Asian Dub Foundation
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Asian Dub Foundation is a British alternative electronica band, that does a mix of breakbeat, dub, dancehall and ragga.
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Biography
It was formed in 1993 as an outgrowth of the documentary Identical Beat, a film shot at London's Farringdon Community Music House, the site of a series of summer workshops designed to teach Asian children the essentials of music technology. In charge of the workshops were tutor Aniruddha Das and youth worker John Pandit, also a noted DJ; with one of their students, a 14-year-old Bengali rapper named Deeder Zaman, they soon formed a sound system which they called the Asian Dub Foundation.
After each adopted an alias — bassist/tabla player Das became Dr. Das, Pandit became Pandit G, and Zaman became Master D — they gradually evolved into a working band with the 1994 addition of former Higher Intelligence Agency guitarist Steve Chandra Savale, an innovative performer known for tuning his strings to one note (like a sitar), turning up the distortion unit and playing his instrument with a knife, earning him the nickname "Chandrasonic."
Emerging in the midst of considerable anti-Asian violence throughout Britain, the Foundation's early demos landed them a contract with Nation Records, and they recorded their debut EP Conscious in 1994.
Channeling influences ranging from punk to ambient music to Bengali folk songs, Asian Dub Foundation quickly gained a strong fanbase not only among clubgoers but also among the anti-fascist movement, who applauded the group's vocal stand against racism.
After earning a reputation as stand-out live performers, the band — which now included dancer Bubble-E and second DJ Sun-J — won widespread acclaim for the 1995 single "Rebel Warrior".
Deeder Zaman left the band after playing his last concert on new year's eve 2000. Having been in the band since the age of fourteen, he wanted to have a break from music, especially the exhaustive touring, and explore other possibilities of life. He went on working with grassroots civil rights and anti-racist organizations as he was planning to do so for some time.
In 2002 Deeder, along with Trevor Boucaud (aka Passion), formed Rebel Uprising. Passion had been the drummer of African Head Charge (On-U Sound) and some international reggae musicionas like The Mighty Diamonds, Ricky Tuffy, Micheal Prophet and more. Deeders impressive vocals brought a unique voice to the Rebel Uprising sound. Bassist Dennis Rootical (of Irration Steppas and Kitarchi) joined Rebel Uprising soon after.
Rebel Uprising does a peculiar blend of dub bass, singjaying, roots, jungle beats and rap.
Currently Asian Dub Foundation makes a distinction when performing live: when they are advertised as just Asian Dub Foundation the whole band performs; but when other times they announce themselves as Asian Dub Foundation Sound System only the DJ of the band mixes and plays music (music by other artists, rather than by ADF) while one or two MCs rap over the songs.
At the moment, they are working on a new album, that is scheduled to be released on spring 2005. The vocals are done for this record by Ghetto Priest, Lord and Spex. Ghetto Priest also do some vocals on Deeder's new band Rebel Uprising. Also, they are on tour doing a special show which consists in a live soundtrack performance for the classic film The Battle of Algiers, movie that lately has gained considerable popularity because of the parallels drawn between it and Iraq's current occupation.
28 February 2005 saw the release of their latest album "Tank".
Discography
Albums
- Facts and Fictions (1995)
- R.A.F.I (1997) (original only released in France)
- Rafi's Revenge (1998)
- Conscious Party (live) (1998) (original only released in France)
- Community Music (2000)
- Frontline 1993-1997: rareties and remixes (2001)
- Enemy of the Enemy (2003)
- Asian Dub Foundation live: Keep bangin' on the walls (CD) (2003)
- Tank (2005)
DVDs
External links
- Asian Dub Foundation's official website (http://www.asiandubfoundation.com)
- Asian Dub Foundation's comprehensive discography (http://www.asiandubfoundation.tk)
- Rebel Uprising official website (http://www.rebeluprising.org.uk)
- Ghetto Priests official website (http://www.ghettopriest.com)fr:Asian Dub Foundation