History

The band formed at Hiatt Baker Hall at the University of Bristol

University of Bristol

The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...

 in 1996/1997. Originally there were six members: Rupert Browne (vocals), Ed East (rhythm guitar

Rhythm guitar

Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...

), Steve Bond (drums

Drum kit

A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

), Simon (Boris) Exton (keyboards

Electronic keyboard

An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...

), Luke Sherwood (lead guitar

Lead guitar

Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...

) and Trevor Wensley (saxophone

Saxophone

The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

). Originally called "Rupert & The Beards", the band have been playing together for over 15 years.
Their early sound was more funk

Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...

 than anything else but after leaving university and moving to a shared house their music became more eclectic and experimental. After Sherwood decided to leave the band Wensley became a second keyboard/synth player. As there was no bass player the two keyboards shared rhythm, bass and melody duties which gave the band a distinctive sound. All five members write the songs, both individually and collectively.
An early EP, ‘Telephone Heroes”, was followed be their first album, Experiment with Mother

Experiment With Mother

Experiment With Mother is the debut studio album by British Electropop band Chikinki, released on Sink and Stove Records on April 2, 2001....

. Recorded at home, it was released by Bristol Label Sink and Stove Records along with the single ‘Like It Or Leave It”. Having gigged regularly for many years around Bristol they began to play further a-field. This led to them acquiring management and subsequently signing a deal with Island Records.
The band recorded the album ‘Lick Your Ticket’ in 2003 with producer Steve Osborne at Realworld Studios. They released a number of singles from it and toured extensively, playing with bands such as Kasabian, the Kaiser Chiefs and the Charlatans as well as at Glastonbury and V festivals. However, they were unable to sell enough records to make a sufficient return on the large investment Island had made in them and their contract was not extended to another album.
Whilst working in Berlin with dance producers Tiefschwarz they were seen performing by Kitty-Yo Records who signed the album up for release in GAS . Their next record, ‘Brace, Brace’ was licensed by Weekender among other labels. Produced by Bruno Ellingham this album featured the single, ‘You Said’ which enjoyed a lot of airplay and allowed the band to play a large number of gigs across Europe.
Their most recent album ‘Bitten’ was written and recorded at Studio East in Berlin; a studio run by their guitarist East. Funded by BMG Rights and distributed by Rough Trade it features the single ‘Bitte Bitte’.

Albums

• Experiment with Mother
  Experiment With Mother
  Experiment With Mother is the debut studio album by British Electropop band Chikinki, released on Sink and Stove Records on April 2, 2001....
  
  (2001), Sink and Stove Records
• Lick Your Ticket, (2005), Kitty-Yo/Universal, UK #184
• The Balloon Factory (2006), Urban Cow Records
• Brace, Brace (2007), Weekender Records
• Bitten (2011), Urban Cow

Singles and EPs

• "Telephone Heroes" (Urban Cow Records) - July 2000
• "Like It Or Leave It" (Sink and Stove Records
  Sink and Stove Records
  Sink and Stove Records is a record label. Set-up in 2000 to fill a void in the local area, Sink and Stove Records has quickly established itself as a main player in the UK’s independent and alternative scenes, despite its provincial base.-Early years:...
  
  ) - March 2002
• "Time" (Fierce Panda Records
  Fierce Panda Records
  Fierce Panda Records is a London-based independent record label, with its first release in February 1994. It also produced a small number of releases that year by now famous artists such as Ash, The Bluetones, Baby Bird and Supergrass...
  
  ) - March 2003, UK #194
• "Hate TV" (Island Records
  Island Records
  Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
  
  ) - August 2003, UK #97
• "Assassinator 13" (Island Records) - November 2003, UK #72
• "Like It Or Leave It" (Island Records) - March 2004, UK #65
• "Ether Radio" (Island Records) - June 2004, UK #50
• "All Eyes" (Island Records) - October 2004, UK #74
• "You Said" (Urban Cow Records) - May 2006
• "Bitte Bitte" (Urban Cow Records) - March 2011