Dirty District
Encyclopedia
Dirty District is a French Fusion band, formed in 1985. They were one of the first French bands to attempt Fusion rock.
, France
under the name of Great Gangsters From The Dirty District (until they changed it to just Dirty District later). A vast majority of their songs were sung in English
, except for the first EP and two songs on Pousse au crime et Longueurs de temps. Influenced by the likes of Joe Jackson
, The Clash
, Stiff Little Fingers
, Linton Kwesi Johnson
, Reggae
, Ska
and Rhythm and blues
. They released the much delayed Pousse au crime et Longueurs de temps which were a fusion of reggae, ska, punk, dub, and rap with heavily political based lyrics based on street crime
, Steve Biko
and fighting National Front
. But like most groups at the time their music was very much slept on, due to that type of fusion of musical styles been not heard at the time. Pousse Au Crime.. was noticed by fellow French Punk/World Music band Mano Negra
, and the band where invited them to play on their album Patchanka
.
movement, and Mike Patton's original band Mr. Bungle
. During this time Kshoo, Philippe, Miguel and Charlu from 'Ludwig Von 88' started a little known side project called Les Dieux (The Gods). After taking 2 years off (most members like Yvo, Philippe, Miguel had been contributing to other French musicians) DD released the final EP Welcome To The Next Level in 1995, which included a very bizarre cover of The Prodigy
's Jericho, and the song Speech Over which explored the sound that would later explode in Ethnician
. The band disbanded in 1996. Vocalist Cachou went onto do co-vocals for metalcore
group Boost and then formed another metalcore/punk-metal band called Noxious Enjoyment
in 1998, who are influenced by the likes of The Exploited
and Agnostic Front
, while Yvo nowadays plays live drums for Amadou & Mariam
, Philippe is a London-based musician and producer, and bassist Leuji has now his own musical career, and performs in a band of the same name.
Kshoo is the vocalist and live guitarist for DD. Originally called Cachou, (which translates as a sweet that hides the odour of tobacco) he has also been called Shook, and Shooka. He also contributed vocals to Death Metal Band Boost and Punk supergroups Les Dieux, and finally his metalcore band Noxious Enjoyment.
Leuji is the bassist that replaced little known DD bass guitarist Mishko on later albums. He later joined P18 after DD, and is currently working on a few other projects.
Yvo (aka 'The Megasound') is an expert drummer and percussionist of the band, who joined in 1993. Since leaving DD, Yvo has contributed drums and percussions to other artists. Was last seen playing drums at Glastonbury 2009 with Amadou & Mariam
.
Philippe (also known as Ifif) was the guitarist after Gille's departure. He played on the Life In The Dirty District and Welcome to the Next Level . He now lives in London, has played and collaborated with various musicians including Youth, Dennis Morris, Klima, and has also been writing music for film.
Miguel is second Drummer/Percussionist of the band. He started drumming in The Brigades, and later does vocals on DD's song No Head, which led to him becoming the frontman of Ethnician.
Igor is Sampler and Keyboards plsyer of the group. He replaced Geo and is also in the group Ethnician.
Garbis did most of the sample and sound engineering on the first album, and is now in Ethnician.
Guitarist on first album. His spot was filled by two other guitarists, who were later replaced by Philippe.
Geo was the keyboardist on the two first album. is usually recognized for wearing a scarf/ Turban around his head on live shows. Geo was a former member of Marabunta before he joined DD.
Fred was the bassist on the first album. he replaced by Xavier, who then later was replaced by another bassist called Mishko, who was later replaced by Leuji.
They also appear on the French punk rock compilations À Bas Toutes Les Armées with Reggae tune Paddy Field, and Cette Machine Sert A Tuer Tous Les Fascistes ('This Machine Is Used To Kill All The Fascists') with anti racism song Blast it and more recently Rap Metal Masters with NY Crap.
Early years
The band originally formed in SèvresSèvres
Sèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The town is known for its porcelain manufacture, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, making the famous Sèvres porcelain, as well as being the location of the International Bureau of Weights...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
under the name of Great Gangsters From The Dirty District (until they changed it to just Dirty District later). A vast majority of their songs were sung in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, except for the first EP and two songs on Pousse au crime et Longueurs de temps. Influenced by the likes of Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson (musician)
Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers
Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...
, Linton Kwesi Johnson
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Linton Kwesi Johnson is a UK-based dub poet. He became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Classics series. His poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Patois over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British...
, Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, Ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
. They released the much delayed Pousse au crime et Longueurs de temps which were a fusion of reggae, ska, punk, dub, and rap with heavily political based lyrics based on street crime
Street crime
Street crime is a loose term for criminal offences taking place in public places. It has moved to occupy the place once held by mugging. According to London's Metropolitan Police Force, street crime is:...
, Steve Biko
Steve Biko
Stephen Biko was a noted anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. A student leader, he later founded the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the...
and fighting National Front
National Front
The name National Front is used by a number of political parties and coalitions.* Albania — National Front * Belarus — Partyja BPF* Belgium — National Front * Botswana — Botswana National Front...
. But like most groups at the time their music was very much slept on, due to that type of fusion of musical styles been not heard at the time. Pousse Au Crime.. was noticed by fellow French Punk/World Music band Mano Negra
Mano Negra
Mano Negra was a music band in France, during 1987–1995, fronted by Manu Chao.The band, founded in 1987 by Chao, his brother Antoine, and his cousin Santiago Casariego in Paris, France, was very influential in Europe during the early 1990s. Although it reached mainstream success in countries...
