Skunk Anansie is a British rock band, notable for having a black, skinhead (not ideologically), female singer, named Skin (born Deborah Anne Dyer, on 3 August 1967, in Brixton, London). Other members included Cass (Richard Lewis) on bass guitar, Ace (Martin Kent) on guitar and Mark Richardson, who replaced the original drummer, Robbie France. The group formed in 1994, but broke up in 2001. They were named after the West-African folk tales of Anansie the spider-man, with “Skunk” added to “make the name nastier”. They were sometimes grouped as part of a Britrock movement, running alongside Britpop. They reformed in 2009 with a new tour and album.
The group has been labelled as a “political” band, but the group has emphasized that they would prefer to be labelled simply as a “rock band”. Skin herself, however, has described Skunk Anansie as a “clit-rock” group, which All Music Guide clarifies as “an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage”. Members Skin and Ace have mentioned the Sex Pistols, Blondie, dub music, reggae, electronica, hip-hop music and world music as significant influences.
Since the breaking up of the band, Skin has gone on to a solo career - releasing two albums: Fleshwounds, and Fake Chemical State. Ace has followed a more low-key solo career with Still Hungry, an album with collaborations with many different rock artists. Mark Richardson went on to drum for British band Feeder.
The band reformed in 2009 and following 2 ‘secret’ gigs in London, began touring again in October. Their greatest hits album, Smashes and Trashes, will be released on 2nd November 2009. |
