TV On The Radio

TV on the Radio’s story is one of synchronicity, of serendipity, of epiphany. TVOTR began with Tunde Adebimpe (vocals) and David Sitek (multi-instrumentalist and production kingpin behind the Grammy nominated Yeah Yeah Yeahs LP Fever To Tell) being roommates, drinking way too much coffee, making art: comics, movies, paintings. They started trading tapes of each other’s four track recordings and thought it’d be fun to try to make “a real record” out of all that stuff.

Touch And Go released TV On The Radio’s stunning EP Young Liars in July 2003, and it immediately marked them out as one of the most musically innovative bands to have emerged in years. Their debut full-length Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes set 2004 off to a dramatically positive start. With new member Kyp Malone sharing songwriting, guitar and vocal duties, TVOTR was quickly on the path to the being one of the most talked-about new groups in America. After touring as a trio, Jaleel Bunton (drums) and Gerard Smith (bass) joined the band to create the current and official TVOTR line up.

TVOTR has gone on to enjoy critical acclaim in esteemed publications ranging from The New York Times to SPIN Magazine and from Rolling Stone to URB, and performed live on The Late Show with Carson Daly and the Late Late Show. NPR has featured them on several programs, most notably on All Things Considered.

TV on the Radio capped a year of critical acclaim and non-stop activity when their debut album Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes was awarded the Shortlist Music Prize in Los Angeles on November 15th, 2004. The Shortlist Prize was founded in 2001 “to honor the most creative and adventurous albums of the year across all genres of music”.