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.
Powerlines
Asian Dub Foundation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lighter watch the fire grow
Surprise fighters delivering a body blow
Original Krikati Junglists coming with the fire this time
Original Krikati Junglists
Underground resistance knocking out powerlines coming with the fire this time
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First sign of madness you talk yourself second sign of madness yoursef talks back
First sign of madness you talk yourself second sign of madness yoursef talks back
Please select the following option is no longer an option
Select the following option means you have no option
I'm shouting out loud with the rest of the shower
Shaking our fists in vain down the corridors of power
Been queuening and queuening for god know how many hours
Outside the tent pissing in for this long man it's downer
They say the buck stops here but if it does I never see it
Following the fingers poiting opposite directions I lost it
Took me a week to see the boss to learn that he's not in charge
A 1000 people said they could so that one could say they can't
And I see vast quantities of people without a face
I don't now who runs this place
I don't now who runs this place
Tell me how high I gotta go all the way from God to the devil below
Before I get to want I really now wanna know
And I wanna know WHO RUN DA PLACE?
The figures are wrong the network's knackered
Cashpoint is kaput and me nerves are shaterred
You have an infinite choice over the things that doesn't matter
One elite or two more Thatcherite than Thatcher
In a race to the death with a white van man I admit defeat I'm the man with no plan
Watch a vampire a poodle a chat show host with a tan
Try to squeeze into a 3 second attetion span
And I stick two fingers up into outer space
I don't know who runs this place I don;t know who runs this place
Tell me how high I gotta go all the way from God to the devil below
Before I get to want I really wanna know and I wanna know
WHO RUN DA PLACE?
Prime minister of chancellor television or newspaper
Foreign banks or backhanders?
Traffic wardens or arms dealers
Lizardmen or aliens
Mondeo man or estate agents
Presidanecy or illuminati
One thing I know it ain't you or me
They mus never succeed in turning us into them
The first part of the song "Powerlines" by Asian Dub Foundation talks about the Krikati Indians of Brazil who are disrupting the power lines in the cities. The lyrics depict them as Surprise fighters delivering a body blow, Original Krikati Junglists coming with the fire this time, and the Underground resistance knocking out powerlines. It can be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of the indigenous people's fight against the dominant culture that is taking over their land and resources. The Krikati tribe might be seen as standing up to protect their culture, beliefs and rejecting the colonizer's lifestyle.
The second part of the song talks about the confusion and frustration of the common man who feels helpless in determining who actually runs the place. The lyrics express a sense of disillusionment with the system and the elite power structure that governs people's lives. The lines "I don't know who runs this place, Tell me how high I gotta go all the way from God to the devil below, Before I get to what I really wanna know, And I wanna know WHO RUN DA PLACE?" is an indication of the voice wanting to know who the people in power are, and what their intentions are.
Line by Line Meaning
The Krikati Indians of Brazil knocking out power in the cities
The Krikati Indians of Brazil taking down power grids disrupting cities
Lighter watch the fire grow
The youth watching societal revolution sprout and amplify
Surprise fighters delivering a body blow
Unexpected fighters executing a significant blow to the opposition
Original Krikati Junglists coming with the fire this time
Original Krikati Junglists bringing with them previously unseen passion and energy
Original Krikati Junglists
The Krikati Junglists, a new and fresh force
Underground resistance knocking out powerlines coming with the fire this time
The underground resistance taking down power grids, bringing previously unseen passion and energy
Who runs this place
Questioning the identity of the governing power
First sign of madness you talk yourself second sign of madness yoursef talks back
A circular madness where one talks to themselves, and then becomes the voice in their own head
Select the following option means you have no option
Suggesting that the illusion of choice is no choice at all
I'm shouting out loud with the rest of the shower
Joining the masses in protest
Shaking our fists in vain down the corridors of power
Frustration in being unable to change the powerful
Been queuening and queuening for god know how many hours
Waiting in line for what seems like an eternity
Outside the tent pissing in for this long man it's downer
Feeling dejected and powerless
They say the buck stops here but if it does I never see it
The supposed leader is rarely accountable
Following the fingers poiting opposite directions I lost it
Following opposing advice and directions leads to confusion and frustration
Took me a week to see the boss to learn that he's not in charge
Realizing that the one in charge is not actually in charge
A 1000 people said they could so that one could say they can't
Many claim to be able to do a task, but someone eventually can't
And I see vast quantities of people without a face
People being dehumanized and reduced to numbers
I don't now who runs this place
Still questioning the identity of the governing power
Tell me how high I gotta go all the way from God to the devil below
Questioning how high one must go to find the source of power, from the chief deity to the ultimate evil
Before I get to want I really now wanna know
Before fulfilling a desire, first needing to know who holds the authority
The figures are wrong the network's knackered
Systems are failing, numbers are incorrect
Cashpoint is kaput and me nerves are shaterred
Cashpoint is broken, and nerves are frayed
You have an infinite choice over the things that doesn't matter
One may have countless choices on unimportant matters
One elite or two more Thatcherite than Thatcher
Regardless of elite domination, remnants of Thatcherism still persist
In a race to the death with a white van man I admit defeat I'm the man with no plan
In a fatal competition with someone of a lower socio-economic class, defeat is acknowledged
Watch a vampire a poodle a chat show host with a tan
Watching entertaining but ultimately superficial figures
Try to squeeze into a 3 second attetion span
Struggling to hold someone's attention for even a brief moment
And I stick two fingers up into outer space
A gesture of defiance to the unknown force behind the power
I don't know who runs this place I don;t know who runs this place
Reiterating the lack of knowledge regarding the identity of the governing power
Tell me how high I gotta go all the way from God to the devil below
Asking again how much higher one needs to go to find the ultimate source of power
Before I get to want I really wanna know and I wanna know
Asking again to know the identity of the governing power
WHO RUN DA PLACE?
A call to know the identity of the governing power
Prime minister of chancellor television or newspaper
Naming sources of power in government and media
Foreign banks or backhanders?
Naming foreign banks and hidden bribes as potential sources of power
Traffic wardens or arms dealers
Naming seemingly small positions and arms dealers as potential sources of power
Lizardmen or aliens
Mocking conspiracy theories regarding shape-shifting reptiles and extraterrestrial involvement in governance
Mondeo man or estate agents
Naming middle-management and real estate agents as potential sources of power
Presidanecy or illuminati
Naming the presidency and even secret societies as potential sources of power
One thing I know it ain't you or me
Asserting that both the artist and listener are not responsible for governance
They mus never succeed in turning us into them
A warning not to be corrupted by power
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Holt
Rockin'! Also a bit of a Manchester scene vib, which I love too.
Lorenzo Simeoni
..br@vi mi piace molto il vostro Sound
David Maxda
👌
Daniel Souza
ADF = BRAZIL