Melbourne-based trio, Too Birds is the collaborative project of vocalists Teether and Realname, alongside producer Mr Society.
While the group may draw inspiration from an eclectic mix of esoteric sources, it’s only clear as day that the group have tapped into a realm that’s all their own: blending the elements of harsh noise, hiphop, and industrial music to create the fever pitch music of your wildest nightmarish dreams.
Ahead of the release of their upcoming record, Melbourne 2, the group have released the lead single ‘Monstera Heaven’. We were lucky enough to get to know the group on a deeper level as part of our Get To Know series, where we found out that there is certainly a method to the madness that is Too Birds.
Check out what makes them tick below.
We are proud to share with you today the militant new track and mesmerizing video from Melbourne rap/industrial trio Too Birds. ‘Monstera Heaven’ is out now, and is the first taste of the band’s forthcoming record ‘Melbourne 2’, set for release on April 30 2021 via X Amount Records.
How did your artist name come about?
Teether: So, we were on our way to our studio in the CBD, about to record our first hit song. On our way there, we noticed that there was no one around. There were just different kinds of birds: there were crows, pigeons, albatrosses. You name it, it was flying around.
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Realname: After that we were discussing band names in the park, and we couldn’t hear each other over the sound of too many birds.
Teether: We couldn’t hear anything, it was the loudest squawking I’ve ever heard.
Realname: We took it as a sign.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Mr Society: “Grandma, please don’t listen to this music.”
Realname: “It’s a little bit heavy.”
Teether: I would have to borrow Realname’s ouija board and summon them back from the great beyond. Then I’d gift them air pods and say “check this out.”
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
Monstera Heaven
Realname: It’s about anxiety, depression and daddy issues.
Teether: Yeah, that’s what it’s about.
Realname: Honestly, it’s about being full of shit, and me trying to make that work to my advantage. I don’t know, I just feel like I’m completely fake at all times and everything I say in my music is me trying to combat that.
Teether: I feel like that song is about surviving each week and only focusing on the short-term. It’s about doing things that probably won’t help you in the long run, they’re not sustainable, but they’re working for you right this second so you don’t change your behaviour.
Mr Society: [about the name] I have this extremely vivid mental image of visiting an abnormal amount of houses in Melbourne where there’s just some neglected, dying plant in the corner of the living room. Nobody knows how long it’s been sitting there for, it’s just kind of an afterthought that some ex ex ex ex housemate left, and everyone since then has just been too apathetic/busy to take care of it.
7000000000 Chumps
Mr Society: One of my favourite songs off the new project.
Teether: My verse was from 2017, it’s one of the oldest verses on the album. It’s littered with references to metal songs because that’s what I was listening to at the time. In hindsight, it was me coming to terms with being mentally unwell in a really dramatic way. I was catastrophising about growing up and developing an abnormal brain. These days, I’m not as stressed by it, I’m like “okay this is how my brain works, who gives a fuck”.
Realname: I can only write a Too Birds song when I want to off myself, so they’re all about the same thing.
Snake City (…Take Me There)
Realname: That’s my least theatrical contribution to Melbourne 2. There were too many bars to stay in rap character, I’m just droning on about my shortcomings. At the time of writing I was going on a lot of spooky train rides, trying not to get shanked to death by future versions of myself, feeling guilty for having loved ones who are forced to watch my inevitable downfall. It’s really just a miserable journal entry with a bit of rock & roll sprinkled on it.
Teether: I think my verse comes from a similar place: being depressed and being in the midst of it, not knowing what else to do other than write about it. It’s mopey, but I like the way it flows. I feel like playing a guitar solo was the only appropriate way to finish it, just riding the beat into the sunset.
Mr Society: I didn’t do much on this song, which I like. Usually my production style is getting an idea (or hearing one) and completely dissecting and rearranging everything, but the groundwork for this track had a super raw Realname-and-Teether feel to it that I didn’t want to butcher.
What do you love about your hometown?
Teether: I think it’s the perfect blend of comfort on the surface, but decay and tribulation not so far beneath. Like, it’s easy to survive here, but at the same time, there’s a reason everyone in the city is so severely unwell. There’s also a lot to be stimulated by, which is good and helps keep you distracted. But that can be a double edged sword, too.
Mr Society: I come from a smallish town in Canada. It’s a cool place with a cool music scene, especially these days, from what I’ve been told. There’s also an overwhelming sense of community there that I personally don’t feel in many big Australian cities.
Realname: I like how all the money is in the city and the opportunities and if you live in a country town you have to desert your community to attend a good school. The city funnels the youth out of rural areas like a money-scented bug zapper. It wants you to come here, work here, breed here and die here with little to no reward. It spreads across the land at a tumor’s pace mutilating the world into the perfect environment for a Too Birds.
Career highlight so far?
Realname: I had a psychotic episode in LAX airport from too many weed edibles.
Teether: Brushing my teeth out the window in my bedroom because there was black mould in the bathroom for a year and a half.
Mr Society: One specific highlight doesn’t stick out, but being able to perform on bills alongside some of my favourite Australian artists has been incredible.
Fave non-music hobby?
Mr Society: I really enjoy reading Wikipedia articles. I finish every day by reading a few.
Realname: I like aggravating abusive looking men to the point where they attack me and reveal themselves to the world.
Teether: I’ve been going buckwild recently.
What’s on your dream rider?
Teether: A meal and some goofy gas.
Realname: A can of Dr Pepper, a pair of jumper cables and a gas powered generator.
Mr Society: I’ve never been in a room painted all black, and I want to know what it’s like. The walls, the ceiling, absolutely everything painted black. Maybe a couch or something too, and a lamp. Light would be interesting in a room like that.
Dream music collaboration?
Teether: That’s a hard question. Probably Alchemist or Earl Sweatshirt. King Krule would be amazing too. Blood Orange… there’s a lot of artists I admire.
Realname: My friends are my favourite artists and they’re already lining up to give me beats.
Mr Society: Within music, I would absolutely love to work with Marta Salogni and Steve Albini, just to pick their brains. Outside of music, I have a newfound interest in installation and performance art, and would love to collaborate with artists who operate in these realms.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Realname: I’ll be the exact same, only far less cute. I’ll still be in the smokers section, explaining Too Birds to complete strangers.
Teether: Most likely in charge.
Mr Society: I don’t want to think about it, but hopefully doing well.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Teether: I can put System of a Down to shame.
Realname: The Spanish cover of ‘That’s Amore’, it’s beautiful.
Mr Society: ‘In The Aeroplane Over the Sea’ or the Johnny Cash cover of ‘Hurt’ by Nine Inch Nails.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Realname: When I was begging for help from my father, he said, “take care of yourself.”
Teether: “Security guards at the shops aren’t actually allowed to touch you.”
Mr Society: Either “shut the fuck up,” or the golden rule.
What’s one obsession you have that no one would guess after listening to your music?
Realname: Helping alienated people feel understood.
Teether: I have played Final Fantasy X once a year, every year of my entire life.
Mr Society: Cleanliness.
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Watch the insane video for ‘Monstera Heaven’ by Too Birds.
