Tokidoki, the boy/girl duo formed by Nora O’Conner and Peter Schaefer, first release came in 1996. I didn’t know that. I was always only aware of their 2000 self-titled album on Sunday Records. I guess I should do my homework and do a little digging about them.
As mentioned, they released a 7″ EP in 1996 on the label Tiny Shoes Records. It was the first release on this label. The label was to release a 2nd record the year after by the English band The Pictures. I haven’t heard it. And I didn’t know about this label. The 90s are still a bit unknown to me.
The 7″ the band released was titled “Margie’s Candies” and included 5 songs, “Perfect New Love Song” and “Cookie Cutter” on the A side and “Girl Friend”, “Bored and Angry” and “Anymore” on the B side. Dave Knapik recorded the songs at WNUR-FM in December of 1995. I think he was behind the label too.
The band was to release a 2nd 7″. This time on the legendary Harriet Records. It was the “News Days” single (Harriet 041) that came out in 1997. The title song “News Days” was on the A side and “Sock Hop” and “The Goldfish Song” were on the flipside. This time the songs were recorded on a four-track in December of 1996 by Mike Kirts from the band Hooker OK.
In the year 2000 the band appears on the compilation “Sunny Sunday Smile Volume 2” (Sunday880) with the tracks “Pointless” and “Ira Robbins”. I google Ira Robins, it seems this is a professor at Washington College of Law. Does that make sense? There is another Ira Robbins who is an artist and graphic designer. Maybe he’s the one the song is about? Or most probably Ira Robbins the editor and publisher of Trouser Press?
The album Tokidoki comes in the year 2000 with catalog number Sunday 895. It is a co-release, didn’t know that. Sky Blue Records is the other label involved (catalog Sky Blue 002). The songs are again recorded by Mike Kirts, and this time mixed by Jeff Boyd. The album has 12 songs, “Julie”, “Office Romance”, “New Quiet Song”, “Hairspray”, “Oranges in Paris”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Waiting for Ida”, “A Gentle Approach”, “Shirt Sleeves”, “You’re the One”, “50 Seconds” and “Dreamsongs”.
All of the album is available to listen on Sunday Records Bandcamp. This is great. What’s even better is that there is a bio for the band!
I believe this bio is written by Peter. He mentions being friends for years before forming the band. That they lived at the same dorm at college and worked at the college radio station. There they discovered indiepop. Previously Peter was in a punk-pop band called Remy while Nora played in Not Without My Daughter.
It mentions that the band first gig coincided with the release of their first 7″. They played in a club in Chicago called Metro and opened for Sleater Kinney. Then they would open for the Apples in Stereo and Ida and play often in a club called the Lounge Ax everytime an indiepop band was visiting town.
Nora contributed vocals on the first Aden album. After starting their relationship with Harriet Records they were able to play in NYC, Boston, New Haven and more. There they shared gigs with The Receptionists, The Musical Chairs an Pest 5000.
Afterwards Nora moved to NYC, the band tried to keep playing, Peter flying to NYC and doing some gigs. But this didn’t continue for long and the band went to hiatus.
And what happened after? Not sure. I did find that the music from Remy, Peter’s old band, was reissued in 2018 by Carpark Records.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Listen
Tokidoki – Office Romance
