Skunk Anansie

Formed in London in 1994, Skunk Anansie brings together singer Skin, guitarist Ace, bassist Cass and, from 1995, drummer Mark Richardson in a British quartet that emerged at the crossroads of alternative rock, hard rock, punk and metal, with songwriting that also incorporates funk and dub elements. From the start, Skunk Anansie was part of the 1990s British rock scene while keeping its distance from the dominant britpop, and its lyrics frequently address issues of power, identity, race, sexuality and religion. The band released Paranoid & Sunburnt in 1995, Stoosh in 1996 and Post Orgasmic Chill in 1999 — three albums that established a taut, melodic and confrontational sound, driven by Skin’s highly versatile voice, moving between clear singing, spoken phrasing and more abrasive bursts. After splitting in 2001, Skunk Anansie reformed in 2009 and resumed an intensive touring schedule across Europe, before releasing Wonderlustre (2010), Black Traffic (2012) and Anarchytecture (2016). Since then, Skunk Anansie has continued on a course centred on live performance and a direct, dense and politically charged rock formula.