Changes

The band at one point had five members. Adams left to work with orchestras, but Mark Best and Frank Vale signed replaced him onkeyboards. In late On February 16, 1985, Reznor joined the Exotic Birds broke up for the first time, playing a farewell show at the Phantasy Nite Club. [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/34787/full/full/0/default.jpg] In early 1986, Exotic Birds was reformed as a five-piece band , with Kubiszewski, Freer, and Vale being joined by Mark Best on bass and Trent Reznor on keyboards, programming and backing vocals. [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/35661/full/full/0/default.jpg] In November 1986, Tom Freer and Mark Best moved on, with Frank Vale having departed at some point slightly earlier. [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/36091/full/full/0/default.jpg] In December 1986, Reznor's roommate invited [[Chris Vrenna]] joined on to play drumsfor the band, filling out the now-trio. [https://www.theninhotline.com/archives/articles/display/6195] However, by July 1987, the band had broken up. [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/37537/full/full/0/default.jpg] [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/37390/full/full/0/default.jpg]

Kubiszewski reformed Exotic Birds in early 1988 with a new line-up including Doug Beck on keyboards and Richard Carpenter on drums [https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/iiif/p16014coll5/37936/full/full/0/default.jpg], and they released the group's first CD ''Equilibrium'' in November 1989. In 1990, Beck left, and [[Nick Rushe]] (formerly of Nine Inch Nails) 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 the final Exotic Birds' line-up. In 1993, Kubiszewski left to play drums with The The, but returned for one final gig in 1994.

Reznor, Vale and non-Exotic Birds member Mark Addison were the fictional band The Problems in Paul Schrader's 1987 film ''Light of Day''. One-time Exotic Birds manager [[John Malm]] was became Reznor's long-time manager and co-founder of [[Nothing Records]].