• 2005-

  Jack SteadmanVocals, guitar

  Jamie MacCollGuitar

  Suren de SaramDrums

  Ed NashBass, keyboards
• The members of Bombay Bicycle Club began playing music together when they were just 15 years old. They took their name from a chain of Indian restaurants in their hometown of London, England. Originally called The Canals, the band performed under various other aliases and with different members until Ed Nash joined the band in 2006. Their big break came when they won Virgin Mobile's "Road to V" competition and they opened V Fest in Chelmsford and Staffordshire in August 2006.
• Bombay Bicycle Club created a new label called MMM… Records to release their first two EPs. In late 2008, the band signed a deal with Island Records to co-release their singles and albums going forward. Their first single with Island came out in April 2009 and was called "Always Like This."
• Bombay Bicycle Club covered Lana Del Rey's hit song "Video Games" for Radio 1's Live Lounge. In an interview with NME at Glastonbury 2011, members of the band said they "don't listen to guitar music," despite being a classified as a folk-rock band. Other artists the band enjoys include Caribou, James Blake, and Beyoncé.
• In September 2010, Bombay Bicycle Club began working on their third studio album. The band worked with Animal Collective producer Ben Allen and Arcade Fire mixer Craig Silvey. The album was called A Different Kind of Fix and was released in August 2011.
• After finishing high school in 2008, the members of Bombay Bicycle Club decided to pursue music as a full time career. Their debut album was called I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. The band took the name from a line in the song "After Hours" by A Tribe Called Quest.
• British music producer Jim Abbiss produced Bombay Bicycle Club's debut album. He's worked with some of the music industry's leading acts, including Arctic Monkeys, KT Tunstall, Editors, DJ Shadow, and Adele.
• In March 2011, Bombay Bicycle Club performed at the Independent Music Awards in Toronto, Canada. The ceremony was held at the historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel and also included performances by Shad, Hollerado, and Hannah Georgas, among others.
• Guitarist Jamie MacColl is the grandson of Folk singers Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, and the nephew of singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl.
• In 2015, Bombay Bicycle Club sold their gear and spent three years pursuing solo projects. Steadman started an astronomy degree and worked part time at a cybersecurity and technology policy think tank.
• Jack Steadman traveled eastward from the UK to New York in 2017 without flying. In Shanghai, he boarded a cargo ship and set up a studio in his cabin. During the journey to the west coast of Canada, Steadman wrote an R&B/soul/jazz solo album titled God First under his alias, Mr. Jukes.

Comments

More Songfacts:

I Wanna Be Your DogThe Stooges

Sleigh bells aren't very punk, but they play throughout the Stooges classic "I Wanna Be Your Dog."

PanamaVan Halen

"Panama" by Van Halen is not about the country or the canal, but about a stripper David Lee Roth met in Arizona.

Hound DogElvis Presley

The songwriting team Leiber and Stoller wrote "Hound Dog" for a blues singer named Big Mama Thronton, who first recorded the song in 1953. Elvis covered it in 1956, and it became his biggest hit.

Tubular Bells (Part 1)Mike Oldfield

The Exorcist theme music is a portion of "Tubular Bells," a 25-minute song released by 19-year-old Mike Oldfield.

At This MomentBilly Vera & the Beaters

"At This Moment" was first released by Billy Vera & the Beaters in 1981, and hit #79. After it was used in two episodes of Family Ties in 1985-1986, it went to #1.

ThrillerMichael Jackson

In the UK, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" returns to the chart every Halloween, a tradition started in 2007.

Editor's Picks

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Gentle GiantSongwriter Interviews

An interview with Ray and Derek Shulman of the progressive rock band Gentle Giant to discuss counterpoint, polyrhythms, and... Bon Jovi.