Arcade Fire formed during 2003, after Win Butler spotted Régine Chassagne singing jazz at a Montreal art exhibit. Mesmerised by Chassagne's performance, the two started writing music together and romance soon followed. The duo expanded by recruiting Richard Parry on organ, Tim Kingsbury on bass, and Win Butler's younger brother, William, on synthesizer and percussion.
The band released a self-titled EP in 2003, and an offer from Merge Records soon followed, but their luck faltered due to a series of family bereavements: Régine Chassagne's grandmother died in June 2003, Win and William Butler's grandfather in February 2004 and Richard Parry's aunt in April 2004.
The band channelled their emotions into writing their next album and ‘Funeral’ was born. Released in September 2004 (February 2005 in UK/Ireland), the debut was met with unanimous acclaim and the band found themselves constantly on the road, with appearances at high-profile festivals including Lollapalooza and Coachella.
The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Alternative Music Album. The album’s most successful single, ‘Rebellion (Lies)’, peaked at #19 on the UK Singles Chart.
