Voodoo Queens
Encyclopedia
The Voodoo Queens were a North London-based girl group, who reached number one in the Indie Charts in 1993.
(guitar, backing vocals), Stefania Lucchesini (drums), Rajni Bhatia (keyboards) and Anjula Bhasker (bass). Rebecca Lunn later stepped in for Anjula who had to leave to visit family in India.
In late 1992, Anjali left the group Mambo Taxi
where she was the drummer to start the Voodoo Queens, along with her sister Rajni and cousin Anjula, Ella Guru (of Mambo Taxi), and drummer Sunny. After only one concert, they were offered a Peel session by BBC
DJ John Peel
. This was recorded in January 1993, whilst Anjali was still working at Virgin Megastore
in Oxford Street
. Other radio and TV appearances followed, including a further two Peel Sessions, and a busking
competition against Boyzone
on Channel 4's music and arts programme Naked City.
Mary Deigan replaced Ella on bass in 1994.
Ella Guru
joined the Stuckist
artists in 1999. Anjali Bhatia went on to become a solo artist with more dance orientated material. Deigan joined The Hangovers
.
The music press, in addition to associating the band with the Riot Grrrl
scene, also grouped them with other Asian-fronted bands such as Cornershop
; Anjali felt that the press focused more on the music scene instead of the musical content.
History
The band composed of Anjali Bhatia (guitar, vocals), Ella GuruElla Guru
Ella Guru is an American painter and musician living in London. She was a member of Mambo Taxi and the Voodoo Queens. In 1999, she became one of the founding members of the Stuckist art movement.-Life:Ella Guru was born in Ohio, USA...
(guitar, backing vocals), Stefania Lucchesini (drums), Rajni Bhatia (keyboards) and Anjula Bhasker (bass). Rebecca Lunn later stepped in for Anjula who had to leave to visit family in India.
In late 1992, Anjali left the group Mambo Taxi
Mambo Taxi
Mambo Taxi were a London based British band that were linked with Riot Grrrl, who formed in 1991 and split up in 1995.-History:Mambo Taxi were inspired by the UK garage rock scene and US punk. Their sound was a mixture of garage, punk, and pop and they also had links to British riot grrrl bands...
where she was the drummer to start the Voodoo Queens, along with her sister Rajni and cousin Anjula, Ella Guru (of Mambo Taxi), and drummer Sunny. After only one concert, they were offered a Peel session by BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
DJ John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. This was recorded in January 1993, whilst Anjali was still working at Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastores is an international chain of record shops, founded by Sir Richard Branson on London's Oxford Street in early 1971. Virgin Megastores are best described today as entertainment retailers....
in Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
. Other radio and TV appearances followed, including a further two Peel Sessions, and a busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
competition against Boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
on Channel 4's music and arts programme Naked City.
Mary Deigan replaced Ella on bass in 1994.
Ella Guru
Ella Guru
Ella Guru is an American painter and musician living in London. She was a member of Mambo Taxi and the Voodoo Queens. In 1999, she became one of the founding members of the Stuckist art movement.-Life:Ella Guru was born in Ohio, USA...
joined the Stuckist
Stuckism
Stuckism is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting in opposition to conceptual art...
artists in 1999. Anjali Bhatia went on to become a solo artist with more dance orientated material. Deigan joined The Hangovers
The Hangovers (band)
The Hangovers were a band formed by The Raincoats member, Gina Birch.The band also featured actor/composer Simon Fisher Turner , Ida Akesson , Phil Legg , Laika member John Frenett , Mary Deigan , and former Th' Faith Healers member Joe Dilworth .Their debut album, Slow Dirty Tears, was released in...
.
The music press, in addition to associating the band with the Riot Grrrl
Riot grrrl
Riot grrrl was an underground feminist punk movement based in Washington, DC, Olympia, Washington, Portland, Oregon, and the greater Pacific Northwest which existed in the early to mid-1990s, and it is often associated with third-wave feminism...
scene, also grouped them with other Asian-fronted bands such as Cornershop
Cornershop
Cornershop are a British indie rock band formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh , his brother Avtar Singh , David Chambers and Ben Ayres , the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single in 1991...
; Anjali felt that the press focused more on the music scene instead of the musical content.
Single releases
- "Supermodel Superficial" (1993) Too PureToo PureToo Pure is a London-based independent record label that was formed in 1990 by Richard Roberts and Paul Cox.-History:Too Pure started off as a small experimental label and had built their reputation by releasing primarily alternative/independent music which they felt was being ignored by the major...
- "Kenuwee Head" (1993) Too Pure
- "F Is For Fame" (1994) Too Pure
- "Eat The Germs" (1995) Voodoo
- "Neptune" (1995) Dirt
Album releases
- Chocolate Revenge (1994) Too Pure
- Peel Sessions (1994) Strange FruitStrange Fruit RecordsStrange Fruit Records was an independent record label in the United Kingdom.The label, established by Clive Selwood and John Peel in 1986, was the primary distributor of BBC recordings, including Peel Sessions....