King Prawn
Encyclopedia
King Prawn were a prominent band of the UK
ska punk
scene during the 1990s and early 2000s.
King Prawn blended elements of punk
, hardcore
, metal
, ska
, dub
, reggae
, and hip hop
into their music, which they dubbed wildstyle.http://www.derdude-goes-ska.de/Kingprawni.html
Since the London
band's formation in 1993, they were subject to critical acclaim, having been nominated for the Best New British Band category at the Kerrang!
Awards in 1998, and then again under the Spirit of Independence category in 2000. King Prawn toured regularly with broad range of bands, varying from hardcore
to traditional and 2 Tone
ska
bands. King Prawn songs often contained political lyrics that, along with the band's blending of genres, led to comparisons with bands such as Rage Against the Machine
.
King Prawn played their penultimate concert on December 20, 2003 at The Forum in Kentish Town
which was recorded for their live DVD, their final gig followed the next night at the Pitz club in Milton Keynes and members have since moved on to other projects, such as drummer Nikolai forming Left Step Band an eclectic four piece Hip Hop groove machine, Babar Luck has his solo project and the Household Name Records
-signed music collective Suicide Bid
.
In the summer of 2007 Al Rumjen joined Asian Dub Foundation
as their new vocalist. His first performance as a member of Asian Dub Foundation was at The Womad Festival in Singapore and his first album with the band was Punkara
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
scene during the 1990s and early 2000s.
King Prawn blended elements of punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, 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...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, 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...
, and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
into their music, which they dubbed wildstyle.http://www.derdude-goes-ska.de/Kingprawni.html
Since the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
band's formation in 1993, they were subject to critical acclaim, having been nominated for the Best New British Band category at the Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Awards in 1998, and then again under the Spirit of Independence category in 2000. King Prawn toured regularly with broad range of bands, varying from hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
to traditional and 2 Tone
2 Tone
2 Tone is a music genre created in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae, and New Wave. It was called 2 Tone because most of the bands were signed to 2 Tone Records at some point. Other labels associated with the 2 Tone sound were Stiff...
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...
bands. King Prawn songs often contained political lyrics that, along with the band's blending of genres, led to comparisons with bands such as Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
.
King Prawn played their penultimate concert on December 20, 2003 at The Forum in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
which was recorded for their live DVD, their final gig followed the next night at the Pitz club in Milton Keynes and members have since moved on to other projects, such as drummer Nikolai forming Left Step Band an eclectic four piece Hip Hop groove machine, Babar Luck has his solo project and the Household Name Records
Household Name Records
Household Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands...
-signed music collective Suicide Bid
Suicide Bid
Suicide Bid are a musical collective from Manchester, London, Philadelphia, Scotland and a few more places. They released their first CD, a mini album entitled This Is The Generation in late 2005...
.
In the summer of 2007 Al Rumjen joined Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
as their new vocalist. His first performance as a member of Asian Dub Foundation was at The Womad Festival in Singapore and his first album with the band was Punkara
Punkara
Punkara is the sixth studio album by the collective Asian Dub Foundation. It was recorded with The Go! Team producer, Gareth Parton at The Fortress Studios, London. It is the first album released with new singer Al Rumjen formerly of King Prawn. There was an advanced release in Japan on 26 March...
.
Members
- Al Rumjen - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Melodica
- Babar LuckBabar LuckBabar Luck is a songwriter and musician based in the UK. Born in Pakistan in 1970 & moving to London at the age of 8 years, Babar Luck found solace in the world & sounds of music....
- Bass, Vocals - Nikolai Jones - Drums
- Devil Hands - Guitar
- Dr Nelly - Cornet
EPs and LPs
- First OffenceFirst OffenceFirst Offence is the debut album of London 'wildstyle' band King Prawn. It was released in 1995, and also re-released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Doledrums"#"Salvation"#"Boxed & Packaged"#"Immigrant Song Too"#"Restart "...
- 1995 - Fried in LondonFried in LondonFried in London is the second album of London 'wildstyle' band King Prawn. It was released in April 1998, and also re-released in 2001.-Track listing:#"The Sound of We"#"Not Your Punk"#"Felled"#"Increase the Pressure"#"Role Model"#"Racist Copper"...
- 1998 - Your Worst Enemy EP - 1999
- Surrender to the BlenderSurrender to the BlenderSurrender to the Blender is the third album of London ska punk band King Prawn. It was released in 2000.-Track listing:#Intro#Someone To Hate#No Peace#Day In Day Out#London Born#Be Warned#The Postman Song#Your Worst Enemy...
- 2000 - First OffenceFirst OffenceFirst Offence is the debut album of London 'wildstyle' band King Prawn. It was released in 1995, and also re-released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Doledrums"#"Salvation"#"Boxed & Packaged"#"Immigrant Song Too"#"Restart "...
- 2001 (remastered & re-released) - Fried in LondonFried in LondonFried in London is the second album of London 'wildstyle' band King Prawn. It was released in April 1998, and also re-released in 2001.-Track listing:#"The Sound of We"#"Not Your Punk"#"Felled"#"Increase the Pressure"#"Role Model"#"Racist Copper"...
- 2001 (remastered & re-released) - Got the ThirstGot the ThirstGot the Thirst was the last album of London 'wildstyle' band King Prawn . It was released in 2003.-Track listing:#"Bring Down The House"#"The Dominant View"#"Caught Inna Rut"#"Smoke Some Shit"#"The Loneliest Life"#"Hell Below"#"Bitter Taste"...
- 2003
Singles
- Poison in the Air - 1995
- Felled/Depths of my Soul - 1997
- Not Your Punk - 1997
- Day In Day Out- 2000
- Someone to Hate - 2000