British India (band)

British India
British India performing in the Regal Ballroom at the High Vibes festival, Northcote on 23 September 2007
Background information
Origin	Melbourne, Australia
Genres	Indie rock, garage rock
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Flashpoint, Shock
Website	britishindiaofficial.com
Members	Declan Melia Nic Wilson Will Drummond Matt O'Gorman

British India are an Australian indie rock band, formed in Melbourne in 2004. The band comprises lead vocalist, lyricist and guitarist Declan Melia, guitarist Nic Wilson, bassist Will Drummond and drummer Matt O'Gorman. They have released five studio albums.

The members of British India met at high school, forming when friends Declan Melia and Nic Wilson asked schoolmates Will Drummond and Matt O'Gorman to join their band, whilst attending St. Bede's College, in Melbourne, Australia, in 2004. Reportedly social misfits throughout high school, the band would converge during school lunchtimes and study periods to rehearse and compose in the school music room and as this occurred the quartet played cover versions of songs by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Beatles, Blur, and Starsailor. The band's name was originally noticed by Wilson on a b-side by Strawberry Alarm Clock. In 2005, after playing regularly across Australia for a year, the band signed with In-Fidelity Recordings and began work on their debut EP, with producer Lindsay Gravina. In June 2005 they released a single, "Outside 109 / Automatic Blitzkrieg". The song's inspiration came from a quip made by Mick Jagger in an interview in 1964. Melia told Australian Music Online the song's lyrics referred to the band's gigging in Melbourne, and "being just outside of national recognition".

On 21 November 2005, the band released their debut EP Counter Culture, on Flashpoint Records. Following recording at Sydney's Flashpoint Studios with studio owner Harry Vanda. Drummond said that in recording the EP, the band "crammed all their great ideas " onto it.