Karnataka (band)
Encyclopedia
The Welsh progressive rock
band Karnataka were formed in 1997 by founding members Ian Jones (bass/guitars), Rachel Jones (vocals) and Jonathan Edwards (keyboards). The three had previously worked together for some time before going their separate ways with various local bands based around the Swansea
area, then finally regrouping due to a desire to record some of the songs they had written together. Ian built a home studio and bought a mixing desk so that the trio could start recording.
It was recommended to the band that they send a copy of the album to Martin Hudson at the Classic Rock Society
. Martin gave the band their first break by positively reviewing the album in the society's magazine, and then offering them a gig for the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham, supporting the Genesis
covers band Re-Genesis
in 1999. The show was a success and Karnataka were offered another support with Jump in October 1999. Encouraged, the band had already started writing the material that would eventually appear on their second album, The Storm.
in Mounmouthshire, Wales—a studio used by such notable bands as Rush
, Hawkwind
, Queen
and Clannad. While the album was well received, the band still felt it did not accurately reflect their live sound. Embarking on a more rigorous touring schedule, the band toured the UK extensively with the new album, culminating in a show before an audience of die-hards at London's Mean Fiddler
, which was filmed and subsequently released on DVD under licence to Classic Rock Productions. The DVD, entitled simply In Concert, was well received by fans but frustrated the band, who still felt that the results did not fully reflect their acclaimed live performances.
as a full-time member of the band, expanding the line-up to a six-piece.
The live album is particularly notable for containing two of the new songs that were later to be discarded after later events - Talk To Me and These Dreams Are Over. Other new songs premiered at the 2004 shows included Chasing Rainbows, Breathless and Fallen Angels. Rachel Cohen was later to use her lyrics for Chasing Rainbows and Fallen Angels in eponymously-titled songs for her new band, The Reasoning, who also regularly performed Talk To Me for some time, going as far as recording a studio version of the song which they made available for free download for a time with the consent of her ex-bandmates. The music from the other songs remains officially unreleased.
Ian Jones joined forces with songwriter Steve Evans and guitarist Ian Simmons to record an album under the moniker Chasing The Monsoon, whose first album is due to be released in summer 2010.
Rachel Jones decided to take time out from the music business and returned to college, although she appeared on recordings from other bands and occasionally took to the stage as well, most notably with Mostly Autumn
. She subsequently joined Swansea-based rock band The Reasoning as a vocalist in late 2006. She married The Reasoning's Matthew Cohen shortly afterwards.
Helder released her first solo recording, The Contact EP in 2004, before joining forces with Edwards, Davies, Griffiths and bassist Alun Vaughan under the name Panic Room
. Both Helder and Griffiths are also currently members of progressive rock band Mostly Autumn
and ex-Mostly Autumn musician Chris Johnson's new band Parade. Griffiths also remains ex-Marillion
frontman Fish
's drummer, after taking up the post in 2006.
took on a life of its own. The pair were joined by veteran drummer Bob Dalton (previously of It Bites
), guitarist Nick May (formerly of The Enid
) and vocalist Alquimia, and in summer 2005 the Karnataka website announced this to be the new line-up of Karnataka itself.
For various reasons, Dalton felt unable to commit to the project, and he was replaced by Louis Palmer. Alquimia and Nick May also departed due to musical differences, only to work together under the name Whimwise. Alquimia was not replaced initially, whilst guitar duties were taken up by Italian jazz & blues guitarist Enrico Pinna. The lineup was subsequently completed with the addition of lead vocalist Lisa Fury (who would also contributed vocals to Ian's Chasing The Monsoon project). This new line-up of the band toured in Spring 2007 in order to maintain some measure of the band's previous profile, playing a selection of fan favourites and four or five new songs to provide a flavour of the work in progress. The band had also booked a handful of festival dates, aiming to bring their music to new audiences, but many of these summer dates had to be cancelled after Palmer decided to leave the band to pursue other interests.
and Nitin Sawney.
Work remained ongoing on The Gathering Light, though the demands of a full-time job, Karnataka and his other project Chasing The Monsoon meant that Ian Jones' time was divided more than he may have preferred. As 2008 drew to a close, Jones decided to take Karnataka back out on the road in the UK once again to reassure their fans that the band were still busily working on their new record. This time the old favourites took a back seat to a slew of new material, showcasing the band's confidence in their post-split writing. The tour was very well received, resulting in strong voting for the band and the individual musicians in 2008's Classic Rock Society
awards, even though the band had yet to release any recordings with the new line-up.
The fourth Karnataka studio album, The Gathering Light, was finally released in February 2010, although fans who had pre-ordered a special edition of the album received their copies slightly earlier. The band are about to embark on a string of live dates to promote the album, which has already received some exceptionally positive reviews.
