asian dub foundation the balde
I txo!? Asian Dub Foundation have just released “Time Freeze 1995/2007” to celebrate the twelve-year history of the band. 32 of their best tracks and three new tunes: “Target Practise”, “Activists & Selectors” and “Stop Start”. ADF I´ts been also known as the 21st century MIDI warriors... ¿What are the warriors fighting for nowadays?
With the lp Tank we discussed the issues regarding the war in Iraq. At the time our views seemed unpopular with some people. Now it seems they agree. Other issues regarding peoples attitudes to anything they consider different from their way of life still need to be addressed. It's a big planet people and where ever you are you are part of it. Learn the facts and make informed judgements don't just rely on what you are told by your media. Do some research and be intelligent.
You created ADF Education project to promote different activities...¿How is it doing the project after all this years?
ADFED (ADF Education) is still gong strong and we have just moved into a new building/project called Rich mix in East London that is looking really good.
Jungle, hardcore, raga, dub, indian music.. we find many kind of styles in your music... but you don´t like to call it fusion... ¿Why?
This is because our music and it's form comes naturally from where we are at, what we have been listening to, what is inspiring us. We do not come up with a set formula to make sounds like this. Our music just is really a by product of what everyone in the collective likes. It is a natural thing not a cynical thing.
You already proved with songs like Free Satpal Ram that your message is not just generic, like many other musicians do... ¿Is there a price to pay when you involve in concrete issues?
There seems to be a price to pay with the increasingly conservative media in UK particularly. They seem to like to run down those who choose to put intelligent content in their work but that is what we do and we have outlasted most of our critics and will continue to exist when they have gone so tough.
¿After all this years In the Industry... Do you still believe in the power of music to change things?
Good question. Yes of couse this is true. Music has been for centuries a way of uniting and informing people of events. Every revolution has had music in its blood stream. This will always be the same.
The Record industry is in crisis and the sales decrease year after year. How do you face the future in this situation? How do you think new bands should work out their way?
Work hard, study, do analysis, take advise, be strong and true to what you do. The major labels are scared because the internet takes away their control.This feels like revolution.
In March 2001 the band composed and performed a live soundtrack for the film "La Haine". After that you´ve also composed the soundract for the “Battle of Algiers” and there was this project about Gadaffi for the English National Opera. What can you tell us about that experience?
“La Haine” was great. We did a performance in London for David Bowie which the of the film director Mattieu Kassovitz came to. And he really liked it. That was good. Then with “Battle of Algiers” the similarities with what went on there with the French colonialists trying to impose their will on a country that did not want them was very strange. The timing of the first event which was the begining of may 3 years ago totally coincided with the news that British soldiers had been abusing prisioners in Iraq and the day of the first performance the UK newspapers were full of images of this abuse. In the film there are graphic images of the French soldiers torturing Algerian prisioners and when people saw this they were very emotional and people ran on stage to protest. It was very emotional and powerful. With Gadaffi project we went into a whole different world. This was very interesting. The English National Opera who we worked with on this are a very old establishment and it was quite strange to work in this area. It was very controversial. The right wing media hated it and the left wing media embraced it. No surprises there then.
The titles you give to your albums are never superficial... Why did you calltime freeze the last album?
Each track was like a photo of where we were when we made the music.
You are known because of your wild and participative live shows...Is there any secret to keep on enjoyng the live sets after this 12 years?
Every time you do a great show like many we have done in Spain over the last few years we want to do another one the next day. It feeds our passion. The Spanish audiences are some of the most passionate in the world. We love to play there.
With the lp Tank we discussed the issues regarding the war in Iraq. At the time our views seemed unpopular with some people. Now it seems they agree. Other issues regarding peoples attitudes to anything they consider different from their way of life still need to be addressed. It's a big planet people and where ever you are you are part of it. Learn the facts and make informed judgements don't just rely on what you are told by your media. Do some research and be intelligent.
You created ADF Education project to promote different activities...¿How is it doing the project after all this years?
ADFED (ADF Education) is still gong strong and we have just moved into a new building/project called Rich mix in East London that is looking really good.
Jungle, hardcore, raga, dub, indian music.. we find many kind of styles in your music... but you don´t like to call it fusion... ¿Why?
This is because our music and it's form comes naturally from where we are at, what we have been listening to, what is inspiring us. We do not come up with a set formula to make sounds like this. Our music just is really a by product of what everyone in the collective likes. It is a natural thing not a cynical thing.
You already proved with songs like Free Satpal Ram that your message is not just generic, like many other musicians do... ¿Is there a price to pay when you involve in concrete issues?
There seems to be a price to pay with the increasingly conservative media in UK particularly. They seem to like to run down those who choose to put intelligent content in their work but that is what we do and we have outlasted most of our critics and will continue to exist when they have gone so tough.
¿After all this years In the Industry... Do you still believe in the power of music to change things?
Good question. Yes of couse this is true. Music has been for centuries a way of uniting and informing people of events. Every revolution has had music in its blood stream. This will always be the same.
The Record industry is in crisis and the sales decrease year after year. How do you face the future in this situation? How do you think new bands should work out their way?
Work hard, study, do analysis, take advise, be strong and true to what you do. The major labels are scared because the internet takes away their control.This feels like revolution.
In March 2001 the band composed and performed a live soundtrack for the film "La Haine". After that you´ve also composed the soundract for the “Battle of Algiers” and there was this project about Gadaffi for the English National Opera. What can you tell us about that experience?
“La Haine” was great. We did a performance in London for David Bowie which the of the film director Mattieu Kassovitz came to. And he really liked it. That was good. Then with “Battle of Algiers” the similarities with what went on there with the French colonialists trying to impose their will on a country that did not want them was very strange. The timing of the first event which was the begining of may 3 years ago totally coincided with the news that British soldiers had been abusing prisioners in Iraq and the day of the first performance the UK newspapers were full of images of this abuse. In the film there are graphic images of the French soldiers torturing Algerian prisioners and when people saw this they were very emotional and people ran on stage to protest. It was very emotional and powerful. With Gadaffi project we went into a whole different world. This was very interesting. The English National Opera who we worked with on this are a very old establishment and it was quite strange to work in this area. It was very controversial. The right wing media hated it and the left wing media embraced it. No surprises there then.
The titles you give to your albums are never superficial... Why did you calltime freeze the last album?
Each track was like a photo of where we were when we made the music.
You are known because of your wild and participative live shows...Is there any secret to keep on enjoyng the live sets after this 12 years?
Every time you do a great show like many we have done in Spain over the last few years we want to do another one the next day. It feeds our passion. The Spanish audiences are some of the most passionate in the world. We love to play there.
