have a whole lot of room to breathe, but I think in the case of an EP this is a really good thing."
The Smith EP came in February 14, 2007. At a July 20, 2007 stop along the tour in Omaha, Nebraska the band announced the inking of a deal with Omaha based Saddle Creek Records during their live show at the Saddle Creek owned venue The Slowdown, to release their debut LP, entitled Elephant Shell, that was released on April, 22nd 2008 to much applause.
So what exactly is Tokyo Police Club? Perhaps EYE Weekly summed it up best when they wrote "[Tokyo Police Club] are undeniably catchy and raw, marrying danceable hooks with talk of robot masters and global emergencies, providing an upbeat soundtrack to our troubled times." Personally, however, I prefer Exclaim's proclamation that "somehow, the deeply innocuous subdivisions of Newmarket, Ontario have hatched a four-headed beast of tunefulness."
Sixties Remake
Tokyo Police Club Lyrics
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Sixties remake
Everything you've got in spades
Your collarbone, shoulder blades
(Hey)
Bat your lips, shut your eyes
(Hey)
'Cause you've got nerve but we've got time to
Going back to the city hurt
Taking to the streets at night
Home alone, tucked in tight
Everything you've got in spades
Your sixties remake
(Hey)
Bat your lips, shut your eyes
(Hey)
Swing those chains, start a fight
'Cause you've got nerve but we've got time to
Going back to the city hurt
It's how I was, it's how I tried
I was sixteen for the night
It's how I was, it's how I tried
I was sixteen for the night
'Cause you've got nerve but we've got time to
Going back to the city hurt
'Cause you've got nerve but we've got time to
Going back to the city hurt
Tokyo Police Club's song "Sixties Remake" is a nostalgic tribute to the 1960s and the countercultural movements of that era. The lyrics speak of "classics in the modern age", implying that the band is trying to revive the spirit and essence of the 60s in the contemporary world. The chorus repeats the line "Bat your lips, shut your eyes / Swing those chains, start a fight" which can be interpreted as a call for rebellion against societal norms and conventions. The imagery of collarbones and shoulder blades suggest a sensual and free-spirited attitude that was emblematic of the 60s hippie culture.
The verses of the song convey a sense of restlessness and a longing for adventure. The opening lines "Taking to the streets at night / Home alone, tucked in tight" depict a desire for exploration and escape from the mundane routines of everyday life. The repeated refrain of "Going back to the city hurt" suggests that the band members are willing to take risks and face the consequences of their actions, perhaps alluding to the notion that true freedom and self-discovery comes with a certain degree of pain.
Overall, "Sixties Remake" can be interpreted as a celebration of the 1960s countercultural ethos that championed individualism, peace, and love. The band seems to be urging listeners to embrace these ideals and live life to the fullest, with boldness and courage.
Line by Line Meaning
Classics in the modern age
Old things in new times
Sixties remake
A modernized version of something from the 1960s
Everything you've got in spades
You have a lot of something
Your collarbone, shoulder blades
The bones of your upper body
(Hey) Bat your lips, shut your eyes
Pursing your lips and closing your eyes
(Hey) Swing those chains, start a fight
Using chains as weapons to initiate conflict
'Cause you've got nerve but we've got time to
You are bold, but we can afford to wait
Going back to the city hurt
Returning to the city, even though it may cause pain or discomfort
Taking to the streets at night
Going out at night
Home alone, tucked in tight
Being alone at home, comfortably secure
It's how I was, it's how I tried
This is how I used to be, how I attempted something
I was sixteen for the night
Feeling youthful for a brief time
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID THOMAS MONKS, GRAHAM FRASER WRIGHT, GREGORY JARRETT ALSOP, JOSHUA G HOOK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
childishStarnino
God i loved this record soooo much. I'm 36, it was the soundtrack to my mid 20s. So many memories. TPC is very special to me.
Victory Mansions
Bangin tune, roll on summer, wanna get my groove on!!!
Ric G
Nostalgic