Skunk Anansie biography

This London, England-based quartet, was formed in 1994, led by the stunning singer ‘Skin’ (Deborah Dyer). After attending a furniture design course at Teesside Polytechnic in Middlesbrough, she returned to the capital and started meeting musicians on the local circuit.

Her original band was shelved for being too "rockist", but she retained the services of bass player Richard "Cass" Lewis and in January 1994 began rehearsing with Skunk Anansie. The band comprised of Cass (Richard Keith Lewis on bass), Ace (Martin Ivor Kent on guitar), and Robbie French on drums.

The Band took their name from the combination of the mammal (skunk) and a spider from Jamaican folk stories (anansie).

One Little Indian Records, smelling something good cooking, picked up Skunk just 5 months after forming and they soon released their debut single, "Little Baby Swastikkka'. It was only available through mail order from BBC Radio 1's Evening Session but soon started making waves through the press and listener-ship alike.

‘Musician’ magazine said; "With a sound as hard as it is smart, Skunk Anansie smolders with a passion that almost sounds anachronistic in the ultra-ironic '90s..."

March 1995"s controversial "Selling Jesus" single was followed by work on label mate Björk's "Army Of Me" single followed by the release of their debut album.

‘Paranoid and Sunburnt’ contained an unpredictable brew of agit prop and funk metal. Skin's lyrics and deliverance remained steadfastly forceful and full of conviction winning the band new converts, gathering themselves momentum all the time with the singles "I Can Dream" and "Charity" skirting the edges of the UK Top 40 in June and September respectively.

The band set off on the road and toured extensively over the next few months, including shows with Therapy? and Senser and as part of the NME’s Bratbus coalition. The band were also the first to appear on the first edition of Channel 4's ‘The White Room’ TV show.

They set about recording their next album enlisting the help of producer Garth Richardson, (who had produced the first rage again the machine album).

Entitled ‘Stoosh’, the results were startling. Featuring new drummer Mark Richardson (ex-Little Angels) it was a harder-edged collection of songs, characterized by metal-edged guitar and Skin spitting out her lyrics. In most cases controversial lyrics end up sounding contrived, but on this collection, Skin sounded as though she really ****ing meant it. Her anger on the excellent opening track, "Yes It's Fucking Political", was almost tangible.

The band also reaped the rewards with four UK Top 30 singles in 1996, "Weak", a re-issue of "Charity" from the first album, "All I Want" and "Twisted (Everyday Hurts)".

The band eventually parted company with One Little Indian and went on to sign a worldwide deal with Virgin Records. ‘Post Orgasmic Chill’ was premiered by the thunderous clatter of UK Top 20 single, "Charlie Big Potato", but the album's indifferent reception hastened Skunk Anansie's demise. Skin released her solo debut, Fleshwounds, in June 2003.