‘Pink Panther’ director Blake Edwards dies
“Soho Road” Bhangra Business
Image by Sch01ar
What does the panel say?
" Britain in the 1960’s offered Punjabi workers opportunities at the shipyard or the shop floor, the mill or the market, in a climate of over crowding, resentment and racism. Against a background of nostalgic yearning for home the first UK Bhangra and folk bands emerged; the optimistic lyrics of Dev Thrikeanwala counter pointed by the melancholic poetry of Shiv Kumar Batalvi. People craved the genuine songs from “back home”; so entrepreneurs with importation businesses or high street shops set up record labels as well. Initially licensing compilations of Punjabi music from abroad, as the UK scene matured these new labels signed the first UK Bhangra artists.
Prominent amongst these was the Oriental Star Agency in Moseley Road, Birmingham, established in 1966 by Ayub Khan in a small shop selling transistor radios. He approached EMI in London to license and import Indian and Pakistani records; the success was immediate. In 1969 he signed local heroes Anari Sangeet and Bhujangy. Anari Sangeet’s “Mere Lus Lus Karde Ang Nee” was a big seller across the UK. Bhujangy’s “Bhabiye Akh Larr Gayee,” was the first recording in which modern western musical instruments were used alongside traditional Asian sounds.
UK Bhangra bands were booking in to local studios such as Zella in Edgbaston, Birmingham and then selling their own seven-inch records in local pubs. Bhangra entrepreneurs were able to mass market these recordings on cassette through networks of local electrical shops. Later West Midland’s successes included Panjabi MC from Nachural Records of Ladypool Road and Surjit Bindrakhia, brought to the UK by Roma Music Bank in Handsworth. When bands and artists sought multinational backing; Apache Indian was able to sign with Island, the label that brought Bob Marley to the world. Multitone Records, one of the major Bhangra recording labels in the eighties and nineties, was bought by the BMG group.
[Boxout]
“Through the Bhangra we wanted to tell our story, what was really happening, in song” Tarlochan Singh Bilga, Golden Star
In a Sunday Times poll of the “One Thousand Top Music Makers of All Time”, only four were from the Indian subcontinent. Two of these, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Bally Sagoo, were released at one time or another on the Oriental Star label."
Originator and producer – Punch Records
Written, researched, developed and curated – Scholars and Warriors
Location Photography – Iain Reynolds
Interpretation Panels Designed by – Brigitte Winsor
Exhibition Design – Mandeep Malhi
Image manipulation and additional photography by – Brigitte Winsor
Champions – Boy Chana, San-J Sanj, Kally and Kash Sahota
Murals – Derek Connor
Chief Funder – Heritage Lottery Fund
Support and Inspiration – Richard Albutt, Rajinder Dudrah
Website – www.sohoroadtothepunjab.org
‘Pink Panther’ director Blake Edwards dies
Eds: Expands with reaction from Robert Wagner , Steve Martin . Adds tagline. Adds new photo links. Minor edits. This story is part of AP’s general news and entertainment services.AP Photo NYBE105, NYBE104, NYBE103, NYBE102, NYBE106, NYBE107, NYBE101By ROBERT JABLONAssociated PressLOS ANGELES (AP) — Blake Edwards , the director and writer known for clever dialogue, poignance and occasional belly …
Read more on Chicago Sun-Times
Womad New Zealand 2011: Artist Biographies
Afro Celt Sound System (AFRICA/UK) “It will be great to return to Australia and New Zealand with Afro Celt Sound System. What always strikes me about the Australian and New Zealand WOMADs is the great sense of openness and fun that both countries provide the festival.
Read more on Scoop.co.nz
New Michael Jackson album stirs controversy
Michael Jackson spent the last two years of his life plotting his musical comeback.
Read more on Erie Times-News