Asian Dub Foundation - MILITANT BEATS

Kazi Nazrul Islam, the pre-Independence Urdu poet and a 1995 British music album. The combination may sound strange, but Islam's 'Bidrohi' is the inspiration for 'Rebel Warrior', the latest single from Asian Dub Foundation [ADF], a British Asian band. "We've given it a '90s update and made it more relevant to the times," explains Aniruddha Das, who programmes, plays bass and writes the lyrics for ADF. "Bidrohi was a call to arms to people of the subcontinent, both literally and spiritually, against the British."

ADF is a group with a mission: to challenge Asian stereotypes living in Britain and to politicise young British Asians. "We are a political band - I don't want to run away from that label. But politics for us has a wider definition, not merely at a partisan level; rather, it's about encouraging Asian people to be more active about changing things," explains Das. Their album mirrors the state of tension existing among young inner-city British Asians and the emerging ethos of confrontation. And shows that ADF takes the route of millitant Asian music groups such as Fun^da^mental and Kaliphz.

The band's primary motivation is to politicise their listeners and to mark the change in attitude from that of the first generation immigrants from the subcontinent. "The main difference between the generations is that our parents believed 'we are guests in this country', whereas out attitude is 'we belong here'", adds Das.
The exhortation to Asian youth to stand up and fight back is now coming thick and strong. With racial attacks in the UK on the rise, bands such as Fun^da^mental and Kaliphz are increasingly taking a militant stance. Formed in 1993, Kaliphz has already released three singles, the last being 'Hang 'em High' which was cut in the winter of 1994.
Fun^da^mental puts awareness of racialism in British society high on its agenda, its video for the single 'Dog Tribe' was banned by MTV for being "too violent". Later this autumn, 'Mother India'. an EP, is due for release. Haq Nawaz Qureshi a.k.a Aki, who formed Fun^da^mental in 1991 says that the Bradford riots were symptomatic of the frustration amongst British Asians. "For a long time Asians in this country have been considered quiet, peaceful and passive - which is not a wrong opinion - but that gentleness within the community has been abused," he says. Even though he claims not to be a supporter of violence he insists that "It is the only way to do it, even if it is not the right way."

ADF, a recent entrant on the scene, is committed to playing an active role at the grassroots level; and it was through community music group in Farringdon, central London, that the band was conceived. Dr Das, as the music/technician tutor is known, together with Deeder Zaman, the band's rapper known as Master D, and John Pandit, formed the band together with Steve Chandra Savale ( Chandrasonic to fans ) to produce what would become an eclectic mix of punk, techno and rap that drew on varied influences, ranging from Hindi music to the US band Public Enemy.

The four-man band; described itself as being "more of a sound-system" in the days following its formation in 1993. However, the tide turned last year when they sent their demo tape to an independent and innovative record company, Nation Records, based in west London. The originality of the tape prompted Nation to commission a four-track EP which was christened 'Conscious EP'.
"We haven't compromised anything that we want to experiment with," insists Das. The release of their forthcoming album, 'Facts and Fictions', due out in early atumn, will be an important pointer to their future.
-Robina Dam