"The Gathering Light stands true to Karnataka's heritage, yet illustrates significant artistic growth since the former lineup's Delicate Flame of Desire release six years ago. Progressive rock influences are more apparent [...] While their fans have waited a long time for this release, the care taken in the writing, recording and production of The Gathering Light has delivered an outstanding progressive rock album..."
to state that he, Gonzalo Carrera and Lisa Fury are no longer members of the band with immediate effect. It was announced on October 1, 2010 that Ian Harris would be replaced by former Karnataka drummer Louie Palmer, and on October 21, 2010 multi-instrumentalist Colin Mold was revealed as having joined the band in a new role. On 11 February 2011, it was announced that Hayley Griffiths was the new lead vocalist for the band. The band's new lineup was completed on March 24, 2011, when Cagri Tozluoglu was announced as the band's new keyboard player.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Karnataka were formed in 1997 by founding members Ian Jones (bass/guitars), Rachel Jones (vocals) and Jonathan Edwards (keyboards). The three had previously worked together for some time before going their separate ways with various local bands based around the Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
area, then finally regrouping due to a desire to record some of the songs they had written together. Ian built a home studio and bought a mixing desk so that the trio could start recording.
Debut album
The embryonic band were augmented by guitarist Paul Davies and drummer Gavin Griffiths, who had both played with the other members of Karnataka in other bands or in rehearsals. Enjoying an instant rapport, the five-piece Karnataka recorded what became their debut album, Karnataka. In the beginning, the band had no thought of actually releasing the album — they made the recording for their own pleasure. As they started to play live shows in their new configuration, however, word of mouth ensured that an increasing number of people started asking for copies.It was recommended to the band that they send a copy of the album to Martin Hudson at the Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society, also known as the CRS, began life in 1991, originally as a society founded in Rotherham, England at the Florence Nightingale public house, which quickly progressed to become a large and well recognised organisation helping to forward the cause of Progressive rock, and Classic...
. Martin gave the band their first break by positively reviewing the album in the society's magazine, and then offering them a gig for the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham, supporting the Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
covers band Re-Genesis
Re-Genesis
ReGenesis are an English progressive rock tribute band of Genesis. ReGenesis perform mostly material from Genesis' Peter Gabriel era. Formed in 1994, the band have been through several lineup changes, and the last gigging incarnation comprised Andy Hyam , Tony Patterson , Nigel Appleton , Piers de...
in 1999. The show was a success and Karnataka were offered another support with Jump in October 1999. Encouraged, the band had already started writing the material that would eventually appear on their second album, The Storm.
The Storm
The Storm was recorded between August–November 1999, usually in the evenings and at weekends, since most of the band still had day jobs. The album was then mixed over a period of five days at Rockfield StudiosRockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
in Mounmouthshire, Wales—a studio used by such notable bands as Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and Clannad. While the album was well received, the band still felt it did not accurately reflect their live sound. Embarking on a more rigorous touring schedule, the band toured the UK extensively with the new album, culminating in a show before an audience of die-hards at London's Mean Fiddler
Mean Fiddler
The Astoria 2, subsequently known as the LA2 then the Mean Fiddler, was a nightclub at 165 Charing Cross Road in London, England.The venue was connected to the London Astoria such that the two venues could function as a single venue where needed...
, which was filmed and subsequently released on DVD under licence to Classic Rock Productions. The DVD, entitled simply In Concert, was well received by fans but frustrated the band, who still felt that the results did not fully reflect their acclaimed live performances.
Delicate Flame Of Desire
The In Concert DVD did, however, feature some new material the band was working on for their third album, although the songs were destined to change a little before they were recorded in the sessions for what was to become the band's breakthrough album, Delicate Flame Of Desire. While working on the album, the band worked harder on the arrangement of backing and harmony vocals, which eventually led them to take on vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anne-Marie HelderAnne-Marie Helder
Anne-Marie Helder is a British singer-songwriter who has performed throughout the UK since 2000, beginning with bands and then going solo in 2004. Her debut EP The Contact was released in November 2004, securing her airplay on BBC Radio 2, with Bob Harris declaring: "that is very dramatic music"....
as a full-time member of the band, expanding the line-up to a six-piece.
Strange Behaviour
Shortly after the release of Delicate Flame Of Desire, Karnataka were invited to play their first shows overseas: indeed one of their first shows in the US was filmed and released on DVD as Live In The USA, again through Classic Rock Productions. The band were also working on more new material, some of which was premiered over the course of 2003 and 2004, as the band continued to expand their fanbase and received increasingly positive reviews. A double live album, Strange Behaviour, was released in mid-2004 to accompany what was to be the band's final tour with the existing line-up.The live album is particularly notable for containing two of the new songs that were later to be discarded after later events - Talk To Me and These Dreams Are Over. Other new songs premiered at the 2004 shows included Chasing Rainbows, Breathless and Fallen Angels. Rachel Cohen was later to use her lyrics for Chasing Rainbows and Fallen Angels in eponymously-titled songs for her new band, The Reasoning, who also regularly performed Talk To Me for some time, going as far as recording a studio version of the song which they made available for free download for a time with the consent of her ex-bandmates. The music from the other songs remains officially unreleased.
