Wildlife (band)
Encyclopedia
Wildlife are a Canadian indie rock
band formed in 2005. The band is currently based in Toronto
. The band's debut LP Strike Hard, Young Diamond was favourably received by both Exclaim!
and Chart
.
. Wildlife began as a entity in 2005, when singer/guitarist Povinsky and guitarist Darryl Smith left Queen's University
in Kingston
, Ontario
and moved to Glasgow
to form and play in a band. The group, also comprising Scottish drummer Peter Kelly and Canadian Billy Holmes, spent time travelling, writing songs, recording and playing small venues around Glasgow. The dark days, rain, and a general homesickness led the members to abandon the project and return to Canada.
Povinsky moved to Toronto with the intention of continuing Wildlife with childhood friend Graham Plant on guitar
, drummer Dwayne Christie and Julia Mensink playing synthesizer. The group was rounded out when bassist Derek Bosomworth was procured via a Craigslist
advertisement. The band is currently based in Toronto
.
, their full-length debut was reviewed positively on the Baeble Music website. Critic Jessica Lewis of Exclaim!
wrote, "The five songs are bold, full of angst and to the point, but they're also filled with youthful exuberance and affirming righteousness that will be good for a simple pick-me-up." In a favourable review, critic Scott Bryson of Chart
suggested that the band's style was like a mix of fellow Canadians Wolf Parade
and Born Ruffians
.
Wildlife's song "Sea Dreamer" debuted on CBC Radio 3s top 30 charts at #28 and rose to #4.
Wildlife played the Canadian Music Week
festival in 2011.
In an early leak of the Arcade Fire album The Suburbs, some tracks by Wildlife were released along with the leak, replacing "Rococo" by Arcade fire with "Sea Dreamer", among other replacements.
Band members cite their musical influences as including Bruce Springsteen
, David Bowie
, and The Clash
.
Former Members (Julia Mensink – keyboards, (2006–2009)
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in 2005. The band is currently based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The band's debut LP Strike Hard, Young Diamond was favourably received by both Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
and Chart
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
.
Formation
Band members Dean Povinsky, Graham Plant and Dwayne Christie are originally from Oshawa, OntarioOshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
. Wildlife began as a entity in 2005, when singer/guitarist Povinsky and guitarist Darryl Smith left Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and moved to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to form and play in a band. The group, also comprising Scottish drummer Peter Kelly and Canadian Billy Holmes, spent time travelling, writing songs, recording and playing small venues around Glasgow. The dark days, rain, and a general homesickness led the members to abandon the project and return to Canada.
Povinsky moved to Toronto with the intention of continuing Wildlife with childhood friend Graham Plant on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, drummer Dwayne Christie and Julia Mensink playing synthesizer. The group was rounded out when bassist Derek Bosomworth was procured via a Craigslist
Craigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
advertisement. The band is currently based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
EP
The group independently released a self-titled EP in November 2008. Copies were sold at shows and on tours of Ontario and eastern Canada. The recording is currently out of print.Strike Hard, Young Diamond
Wildlife released Strike Hard, Young Diamond 16 November 2010 on the Toronto based independent label Easy Tiger Music. Recorded and mixed in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, their full-length debut was reviewed positively on the Baeble Music website. Critic Jessica Lewis of Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
wrote, "The five songs are bold, full of angst and to the point, but they're also filled with youthful exuberance and affirming righteousness that will be good for a simple pick-me-up." In a favourable review, critic Scott Bryson of Chart
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
suggested that the band's style was like a mix of fellow Canadians Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade is an indie rock band formed in 2003 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band is currently on an indefinite hiatus as of May 31, 2011.-History:...
and Born Ruffians
Born Ruffians
Born Ruffians, formerly known as Mornington Drive, are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2004, originally from Midland, Ontario, located near Georgian Bay. They are currently signed to Warp Records. The members are Luke Lalonde , Mitch Derosier and Steven Hamelin...
.
Wildlife's song "Sea Dreamer" debuted on CBC Radio 3s top 30 charts at #28 and rose to #4.
Wildlife played the Canadian Music Week
Canadian Music Week
Canadian Music Week is an industry conference and music festival held over four days in various venues throughout Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
festival in 2011.
In an early leak of the Arcade Fire album The Suburbs, some tracks by Wildlife were released along with the leak, replacing "Rococo" by Arcade fire with "Sea Dreamer", among other replacements.
Band members cite their musical influences as including Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, and The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
.
Band members
- Derek Bosomworth – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals (2006–present) - Dwayne Christie – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2006–present) - Tim Daugulis – keyboardMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
, synth (2009–present) - Graham Plant – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals (2006–present) - Dean Povinsky – lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2005–present)
Former Members (Julia Mensink – keyboards, (2006–2009)