The Brooklyn-based group TV on the Radio mixes post-punk, electronic, and other atmoshperic elements in such a creative way that it only makes sense that its core duo, vocalist Tunde Adebimpe and multi-instrumentalist/producer David Andrew Sitek, are both visual artists as well as musicians. Adebimpe is a graduate of NYU's film school and specializes in stop-motion animation, which his Brothers Quay-like video for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs single "Pin" demonstrates amply. He is also a painter, as is Sitek, who also produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Machine EP and their full-length Fever to Tell.

The duo met when Sitek moved into the building where Adebimpe had a loft; each of them had been recording music on his own, but realized their sounds would work well together. Sitek's brother Jason began playing drums and other instruments with the pair during their recording sessions, which resulted in a self-titled, 24-track CD released by the Brooklyn Milk imprint. Jason Sitek left the band for a short time due to other musical commitments but returned to the band when they recorded their Touch and Go debut, the Young Liars EP.

After the EP was completed, TV on the Radio added guitarist/vocalist Kyp Malone to their fold. Young Liars, which also features the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Brian Chase and Nick Zinner, was released in summer 2003 to critical acclaim, coinciding with their gigs opening for the Fall. Their first full-length release, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes arrived in spring 2004. The band remained busy for the rest of the year, embarking on their own tours as well as dates with the Faint and the Pixies. That fall, they released the New Health Rock EP and won the 2004 Shortlist Prize.

In 2005, the band kept busy with touring and returned to Sitek's Stay Gold studio to work on their second album. They also made an MP3 criticizing President George W. Bush, "Dry Drunk Emperor," available on their website. TV on the Radio signed with 4AD for European distribution of their albums and moved to Interscope in the U.S. In summer 2006 they resurfaced with Return to Cookie Mountain, a more polished but still searching collection of songs that featured David Bowie on backing vocals. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

artist news

"We owe you an apology. Us creative types used to be afraid of you—what, with all your figures and computations. All that analytical talk hurt our oversized right brains, so we kept you at bay with finger paints and slam poetry. Then came TV On the Radio with their new album named in your honor, and just like that everything changed. You weren't some monster from the darkness to be feared."

08 October 2008

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"The fourth album for the New York band was produced by Dave Sitek. "

23 September 2008

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"A bombshell: as good as it undoubtedly is, this record isn't going to change your life. But one thing appears certain: this is the album that will takes its makers to the masses, if only because everybody seems to want to have an opinion on it. "

22 September 2008

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"Thousands are heading to the streets of downtown San Diego today (September 19) for the first day of the city's annual Street Scene festival. Beck will be tonight's main headliner, performing from 10:45 pm until midnight. "

19 September 2008

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"TV On The Radio have announced details of a November UK tour. On The Radio will play:Glasgow ABC (November 16) Manchester Academy 2 (17) Birmingham Carling Academy 2 (18) London Shepherd's Bush Empire (19) Tickets go on sale on Friday (September 19) at 9am (BST). "

16 September 2008

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