Dissolution
Although another tour of the UK was in the early planning stages, in August 2004 the band's website was updated with a notice that due to unforeseen personal circumstances, the band had decided not to continue. There followed a period of inactivity, during which the members of the band embarked upon new musical projects.Ian Jones joined forces with songwriter Steve Evans and guitarist Ian Simmons to record an album under the moniker Chasing The Monsoon, whose first album is due to be released in summer 2010.
Rachel Jones decided to take time out from the music business and returned to college, although she appeared on recordings from other bands and occasionally took to the stage as well, most notably with Mostly Autumn
Mostly Autumn
Mostly Autumn is a British band, producing music heavily influenced by classic 1970s rock. The group formed in 1996, and have built their reputation through constant touring, never signing to a major label. The group's early influences were Genesis, Renaissance and Pink Floyd, and folk music...
. She subsequently joined Swansea-based rock band The Reasoning as a vocalist in late 2006. She married The Reasoning's Matthew Cohen shortly afterwards.
Helder released her first solo recording, The Contact EP in 2004, before joining forces with Edwards, Davies, Griffiths and bassist Alun Vaughan under the name Panic Room
Panic Room (Band)
Panic Room is a Welsh band made up of former Karnataka members Jonathan Edwards, Gavin Griffiths, Paul Davies and Anne-Marie Helder with Alun Vaughan on bass guitar....
. Both Helder and Griffiths are also currently members of progressive rock band Mostly Autumn
Mostly Autumn
Mostly Autumn is a British band, producing music heavily influenced by classic 1970s rock. The group formed in 1996, and have built their reputation through constant touring, never signing to a major label. The group's early influences were Genesis, Renaissance and Pink Floyd, and folk music...
and ex-Mostly Autumn musician Chris Johnson's new band Parade. Griffiths also remains ex-Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
frontman Fish
Fish (singer)
Derek William Dick, better known as Fish, is a Scottish progressive rock singer, lyricist and occasional actor, best known as the former lead singer of Marillion.-Biography:...
's drummer, after taking up the post in 2006.
Resurrection (2005 - 2007)
Karnataka was then resurrected as a band when Ian Jones' work with keyboardist Gonzalo CarreraGonzalo Carrera
Gonzalo Carrera is a Spanish keyboard player in several progressive rock bands. He played in Landmarq, but is currently in Karnataka, playing in Nick May's Whimwise live band and working on a new project with Peter Banks....
took on a life of its own. The pair were joined by veteran drummer Bob Dalton (previously of It Bites
It Bites
It Bites are an English progressive rock and pop fusion band, formed in Egremont, Cumbria, England in 1982 and best known for their 1986 single "Calling All The Heroes", which gained them a Top 10 UK Singles Chart hit...
), guitarist Nick May (formerly of The Enid
The Enid
The Enid is a British rock band founded in 1975 by Robert John Godfrey, Stephen Stewart and Francis Lickerish. Another early member was William Gilmour, who subsequently founded his own band Craft and now plays keyboards in Lickerish's band Secret Green....
) and vocalist Alquimia, and in summer 2005 the Karnataka website announced this to be the new line-up of Karnataka itself.
For various reasons, Dalton felt unable to commit to the project, and he was replaced by Louis Palmer. Alquimia and Nick May also departed due to musical differences, only to work together under the name Whimwise. Alquimia was not replaced initially, whilst guitar duties were taken up by Italian jazz & blues guitarist Enrico Pinna. The lineup was subsequently completed with the addition of lead vocalist Lisa Fury (who would also contributed vocals to Ian's Chasing The Monsoon project). This new line-up of the band toured in Spring 2007 in order to maintain some measure of the band's previous profile, playing a selection of fan favourites and four or five new songs to provide a flavour of the work in progress. The band had also booked a handful of festival dates, aiming to bring their music to new audiences, but many of these summer dates had to be cancelled after Palmer decided to leave the band to pursue other interests.
The Gathering Light (2008 - 2010)
Auditions were held for a new drummer, the position finally being taken by veteran Ian Harris, who had previously played with a multitude of acts, including Chris ReaChris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
and Nitin Sawney.
