Biography
Disco beats, violent tempo changes and avant-garde classical and jazz leanings characterize the sound of this New Delhi based 6 piece band. They deploy theatrical devices including live wire burlesque dancing, projections and Dadaist on stage antics that leave Indian audiences delighted or thoroughly bemused.
Since making their mark on the Delhi live scene last summer, Rolling Stone have named them one of the ten most promising Indian bands to watch out for and keys man Stefan K recently bagged a Jack Daniels Rock Award in recognition of his piano skills. Along with Tadpole Repertory, Emperor Minge are founders and regular performers at India's first regular cabaret 'The Stiff Kittens' Medicine Show', currently resident at The Royale Mirage
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The group was formed by composer/pianist and UK Émigré, Stefan K and drummer Nikhil Vasudevan in the summer of 2006; they collaborate with lyricist Jamie Kelsey. Jamie was formally Stefan’s writing partner and singer in London based, theatrical indie band ‘The Peoples’ Friend’, where they built up a fashionable cult following. They made their debut in May 2008 in New Delhi, showcasing their songs at a private book launch alongside fellow left fied Delhi rockers Menwhopause. The band have undergone a number of line changes since their inception; currently the line up is
Stefan K - keyboards, vocals, sitar, percussion
Nikhil Vasudevan – drums, tabla, vocals
Sumara Currimbhoy - vocals
Tony Guinard - bass, vocals
Neil Padukone/ Romaine Luquiens - guitars, vocals
Jaki Chapman - flute, sax, vocals
Carling Cooke - dance
Jamie Kelsey - lyrics
former members include Kishen Gaur/Rohit Kulkarni - guitar, vocals, Clarence Gonsalves/Abheshek Mangla/Gaurav Balani/Jude Manuel/Ushinor Majumdar - bass guitar, Parvati M Krishnan/Meghna Dey- vocals, Anjol Teresa Chadha - dance, vocals
The band is unusual in the sense that the line up is complemented by a regular burlesque style dancer and have at times used a dance troupe borrowed from Sadyha. The band often incorporate film tailored to each of their songs, with live synchronization video projectionists ‘UV Studios’.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.