Skunk Anansie

Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie at the Eska Music Awards in 2011 (L-R Ace, Skin, Mark Richardson, Cass)
Skunk Anansie at the Eska Music Awards in 2011 (L-R Ace, Skin, Mark Richardson, Cass)
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active
  • 1994–2001
  • 2008–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websiteskunkanansie.net

Skunk Anansie is a British rock band[6] whose members include Skin (lead vocals, guitar), Cass (bass, guitar, backing vocals), Ace (guitar, backing vocals) and Mark Richardson (drums and percussion).

Skunk Anansie formed in 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009. The name "Skunk Anansie" is taken from Akan folk tales of Anansi the spider-man of Ghana,[7] with "Skunk" added to "make the name nastier".[1]

They have released six studio albums: Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995), Stoosh (1996), Post Orgasmic Chill (1999),[8] Wonderlustre (2010), Black Traffic (2012) and Anarchytecture (2016); one compilation album, Smashes and Trashes (2009); and several hit singles, including "Charity", "Hedonism", "Selling Jesus" and "Weak".

They are often grouped as part of the Britrock movement, as opposed to the contemporary Britpop of their early years due to their overall harder sound. The band, in 2004, was named as one of the most successful UK chart acts between 1952 and 2003 by the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, with a total of 142 weeks on both the singles and album charts ranking them at No. 491.[9] Skunk Anansie have sold 5 million records.[10]

  1. ^ a b "Biography: Skunk Anansie". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 November 2005.
  2. ^ Coleman, Lee (15 January 2016). "Review: Skunk Anansie – Anarchytecture". Gigwise. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  3. ^ DaveyBoy (17 September 2010). "Skunk Anansie – Wonderlustre". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  4. ^ Chiola, Enio (22 October 2012). "Skunk Anansie: Black Traffic". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  5. ^ Finamore, Emma (12 October 2019). "Celebrating Black British Albums". Clash. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Interview with Skin and Ace of Skunk Anansie September 1999". NY Rock. Archived from the original on 23 December 2005. Retrieved 22 November 2005.
  7. ^ Wilson, Dave (2004). Rock Formations: Categorical Answers To How Band Names Were Formed. Cidermill Books. pp. 230–1. ISBN 0-9748483-5-2.
  8. ^ "SKUNK ANANSIE: GREAT EXPECTATIONS"[usurped]. Chart Attack, Interview by Sean K. Robb, 1999.
  9. ^ Roberts, David, ed. (2004). Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and Albums (17th ed.). London, UK: HiT Entertainment. ISBN 0-85112-199-3.
  10. ^ Segalov, Michael (6 September 2020). "Skin: 'I refused to play the game'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2023.