, and the band where invited them to play on their album Patchanka
Patchanka
Patchanka is the debut album of the multiracial band Mano Negra, released in 1988.-Track listing:#"Mano Negra" – 1:44#"Ronde De Nuit" – 2:55#"Baby You're Mine" – 2:55#"Indios De Barcelona" – 2:34#"Rock Island Line" – 3:03...
.
1993 and onwards
After a whole host of musicians had been and gone, Dirty District finally got a steady line-up when they released their second album Life In The Dirty District in 1993. DD showed their eclectic roots yet again on this album, sounding like France's answer to up and coming rap metalRap metal
Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock which fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop music with heavy metal.-History:Rap metal originated from rap rock, a genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with rock...
movement, and Mike Patton's original band Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle was an experimental band from Northern California. The band was formed in 1985 while the members were still in high school and was named after a children's educational film. Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and...
. During this time Kshoo, Philippe, Miguel and Charlu from 'Ludwig Von 88' started a little known side project called Les Dieux (The Gods). After taking 2 years off (most members like Yvo, Philippe, Miguel had been contributing to other French musicians) DD released the final EP Welcome To The Next Level in 1995, which included a very bizarre cover of The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
's Jericho, and the song Speech Over which explored the sound that would later explode in Ethnician
Ethnician
Ethnician is the band formed by Yvo Abadi , Miguel Saboga , Igor Nikitinsky, Garbis Baharian of Dirty District. their music falls into the category of World Music, Dub and Drum and Bass but also goes into Metal, Reggae and Dance styles also...
. The band disbanded in 1996. Vocalist Cachou went onto do co-vocals for metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
group Boost and then formed another metalcore/punk-metal band called Noxious Enjoyment
Noxious Enjoyment
Noxious Enjoyment was formed in 1994, and are a French Metalcore group. The members are ex-members of French rock groups: Daniel and Phil , Kshoo and Maya...
in 1998, who are influenced by the likes of The Exploited
The Exploited
The Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1979. Originally a street punk band, they transformed into a faster hardcore punk band with a heavy political influence. From about 1987 on they changed into a crossover thrash band...
and Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
, while Yvo nowadays plays live drums for Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia . The pair, known as "the blind couple from Mali" met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind, and found they shared an interest in music...
, Philippe is a London-based musician and producer, and bassist Leuji has now his own musical career, and performs in a band of the same name.
Members
- Kshoo
Kshoo is the vocalist and live guitarist for DD. Originally called Cachou, (which translates as a sweet that hides the odour of tobacco) he has also been called Shook, and Shooka. He also contributed vocals to Death Metal Band Boost and Punk supergroups Les Dieux, and finally his metalcore band Noxious Enjoyment.
- Leuji
Leuji is the bassist that replaced little known DD bass guitarist Mishko on later albums. He later joined P18 after DD, and is currently working on a few other projects.
- Yvo Abadi
Yvo (aka 'The Megasound') is an expert drummer and percussionist of the band, who joined in 1993. Since leaving DD, Yvo has contributed drums and percussions to other artists. Was last seen playing drums at Glastonbury 2009 with Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia . The pair, known as "the blind couple from Mali" met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind, and found they shared an interest in music...
.
- Philippe Lenzini
Philippe (also known as Ifif) was the guitarist after Gille's departure. He played on the Life In The Dirty District and Welcome to the Next Level . He now lives in London, has played and collaborated with various musicians including Youth, Dennis Morris, Klima, and has also been writing music for film.
- Miguel Saboga
Miguel is second Drummer/Percussionist of the band. He started drumming in The Brigades, and later does vocals on DD's song No Head, which led to him becoming the frontman of Ethnician.
- Igor Nikitinsky
Igor is Sampler and Keyboards plsyer of the group. He replaced Geo and is also in the group Ethnician.
- Garbis Baharian
Garbis did most of the sample and sound engineering on the first album, and is now in Ethnician.
Former members
- Gilles
Guitarist on first album. His spot was filled by two other guitarists, who were later replaced by Philippe.
- Geo
Geo was the keyboardist on the two first album. is usually recognized for wearing a scarf/ Turban around his head on live shows. Geo was a former member of Marabunta before he joined DD.
- Fred
Fred was the bassist on the first album. he replaced by Xavier, who then later was replaced by another bassist called Mishko, who was later replaced by Leuji.
Discography
- Great Gangsters From The Dirty DistrictGreat Gangsters From The Dirty DistrictGreat Gangsters From The Dirty District was the self titled debut EP from French group, Dirty District. it was recorded in 1989, and was later scrapped due to sound problems.#O.S.K.# Watch out-Website:...
EP (1989) - Pousse au crime et Longueurs de tempsPousse au crime et Longueurs de tempsPousse au crime et Longueurs de temps is an Album by French Punk Band Dirty District. The album had a variety of styles, including Ska, Reggae, and an early attempt at Rap Metal. The album was heavily delayed, as the songs were recorded in February 1989 and the album was released in 1990...
(1991) - Life In The Dirty DistrictLife In The Dirty DistrictLife In The Dirty District is the second album by Dirty District. the album has more of experimentation than the previous recording, as the band cross into more Rap Metal and Techno genres. the album was produced by Dennis Morris, who gained fame at a young age for being a photographer for John...
(1993) - Welcome To The Next LevelWelcome To The Next LevelWelcome To The Next Level is the final EP from Dirty District. No Head has a vocal contribution from Miguel, how later performed vocals in Ethnician...
EP (1995)
They also appear on the French punk rock compilations À Bas Toutes Les Armées with Reggae tune Paddy Field, and Cette Machine Sert A Tuer Tous Les Fascistes ('This Machine Is Used To Kill All The Fascists') with anti racism song Blast it and more recently Rap Metal Masters with NY Crap.