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The Voodoo Queens were a North London-based
indie punk Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they pr ...
/
riot grrrl Riot grrrl is an underground feminist punk movement that began during the early 1990s within the United States in Olympia, Washington and the greater Pacific Northwest and has expanded to at least 26 other countries. Riot grrrl is a sub ...
band, who reached number one in the Indie Charts in 1993.


History

The band was composed of Anjali Bhatia (guitar, vocals), Ella Guru (guitar, backing vocals), Stefania 'Steffi' Lucchesini (drums), Rajni Bhatia (keyboards) and Anjula Bhaskar (bass). Rebecca Lunn later stepped in for Anjula who had to leave to visit family in India. and Mary Deigan replaced her on bass in 1994. In late 1992, Anjali left the group Mambo Taxi, in which she was the drummer, to start the Voodoo Queens, along with her sister Rajni and cousin Anjula, Ella Guru (also of Mambo Taxi), and drummer Sunny.Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Voodoo Queens", in ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, After only one concert, they were offered a
Peel session John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
by BBC DJ
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
. This was recorded in January 1993, whilst Anjali was still working at Virgin Megastore in
Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and ...
. Other radio and TV appearances followed, including a further two Peel Sessions, and a
busking Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pra ...
competition against Boyzone on Channel 4's music and arts programme Naked City. The music press, in addition to associating the band with the riot grrrl scene, also grouped them with other Asian-fronted bands such as Cornershop; Anjali felt that the press focused more on the music scene instead of the musical content. Following the dissolution of the band, Ella Guru joined the
Stuckist Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.Wiiija Records. Deigan joined The Hangovers, and later - along with Ella Guru - the Deptford Beach Babes. Steffi briefly played with long-running all-female post-punk band Gertrude.


Discography


Singles/EPs

*"Supermodel Superficial"/"Chocolate (Melt in Your Mouth)" (1993) Too Pure *"Kenuwee Head"/"My Little Guitar Baby" (1993) Too Pure *"F Is For Fame"/"I'm Not Bitter (I Just Want To Kill You) adio Nasty version (1994) Too Pure *"Eat The Germs"/"Hairy"" (1995) Voodoo Records *"Neptune"/"I'm Not Bitter (I Just Want To Kill You)" (1995) Dirt Records
S release S, or s, is the nineteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ess'' (pronounced ), plural ''esses''. Histo ...


Albums

*''Chocolate Revenge'' (1994) Too Pure ("You're Dumped", "Princess of the Voodoo Beat", "Neptune", "Summer Sun", "I'm Not Bitter (I Just Want to Kill You)", "Faceache", "Indian Film Star", "Cactus Trees", "Shopping Girl Maniac", "Chocolate Eyes", "My Favourite Handbag") *''Peel Sessions'' (1994) Strange Fruit


References


External links


Anjali Bhatia's website
Defunct
Ella Guru's website
Defunct
Voodoo Queens on the Peel sessions, BBC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voodoo Queens All-female punk bands English punk rock groups English indie rock groups Riot grrrl bands Musical groups established in 1992 Musical groups disestablished in 1999 Underground punk scene in the United Kingdom