Founded in 2005, it consisted of vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook, and drummer Greg Alsop.

[1] The band found early success with their 2006 debut EP A Lesson in Crime, which they followed with several popular releases including the albums Elephant Shell and Champ in 2008 and 2010, respectively.

Tokyo Police Club were asked to play in the Pop Montreal festival,[4] and soon after they signed with Toronto label Paper Bag Records; Monks and Alsop dropped out of college to become professional musicians.

During a July show in Omaha, Nebraska, the band signed a deal with Saddle Creek Records which would release their debut LP.

In 2008, Tokyo Police Club released their first album, Elephant Shell,[9] first via the US iTunes Store on March 25, 2008, and then on their new label Saddle Creek in April in North America, and in May in the U.K. and Continental Europe via Memphis Industries.

[12] On March 27, 2011, Tokyo Police Club performed their single "Bambi" at the 40th Juno Awards in Toronto.

The video was directed by Mike Juneau and Kyle McCreight, and produced by Jesse Ewles and Chris Cunningham.

With this same celebratory nature, the band also released an expanded tenth anniversary edition of A Lesson in Crime that year.

[21][22] On April 19, 2007, Tokyo Police Club made their first US TV performance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

A year later the band made a second appearance on the Late Show, performing the lead single "Tessellate" off their debut LP Elephant Shell.

On November 16, 2008 they appeared on the television show "Desperate Housewives" in the episode "City on Fire" as "Cold Splash", a band competing in a battle-of-the-bands contest.

On June 28, 2010, they made their third appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, performing the single "Wait Up (Boots of Danger)" off of their second album, Champ.