Exotic Birds

The Exotic Birds was an American synthpop music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in 1982 by three Cleveland Institute of Music percussion students, Andy Kubiszewski, Tom Freer and Tim Adams. They wrote their own music, and were described as synthpop and dance. They achieved mainly local success, but appeared as an opening band for Culture Club, Eurythmics, and Information Society.

Exotic Birds
Exotic Birds in September 1984. From left to right: Adams, Kubiszewski and Freer
Background information
OriginCleveland, Ohio, United States
GenresSynth-pop
Years active1982 (1982)–1991 (1991)
Associated acts
Past members

History
Kubiszewski and Freer in 1984

The band's first single, "Dance the Night Away," was backed with an earlier recording, "Who Knows Why," by Kubiszewski and Nick Capetanakis (who performed with Kubiszewski in a prior group.) The order of the songs was accidentally flipped on the record, so the older song appeared as the A side. "Who Knows Why" received moderate local radio play and became a surprise hit in Japan. The band eventually grew to five members. Adams left to do orchestral work, but Mark Best and Frank Vale signed on. Then by 1985, Trent Reznor (who later formed Nine Inch Nails) joined the band on keyboards, programming and backing vocals. Shortly after that, Freer departed the band for the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra and was replaced by Reznor's roommate, Chris Vrenna who would also later join Reznor in Nine Inch Nails. Still, this was clearly Kubiszewski's band as neither Reznor nor Vrenna wrote any of the songs. By 1988, the band had broken up.

Reformation

Kubiszewski reformed with a new line-up including Doug Beck and Richard Carpenter, and released the group's first CD Equilibrium. In 1990, Doug Beck left, and Nick Rushe joined on keyboards. The band signed to Alpha International Records out of Philadelphia, PA for what was to be their next album. Instead, Alpha repackaged Equilibrium, cutting several tracks, and adding the new song "Imagination" to lead off the disc. Alpha was bought out just days after "Imagination" was released as a single. After Rushe departed, Rodney Shields (keyboards) and Marty Step (guitar) joined, rounding out would be the final Exotic Birds' line-up.

In 1993, Kubiszewski left to play drums with The The, but returned for one final gig on Saturday, January 22, 1994.

Reznor, Vale and non-Exotic Birds member Mark Addison were the fictional band "The Problems" in Paul Schrader's 1987 Cleveland set movie Light of Day featuring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.

One-time Exotic Birds manager John Malm was Reznor's long-time manager and co-founder of Nothing Records.

Kubiszewski played percussion on some of Reznor's early Nine Inch Nails tracks and went on to drum for The The, Crowded House, Prick and Stabbing Westward.

To this day, Freer, now with the Cleveland Orchestra, and Adams, with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, remain close friends and often teach together.

Discography

"Who Knows Why" / "Dance the Night Away" 7" (1983)
  1. "Who Knows Why" (A. Kubiszewski/N. Capetanakis)
  2. "Dance the Night Away"

Exotic Birds (1984)
  1. "I'll Never Say Goodbye" (A. Kubiszewski 3:52)
  2. "Waiting For You (Na Na)" (A. Kubiszewski 5:40)
  3. "No Communication" (A. Kubiszewski 3:38)
  4. "Fade Away" (A. Kubiszewski 5:40)
  5. "Take Your Chances" (A. Kubiszewski 5:03)
  6. "Demon Dance" (T. Adams 5:30)
  7. "No Communication (TV Version)" (A. Kubiszewski 3:53)

L'oiseau (1986)
  1. "Dancing on the Airwaves" (A. Kubiszewski 3:40)
  2. "Have You Heard the News" (A. Kubiszewski 3:42)
  3. "The Meaning of Love" (T. Freer/A. Kubiszewski 2:37)
  4. "This Must Be Heaven" (A. Kubiszewski 4:53)
  5. "Nothing Lasts Forever" (T. Freer 3:54)
  6. "Fighting Fire With Fire" (A. Kubiszewski 4:58)

Backing Vocals by Rebecca Harper[1]

Equilibrium (Pleasureland) (1989)
  1. "Everything Is Different Now" [4:16]
  2. "Day After Day" [3:12]++
  3. "The Rhythm of Machinery" [3:42]
  4. "Fashion and Luxury" [4:11]
  5. "Heartbeat Like A Drum" [4:31]
  6. "This Feeling" [3:35]
  7. "The Touch" [3:33]
  8. "Dance With Me" [4:33]
  9. "Pleasure" [3:39]+
  10. "Every Star Was You" [4:40]
  11. "Day After Day" (Remix) [4:47]
  12. "Heartbeat Like A Drum" (The E-Z Listening Mix) [7:04]
  13. "Dance With Me" (Disco Invader Mix) [6:34]
  14. "Pleasure" (Dreamworld Mix) [5:35]
  15. "Every Star Was You" (Celestial Mix) [6:03]

All songs written by A. Kubiszewski except +by Doug Beck, and ++by Pete Ham.

Equilibrium (Alpha International) (1990)
  1. "Imagination" [4:20] (Andy Kubiszewski/Richard Carpenter)
  2. "Day After Day" [3:12] (Pete Ham)
  3. "Everything Is Different Now" [4:10]
  4. "Heartbeat Like A Drum" [4:16]
  5. "Every Star Was You" [4:35]
  6. "Fashion and Luxury" [4:11]
  7. "The Touch" [3:33]
  8. "This Feeling" [3:34]
  9. "Rhythm of Machinery" [3:44]
  10. "Dance With Me" [4:36]

All songs written by Andy Kubiszewski except as indicated

Unreleased demos
  • Join Hands
  • Don't Breathe a Word
  • Kollaps - War Crimes
  • Rise Up
  • My Savior
  • Radiation/Contamination

References
  1. Album Cover
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