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The Ska Vengers
OriginNew Delhi, India
GenresSka, Rocksteady, Dub, Punk
Years active2009 - present
LabelsTimes Music
MembersStefan 'Flexi' K
Delhi Sultanate
Begum X
The Late Nikhil Vasudevan
Tony Guinard
Chaitanya Bhalla 'Chaz'
Past membersRaghav 'Diggy' Dang
Rie Ona
Yohei Sato
Websitewww.theskavengers.com

The Ska Vengers is a New Delhi based band that blends Ska, Dub, Punk, Jazz and Rap in their music. The core band consists of Stefan Kaye (Keys, Percussions, Theremin, Backing Vocals), Delhi Sultanate (Lead Vocals), Begum X (Lead Vocals), The Late Nikhil Vasudevan (Drums, Backing Vocals), Chaitanya Bhalla 'Chaz' (Guitars) and Tony Guinard (Bass, Backing Vocals).[1]

The band is the first and only other ska-based setup coming out of India,[2] and also incorporates Psychedelia, Latin jazz and more experimental genres into their music.[3]

Band Members

Delhi Sultanate - Male Lead Singer
Begum X - Female Lead Singer
The Late Nikhil Vasudevan - Drums
Tony 'Bass' Guinard - Bass
Chaitanya 'Chaz' Bhalla - Guitars
Stefan 'Flexi' K - Keys, Percussions, Backing Vocals, Bananas

Self-Titled Album

The Ska Vengers released their first self-titled album in 2013, on Times Music.[4] The band released the first music video of the album with the track titled - Rough and Mean, explored subjects around male double standards and the prevalent misogyny in the Indian society.[5]

During the national election in 2014, the band released 'Modi, A Message to You', an animated music video adaption of the famous song - Rudy, A Message to You, which denouncing the then Prime Ministerial, and now current Prime Minister of India, Narendar Modi, and the issues surrounding his involvement in the riots in 2002 in Gujarat, and his right wing inclinations.[6][7] The band members started receiving death threats over this video. And could not manage to get clearances from The Central Board of Film Classification[8]

Soon after, a music video for Badda was released in the year 2015, this time only on The Ska Vengers' Youtube channel.[9]

Frank Brazil

Frank Brazil, is the first single of The Ska Vengers from their second album XX.[10] The single and music video were released on 31 July 2015, which marked the anniversary of the hanging of Udham Singh, on whom the track is based. The video uses an animated narrative - developed by Kunal and Tisha Sen - to tell the story of Udham Singh, and his travel from India to UK, to assassinate General Michael O'Dwyer, who Udham Singh felt was responsible for the infamous Jallianwallah Bagh massacre.[11]

Tihar Jail Performance

The band's performance at Tihar Jail, India's largest prison, in 2012 was widely covered in the press.[12] The objective of the show was to raise funds to donate instruments for the music room within the prison.[13] The idea was formulated after Stefan Kaye, the keyboardist was jailed at Tihar Jail for over-staying his visa in India.[14]

XX

XX, pronounced "Double Cross", is the second album released by the band on 1st July, 2016.[15]The album features 9 songs, and apart from their usual Ska and Reggae sound, XX features new influences like Latin music with tracks like 'El Cumbanchero', and is also seen venturing into Afro-cuban, Jazz and Psychedelia with songs like 'Afro-fantasy'. The 9 songs were chosen from a list of 18 songs prepared initially.[16]

UK Summer Tour 2016

Following their release of 'XX', the band went on a 18-show UK Summer Tour in 2016. Some of the shows included key slots at Boomtown Fair, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness Festival, London Mela, Bestival, Notting Hill Carnival, along with performing at key venues like Dublin Castle in Camden, Hootenanny in Brixton, The Duke in Whitstable and Curve Theatre in Leicester.[17][18][19][20]The tour was booked by Urban Beat Project, a music agency based in Mumbai - India.[21]


Awards and nominations

Year Category Award Result
2012 Best keyboardist Rolling Stone Rock Awards[22] Won
2013 Best Video for (Rough n Mean), Best Band MTV Video Music Award[23][24] Nominated
2013 Best debut, Best pop album, Best Single Global Indian Music Academy Awards[25] Nominated
2014 Best live act VH1 Sound Nation[26] Nominated
2015 Best India Act Category (World Wide Act) MTV Europe Music Awards[27] Nominated

Discography

Album

Singles


References

  1. ^ http://www.bordermovement.com/artists/the-ska-vengers/
  2. ^ http://indulge.newindianexpress.com/ska-is-the-limit/section/34008
  3. ^ http://www.wikinewsindia.com/english-news/thehindu-news/entertainment-news/dealing-vengeance-through-music/
  4. ^ https://www.timesmusic.com/album/indie/ska-vengers-lp-2261.html
  5. ^ http://amjamin.blogspot.in/2014/10/ska-vengers-indian-bands-journey.html
  6. ^ http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-11/indian-band-ska-vengers-pulls-no-punches-new-song-blasting-political-frontrunner
  7. ^ http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/watch-the-ska-vengers-music-video-celebrates-udham-singh/story-wLRR5JYcaStclptAhCnlxK.html
  8. ^ http://rollingstoneindia.com/watch-ska-vengers-badda/
  9. ^ http://rollingstoneindia.com/watch-ska-vengers-badda/
  10. ^ https://www.oklisten.com/album/frank_brazil
  11. ^ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ska-vengers-frank-brazil-udham-singh-ska-band-murder-ballad-jallianwallah-bagh/1/453688.html
  12. ^ http://www.arabnews.com/life-style/unusual-break-daily-routine-tihar-jail
  13. ^ http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/LYkNTxivrrsIfWkdyaKZCP/We-didn8217t-start-the-fire.html
  14. ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-22650538
  15. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/music/news/Music-the-Ska-way/articleshow/53169992.cms
  16. ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/music/news/Music-the-Ska-way/articleshow/53169992.cms
  17. ^ https://vimeo.com/196155121
  18. ^ http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/LYkNTxivrrsIfWkdyaKZCP/We-didn8217t-start-the-fire.html
  19. ^ http://elle.in/culture/the-ska-vengers-share-the-stories-behind-their-songs/
  20. ^ http://www.thenational.ae/arts-life/the-review/xx-marks-the-spot-for-the-ska-vengers-an-indian-band-intent-on-world-domination#page2
  21. ^ http://www.radioandmusic.com/entertainment/editorial/press-releases/160702-xx-ska-vengers-releases-its-new
  22. ^ http://rollingstoneindia.com/pentagram-sweep-the-jack-daniels-rock-awards/
  23. ^ http://mtv.in.com/vmai/nominee.php?catid=11
  24. ^ http://mtv.in.com/vmai/nominee.php?catid=10
  25. ^ http://www.gima.co.in/oty-non-film-music-nominees.php?y=2014
  26. ^ http://www.vh1.in/music/current/vh1-sound-nation-the-nominees-are-in
  27. ^ http://in.mtvema.com/_/the-ska-vengers

The Ska Vengers

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