Work remained ongoing on The Gathering Light, though the demands of a full-time job, Karnataka and his other project Chasing The Monsoon meant that Ian Jones' time was divided more than he may have preferred. As 2008 drew to a close, Jones decided to take Karnataka back out on the road in the UK once again to reassure their fans that the band were still busily working on their new record. This time the old favourites took a back seat to a slew of new material, showcasing the band's confidence in their post-split writing. The tour was very well received, resulting in strong voting for the band and the individual musicians in 2008's Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society, also known as the CRS, began life in 1991, originally as a society founded in Rotherham, England at the Florence Nightingale public house, which quickly progressed to become a large and well recognised organisation helping to forward the cause of Progressive rock, and Classic...
awards, even though the band had yet to release any recordings with the new line-up.
The fourth Karnataka studio album, The Gathering Light, was finally released in February 2010, although fans who had pre-ordered a special edition of the album received their copies slightly earlier. The band are about to embark on a string of live dates to promote the album, which has already received some exceptionally positive reviews.
"The Gathering Light stands true to Karnataka's heritage, yet illustrates significant artistic growth since the former lineup's Delicate Flame of Desire release six years ago. Progressive rock influences are more apparent [...] While their fans have waited a long time for this release, the care taken in the writing, recording and production of The Gathering Light has delivered an outstanding progressive rock album..."
Second dissolution and subsequent reformation
On 18 May 2010, Ian Harris posted on FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
to state that he, Gonzalo Carrera and Lisa Fury are no longer members of the band with immediate effect. It was announced on October 1, 2010 that Ian Harris would be replaced by former Karnataka drummer Louie Palmer, and on October 21, 2010 multi-instrumentalist Colin Mold was revealed as having joined the band in a new role. On 11 February 2011, it was announced that Hayley Griffiths was the new lead vocalist for the band. The band's new lineup was completed on March 24, 2011, when Cagri Tozluoglu was announced as the band's new keyboard player.
Current members
- Ian Jones - Bass/Acoustic Guitars/Keyboards (1997–present)
- Enrico Pinna - Guitars (2006–present)
- Louie Palmer - Drums (2006–2007, 2010–present)
- Colin Mold - Guitars/Keyboards/Violin/Vocals (2010–present)
- Hayley Griffiths - Lead Vocals (2011–present)
- Cagri Tozluoglu - Keyboards (2011–present)
Former members
- Rachel Cohen (née Jones) - Vocals (1997–2004)
- Paul Davies - Guitars (1997–2004)
- Jonathan Edwards - Keyboards (1997–2004)
- Gareth Griffiths - Drums (1997–2004)
- Anne-Marie HelderAnne-Marie HelderAnne-Marie Helder is a British singer-songwriter who has performed throughout the UK since 2000, beginning with bands and then going solo in 2004. Her debut EP The Contact was released in November 2004, securing her airplay on BBC Radio 2, with Bob Harris declaring: "that is very dramatic music"....
- Flute/Backing Vocals (2003–2004) - Alquimia - Vocals (2005)
- Nick May - Guitars (2005)
- Bob Dalton - Drums (2005)
- Lisa Fury - Vocals (2006–2010)
- Gonzalo CarreraGonzalo CarreraGonzalo Carrera is a Spanish keyboard player in several progressive rock bands. He played in Landmarq, but is currently in Karnataka, playing in Nick May's Whimwise live band and working on a new project with Peter Banks....
- Keyboards (2005–2010) - Ian Harris - Drums (2008–2010)
Membership Timeline
| Year | Lead Vocals | Bass Guitars | Guitars | Keyboards | Drums | Flute | Additional Guitars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–2003 | Rachel Jones | Ian Jones | Paul Davies | Jonathan Edwards | Gareth Griffiths | ||
| 2003–2004 | Anne-Marie Helder | ||||||
| 2005 | Alquimia | Nick May | Gonzalo Carrera | Bob Dalton | |||
| 2006 | Enrico Pinna | Louie Palmer | |||||
| 2006–2007 | Lisa Fury | ||||||
| 2008–2010 | Ian Harris | ||||||
| 2011–present | Hayley Griffiths | Cagri Tozluoglu | Louie Palmer | Colin Mold |
Albums
- KarnatakaKarnataka (album)Karnataka is the début studio album by progressive rock band Karnataka, released by Immrama Records in 1998.-Track listing:# Must Be The Devil - 7:05# Tell Me Why - 4:46# Crazy - 6:26# Until Next Time - 7:50# The Woman In Me - 4:50...
(1998) - The Storm (2000)
- Delicate Flame of DesireDelicate Flame Of DesireDelicate Flame of Desire is the third studio album by progressive rock band Karnataka, released by Immrama Records on February 10, 2003.This was the final studio album by the 'classic' line-up of the band as they disbanded in 2004.-Track listing:...
(2003) - The Gathering LightThe Gathering LightThe Gathering Light is the fourth studio album by progressive rock band Karnataka, released by Voiceprint on February 15, 2010 to favourable reviews.-Track listing:All tracks written by Fury/Jones unless stated otherwise.# "The Calling"...
(2010)