The kings of local organic dance music, The Bird have been playing arse-shaking electro-grooves since 1997 without the use of any sequencers or samplers. Made up of core collective members Ben Walsh (live drums) and Simon Durrington (live keyboards), they've just released their debut full length album The Sound of No Sound on Creative Vibes and have just wrapped up a highly successful national tour in support of it.

I talked to Simon about recording the new album, how they got their start and their plans for the future.

How did you guys get started?
"We were a bit younger and we had this appreciation of electronica, but we didn't know how it was made. We didn't even own the equipment, like sequencers or computers. So we just made it how we knew, which was live. We had one drum kit and one keyboard, and we started doing shows trying to simulate what we thought live electronic music was, and from there that's how it developed."

What were your aims with the new CD?
"We kind of just wanted to move a step up from (debut live EP) Music for Reset People and have a longer recording, and better produced. We didn't go in there with any huge concepts stylistically, we just wanted to do the grooves we were interested in. The Bird is very much about different kinds of groove. We're not strictly drum n' bass or anything. We just wanted to make a recording that people could listen to that wasn't really intense, but still maintained that live energy. I think it's also a bit of a journey – we tried to link the tracks and mix it a bit, but still it kind of borders on a band CD as well, between those two worlds."

On the new album, how did you balance sweet studio production with playing totally live?
"We took the whole recording away, back onto our computers and produced it at home – so we didn't have that pressure of being in the studio. We went away for a month and added things we wanted, and played with it a bit, and then went back into the studio, mixed it down and then went and mastered it. So we just had more time than what we had on Reset People, and that's how we got a bit more production. So even though you know it's live, it sounds a bit electronic. Your ears almost hear it to be electronic, even though it is live. It's very cool."

What's been the best live gig from the last five years?
"Recently we did a show in Adelaide to like 8,000 people which was a bit of a buzz, but I'd say some of the best shows have been up at the Woodford festival. They've just got a really really good energy up there, with a good vibe."

You're very much a dance act – have you guys been tempted to play clubs?
"The thing we've found with The Bird is, that it's so much at the live end of the spectrum that it doesn't always work in small clubs. It's something we're keen to check out in the future, to be a bit more dance-orientated, and we have played at the Globe and at Home, but we don't do it a lot. The hard thing with Sydney is there is a shortage of venues, and we put on shows and have 600 people show, so we're not sure if we should play smaller clubs. And it is just easier for them to put DJs on."

Where to for The Bird from here?
"We've been invited to play at some clubs in England, which we're just kind of sussing it out right now. One of them is Cream in Liverpool. We're not sure right now, but we are keen to start moving overseas and get some releases there."

Check out The Bird's website at www.thebirdweb.com.