Harry 'Bear' Dean, Oli 'Bear' Deakin, Cassie Bear and Joe Bear. When performing live we are now joined by Nic (Glaciers) Bear and Jon "Bassman" Bear.
Influences
The Beatles, Wilco, The National, Wolf Parade, M83, Radiohead, MGMT, Patrick Wolf, Arcade Fire, Manitoba/Caribou, Mum, Broken Social Scene, Nir Graham, Neutral Milk Hotel, early Idlewild, ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, The Beach Boys, Mechanical Owl, Animal Collective, Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Herman Hesse
Sounds Like
“Bear Driver, a band I’m lovin’ at the moment!” – Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1
"Check out 'Mind Attack' by Bear Driver. Then give them a record deal...Good stuff!" - Chris Martin, NME Radio
"I've never heard anyone do that before!" - Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music
'Listener's Choice' - Steve Lamacq, BBC Radio 2
'Bear hugs!' John Kennedy, Xfm
'Bear Driver are kind of like children's party entertainment by Arcade Fire and this kind of big v. small mix is showcased brilliantly by No Time To Speak which has all the spine-tingling stomp of Arcade Fire's Black Mirror but here adorned with glittering atmospherics and organ.' - GodisintheTVZine.co.uk
'Bear Driver sound like a band with a massive future and I really look forward to hearing a lot more from this excellent outfit - brilliant songs, crackin' musicianship, very impressive EP, fanf*ckintastic!!' - ToxicPete.co.uk
'This debut E.P shows signs of a band already developing a winning, individual 'sound' and fine-tuning a promising balance between creative imagination and fresh-faced simplicity.' - LeedsMusicScene.net
'Filling you with warmth and love' - SandmanMagazine.co.uk
'Bear Driver's 'Paws & Claws' are capable of caressing or drawing blood as required' - WhisperinandHollerin.com
Bear Driver started out in 2008 when Harry and Oli were living in the same house in Leeds, and began writing songs together. Having bonded over a mutual appreciation of Radiohead, The Beatles, Joanna Newsom and The National they joined forces to make the colourful-pop-super-duo, Bear Driver, playing live as a two-piece with a backing track. Later that year they recruited Cassie, for her ethereal vocals, and Joe for his eclectic skills with keyboard, glockenspiel, melodica and sampler. Since then, Jon (who plays bass) and Nic (who plays the drums while jumping about) have been recruited to complete the live line-up.
They recorded debut EP ‘Paws and Claws’ in bedrooms and self-released it in May 2009, followed by a ltd edition vinyl on Dance To The Radio who released 'Mind Attack' in July 09.
After only a handful of shows, the band were chosen by BBC Introducing to play the Leeds Reading Festival 09, and have also been selected to appear at their favourite End Of The Road Festival in September. In the meantime several tracks are gracing the airwaves of the BBC and beyond, and a second ep and single are in the pipeline for the autumn.
I am listening to various Bear Driver MP3s on my headphones at work. It's finally properly clicking. Always knew it was good, but it's gone all magical on me.
If you could take just 2 minutes to have a look at some of my pics and let me know which one you like best that would be wicked!!
How are you anyway??
We have just got ourselves a new camera so we are offering all new friends the chance to have some photos taken for free. You just cover the travel. Interested?
Takeiteasy
Adam Glitterskin MSN: glitterskinonline@gmail.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/glitterskin Facebook: Glitterskin Pictures
TEN combine electronic keys and percussion with the acoustic sounds of glockenspiel and a string quartet to create a beautiful sound-scape that moves from slow, eery and melancholic to pulsating and optimistic. "Cloud-filled electronic pulse" Terrascope www.myspace.com/tenthegreat
RED TREES red trees folk music belongs to and reflects their natural surroundings, they shade their melodious ease with a melancholy sense of nostalgia and longing.' ,,www.myspace.com/redtrees2
DECAPANTE play hella loud noise rock and hail from Madrid,
SPAIN. Their tunes are ultra sludgy, super slow and riddled with demonic slabs
of riff madness! They create this almighty racket harnessing the power of two
bass’s and a big old drum sound. Sorta remind me of the early Ruins/Melvins/Big
Business with hints of Shellac for good measure.
COWTOWN are three handsome young chipmunks with a taste for
party tunes and library jumpers. Recently described as Rod, Jane and Freddy
mixed with Melt Banana. New album ‘Excellent Domestic Short hair’ out soon.
Well thought, i do actually like your music ! It would have been a pleasure to come to your gig supporting Bombay Bicycle Club.. if only i lived in England :(
Hi, really nice what you're doing. Good luck for the show with BBC, I'd love to be there, but first of all it's sold out and secondly, London is a bit too far. :) Let me know, when you come to Berlin!