Exotic Birds

Freer, Reznor, Kubiszewski, Vale, and Best in a 1986 Exotic Birds promo photo

Exotic Birds was a synthpop music group formed in 1983 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Andy Kubiszewski on guitar and vocals, Tom Freer on drums, and Tim Adams on keyboards. Trent Reznor's time in the band was preceded by his second stint in The Urge and followed by a stint in Slam Bamboo.

History

Frank Vale joined the band as an additional keyboardist in September 1984. [1] When Adams decided to leave to work with orchestras, the Exotic Birds broke up for the first time, playing a farewell show at the Phantasy Nite Club on February 16, 1985. [2] In early 1986, Exotic Birds 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. [3] In November 1986, Freer and Best moved on, with Vale having departed slightly earlier. [4] In December 1986, Reznor invited Chris Vrenna to play drums for the band, filling out the now-trio. [5] However, by July 1987, the band had broken up again. [6] [7]

Kubiszewski reformed Exotic Birds in early 1988 with a new line-up including Doug Beck on keyboards and Richard Carpenter on drums [8], 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 and keyboards) 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 became Reznor's long-time manager and co-founder of Nothing Records.

Discography

• Who Knows Why / Dance the Night Away (Single, 1983)
• Exotic Birds (Mini-album, 1984)
• L'oiseau (Mini-album, 1986)
• Equilibrium (Album, 1989, reissued 1990)