Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts are an indie rock band from Kendal, United Kingdom, active from 2002 to 2018. The group forms around Hayden Thorpe on vocals, Ben Little on guitar, Chris Talbot on drums and Tom Fleming on bass. They later base themselves in London, although the band begins in Kendal, in north-west England, where Thorpe and Little are schoolmates at Queen Katherine School.

Formation and early years

The band first performs under the name Fauve, a French word meaning “wild beast”. In January 2004, Talbot joins, and the group adopts the name Wild Beasts. The following year, Fleming becomes a full-time member. After A-levels, the four move to Leeds, where three of them study at university while Little takes odd jobs.

Recordings and label history

Wild Beasts release their debut single, Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants, backed with The Old Dog, on Bad Sneakers Records in 2006. Their second single, Through Dark Night, backed with Please, Sir, follows as their final release on that label. In 2007, the band signs to Domino Records.

Their debut album, Limbo, Panto, appears in 2008 and receives strong critical endorsement. Two Dancers, released in 2009, receives widespread critical acclaim, including 9/10 reviews from NME and Drowned in Sound, and is placed at number 41 in NME’s list of the top 100 albums of the decade. Their third album, Smother, follows in 2011.

Style and later history

Wild Beasts are associated with indie rock and related styles including art pop, cabaret, dream pop, indie pop and progressive pop. The band announces that it is disbanding in 2017 and plays its final concert in February 2018.