Sahotas were a
U.K. based
Bhangra/
Rock/
World music band.
The band, started in Bilston, Wolverhampton in the mid-1980s, had a line-up of five brothers. They have released music in both
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national id ...
and
Punjabi. The lead singer was Surj Sahota, and the music director/producer was
Mukhtar Sahota.
The band's music is very different from conventional Punjabi music, combining the
Bhangra genre with pop,
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air ...
,
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use the ...
and rock, focusing on vocal styles and sounds. This transfusion occurred during the apex of Bhangra Music in the 1980s and 1990s when there was an abundance of Live British Asian Music across the United Kingdom; and when British Asian Music sought to be recognised by the mainstream music industry. The Sahotas were at the forefront of seeking this recognition, performing live on
Cilla Black
Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter.
Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
's ''
Surprise, Surprise'', ''
Blue Peter
''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Te ...
'', ''
8:15 from Manchester'' and ''
Eggs 'n' Baker''. The Sahotas also joined
Apache Indian
Steven Kapur (born 11 May 1967), known by the stage name Apache Indian, is a British singer-songwriter and reggae DJ. He had a series of hits during the 1990s. He is best known in the UK for the song "Boom Shack-A-Lak", which reached the top ...
on Carton TV's ''Soul Music'' and performed the soulful spiritual song "Urdaas" (''Prayer'').
The band were signed by
Miles Copeland III
Miles Axe Copeland III (born May 2, 1944) is an American music and entertainment executive and former manager of The Police. Copeland later managed Sting's musical and acting career. In 1979, Copeland founded the I.R.S. Records label, producing ...
's
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
, who at the time was
Sting
Sting may refer to:
* Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger
* Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself
Fictional characters and entities
* Sting (Middle-ear ...
's Manager. The single "Out of Reach" and the album ''Right Time'' reached the UK Top 100, the first for a British Asian artist. This was closely followed by a nationwide tour with reggae band
Aswad
Aswad are a British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the reggae sound. They have been performing since the mid-1970s, having released a total of 21 albums. Their UK hit singles include the number one " Don't T ...
.
Sahotas toured in Africa, India, Pakistan, the US, Canada and Europe. Their hit songs include "Sahota Show Te Jake", "Hass Hogia", "Mahi Di Udeek", "Gal Bangaee", "Akhian Samaal", "Dang Ditha", "Sach", "Ajaa Ajaa Ajaa", "Dil Wich Tu Vasdi" and "Heerie".
The Sahotas' accolades include 'Best Band', 'Best Live Band' and 'Band of the Millennium' in the UK Bhangra Music industry. They were awarded platinum and gold discs for album sales.
The band's last release was their 7th
bhangra album, ''Revolution'' in 2001; this album was a compilation of old hits released purely for the Indian and Pakistani music market.
Subsequently, the music producer from the band
Mukhtar Sahota released a number of solo albums. Surj Sahota has worked with the band
B21, Swedish Reggae band
Urban Tribe
A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, pol ...
,
Urban Tribe
and Basil Gabbidon
Basil Glendon Gabbidon (born 29 October 1955) is a British Jamaican guitarist / vocalist and a founding member of the reggae band Steel Pulse.
Gabbidon lives in Birmingham, England, and recorded the album ''Reggae Rockz'' with Paul Beckford (b ...
, the founder of Steel Pulse
Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ro ...
.
Discography
;Albums
;Extended plays
;Singles
See also
*Bhangra (music)
Bhangra () is a type of non-traditional music of Punjab originating in the Southall area of United Kingdom. It is a type of upbeat popular music associated with the Punjabi diaspora in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music of Pu ...
* List of Bhangra Bands
* Multitone Records
*IRS Records
I.R.S. Records was an American record label founded by Miles Copeland III, Jay Boberg, and Carl Grasso in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wav ...
*Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London, England. It was formed in 1976 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove. Having successfully promoted and sold records by punk rock and early post-pu ...
* Tips Music
References
External links
* World Music Central page on Sahotas
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Official Sahotas Website
Official Website: Surj Sahota of the Sahotas
Decade release date 1 January 1999 https://www.amazon.com/Decade-Sahotas/dp/B0019C99I2?keywords=decade+The+Sahotas&qid=1536770221&sr=8-1-spell&ref=mp_s_a_1_1
{{Authority control
Bhangra (music) musical groups
Wolverhampton
Musical groups established in 1987
Musical groups from West Midlands (county)