Band members include John Pandit (aka Pandit G) (turntables), Deeder Zaman (aka Master D) (vocals) and Aniruddha Das (aka Dr Das) (bass), later joined by Steve Chandra Savale (aka Chandrasonic) (guitar and adf mastermind), Sanjay Tailor (aka Sun-J) (midi, soundeffects), and Bubble-E (dancer).
Master D left the band in 2000, shortly after that the band was joined by new members:
Pritphal Rajput (aka Cyber) (dhol, tabla), Rocky Singh (drums), MC Spex (vocals), MC Lord Kimo and Akhtar Ahmed (aka Aktarv8r) (vocals), the latter recruited from the band's ongoing education project ADFED.
In 2005 with the release of 'Tank' the band was joined by Ghetto Priest. In August 2007 Asian Dub Foundation started playing with two new vocalists, Al Rumjen (previously with King Prawn) and Aktarv8r returned after MC Spex was asked to leave the band. In November and December 2007 Asian Dub Foundation recorded a new album, Punkara, that was released in spring 2008. The current line-up of the band consists of Chandrasonic, Sun-J, Al Rumjen, Cyber, Aktarv8r, Pandit G and bassist Martin Savale (C-Sonic's brother).
They describe their sound as a mix of "...hard ragga-jungle rhythms, indo-dub basslines, searing sitar- inspired guitars and 'traditional' sounds gleaned from their parents' record collections, shot through with fast-chat conscious lyrics."
Most of their lyrics are politically oriented.
Sites: YouTube.
Debris
Asian Dub Foundation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The gold that you stole
The pillage and the plunder
Is it any wonder that we're here?
It ain't no mystery
The fecting and the shooting
That's the real history
Consequences of your global pillage
I never had the feeling to
Either destroy or conquer
I sift to the debris you left in your wake
When you pushed us in to third place
When the truth is uncovered
And the story's been told
You won't be able to look me in the face
We're only here 'cos you were there
Here in England a global village
Consequences of your global pillage
Master D chat it up
I sift to the debris you left in your wake
When you pushed us in to third place
When the truth is uncovered
And the story's been told
You won't be able to look me in the face
You treated my mother's land
Just like one big plantation
You did this to the African
You did this to the Asian
Famine was caused not by god but taxation
The fruits of our labor
Were used to build your nation
Sucking us dry our country's natural juice
Yes, our underdevelopment was
Caused by your abuse.
Gonna check the missing pages
We'll be adding up the numbers
We'll be looking for witnesses so
They can tell our brothers
We'll be using the technology
Jammin' with it consciously
We are gonna spread power with words.
The lyrics of Asian Dub Foundation's song Debris are a condemning critique of Western imperialism, predominantly the British Empire. The opening lines "Spread power with words, The gold that you stole, The pillage and the plunder, Is it any wonder that we're here?" lay out the foundation for the chorus and the rest of the song's meaning. These lines juxtapose the power of the written and spoken word with the power created by the British Empire by stealing not just gold but wealth and resources from formerly colonized countries. It also questions the reason for the aftermath of imperialism that still impacts the present-day world. The generation of dispossession, poverty and war exists because of the actions of the colonizers.
The chorus "We're only here 'cos you were there", is repeated many times throughout the song, emphasizing the fact that the consequences of imperialism continue to affect the lives of people in formerly colonized countries. The lyrics also hint towards the violence committed during the process of colonization and the after-effects on the colonized countries. The lines "The fecting and the shooting, That's the real history" are an attack on the prevalent myth that Britain was benevolent and a civilizing force, whereas the truth is contrary to it.
Moreover, the lines "You treated my mother's land, Just like one big plantation, You did this to the African, You did this to the Asian" explain how the British Empire treated the colonized countries as a source of gain, just like a plantation. The suffering of the working class and the resulting poverty were not because of a divine curse or fate, but because of the unjust systems created that perpetuated inequality.
Line by Line Meaning
Spread power with words
Use words to exert influence and effect change
The gold that you stole
The precious resources taken from colonized countries without compensation
The pillage and the plunder
The violent theft of cultural and natural resources by colonial powers
Is it any wonder that we're here?
The consequences of colonization and its aftermath are still felt in former colonies
It ain't no mystery
The truth about colonization is evident
The fecting and the shooting
The violent methods of colonization
That's the real history
The true story of colonization is one of violence and exploitation
We're only here 'cos you were there
The current state of former colonies is a direct result of colonization by Western powers
Consequences of your global pillage
The negative effects of colonization on colonized countries
I never had the feeling to
There was never a desire to
Either destroy or conquer
Use violence to gain power
I sift to the debris you left in your wake
Examining the legacy of colonization and its effects
When you pushed us in to third place
Colonial powers relegated colonized countries to inferior positions and robbed them of economic opportunities
When the truth is uncovered
When the full truth about colonization is revealed
And the story's been told
When the history of colonization is fully explored
You won't be able to look me in the face
Colonizers will have to acknowledge the harm they caused to colonized countries
Here in England a global village
England's status as a world power made colonization and exploitation of other countries possible
Master D chat it up
Master D will discuss these issues in his music
You treated my mother's land
Colonizers exploited and stole resources from colonized countries as if they were their own property
Just like one big plantation
Colonized countries were treated as just another source of profit for the colonizers
You did this to the African
African countries were similarly exploited by Western colonial powers
You did this to the Asian
Asian countries were also colonized and exploited for Western profit
Famine was caused not by god but taxation
Famines in colonized countries were directly attributable to the economic policies imposed by colonial powers
The fruits of our labor
The resources and labor of colonized countries
Were used to build your nation
Wealth and prosperity of Western nations was built on the exploitation of colonized countries
Sucking us dry our country's natural juice
Colonial powers drained colonized countries of their natural resources for their own profit
Yes, our underdevelopment was
The lack of economic progress in former colonies
Caused by your abuse.
Was a direct result of colonial exploitation and oppression
Gonna check the missing pages
Explore the history of colonization that has been ignored or suppressed
We'll be adding up the numbers
Examining the economic impact of colonization on colonized countries
We'll be looking for witnesses so
Seeking out first-hand accounts of colonial exploitation and oppression
They can tell our brothers
Sharing stories of colonialism with others in similar situations
We'll be using the technology
Using modern technology to uncover and share the truth about colonization
Jammin' with it consciously
Using technology in a thoughtful, intentional way to spread awareness and effect change
We are gonna spread power with words.
Using language, music, and storytelling to challenge the dominant narratives of colonization and empower colonized peoples
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHESTER CHARLES BENNINGTON, ROBERT G. BOURDON, BRAD DELSON, MIKE SHINODA, DAVE FARRELL, JOSEPH HAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arnab Siddiki
Spread power with words!
lapinova27
It's the lyrics that rock!
Puncho Miyake
insuperables
Nebojša Ljubičić
...ajmooooooooooo