TV On The Radio

TV on the Radio (formed 2001)

TV on the Radio is an American alternative rock band, from New York City. The lineup of the band consists of David Sitek on guitars, keyboards and loops, Tunde Adebimpe on vocals and loops, Kyp Malone on vocals, guitars and loops, Gerard Smith on bass and keyboards and Jaleel Bunton on drums. The band incorporate elements of a number of different genres, including post-punk, free jazz, soul, electro and shoegaze. In addition to the main band members, TV on the Radio also occasionally features visiting members such as Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, David Bowie, Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Perna of Antibalas.

TV on the Radio: Musical Career

The title of TV on the Radio's debut release made a tongue-in-cheek reference to Radiohead's OK Computer. OK Calculator contained obvious influences of hip-hop and electronica and at the time that it was made, the band consisted solely of Adebimpe and Sitek. Kyp Malone then joined the band and in 2003, they released the Young Liars EP, which was lauded by the music press.

The band's debut album, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes won them the Shortlist Music Prize in 2004. Later that year, they released another EP, entitled New Health Rock.

TV on the Radio's second album Return to Cookie Mountain was scheduled for release in the US and Canada in September 2006 and overseas in July 2006. However, the album was released on the Internet much earlier in the year. Despite this, the album still sold well and music websites such as Pitchfork Media heaped praise on the recordings, which were released on Interscope Records. Spin magazine named Return to Cookie Mountain their Album of the Year in 2006.

Two years later, Dear Science was released. TV on the Radio's second album was also leaked on the internet prior to its official release. This time, the list of media outlets naming the album as their favourite of the year spread to Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, Pitchfork Media and MTV.

TV on the Radio appeared on a number of high profile television shows to promote the album, including Later. with Jools Holland in the UK and The Late Show with David Letterman in the US, on which they played the track 'Dancing Choose'.

Their songs have been used in a number of films and TV shows, including 'Wolf Like Me', which featured on the Never Back Down, film soundtrack and the snowboard film Optimistic? 'Halfway Home' was also featured on the soundtrack to the popular UK teen show Skins.

Dave Sitek has worked with a number of bands as a producer. Some of the bands that he has worked with include Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars, Foals and Telepathe.