King Khan and the Shrines
Encyclopedia
King Khan and the Shrines, sometimes referred to as King Khan and (His) Sensational Shrines or The Supreme Genius of King Khan and His Sensational Shrines, are a Berlin-based garage rock
and psychedelic soul
band.
, formerly of Canadian garage rock outfits The Spaceshits (where he operated under the pseudonym Blacksnake) and Kukamongas. The band is noted for its impressive stage antics. Typically King Khan is scantily clad, and the overwhelming frontman. His performances feature cheerleader/go-go dancer Bamboorella and a mixture of instrumentation including, but not limited to: keyboard
, baritone saxophone
, guitar
, bass
, and drums
.
Khan formerly played with fellow former Spaceshit member, Mark Sultan
, in the King Khan & BBQ Show, a doo-wop and punk inspired two-man band and is currently with Sultan and the Black Lips
in a garage gospel super-group called Almighty Defenders
. Sultan mentioned in 2010 that he and the Shrines have "bandied about" recording and singing some songs together.
The original lineup of the (Sensational) Shrines consisted of King Khan on vocals and guitar
s, Mr. Speedfinger on guitar, Boom Boom Jennes on bass, John Boy Adonis on "big beat," Sam Cook on trumpet
, percussionist Ron (a.k.a. Rahn) Streeter (who formerly played for Ike and Tina Turner, Bo Diddley
, Curtis Mayfield
, Stevie Wonder
, and Al Jarreau
), Ben Ra on saxophone
and Mr. Tom Bone on trombone
. Eccentric French organist
Fredovitch joined the lineup a week before the group recorded their first album at Toe Rag Studios in London.
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
and psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul, sometimes called black rock, is a sub-genre of soul music, which mixes the characteristics of soul with psychedelic rock...
band.
History
The band was founded in 1999 by then 22-year-old King KhanKing Khan (musician)
Arish Ahmad Khan, better known by his stage name King Khan, is a Canadian musician. He is best known as the frontman of the rock 'n roll bands King Khan and the Shrines and The King Khan & BBQ Show.-Career:...
, formerly of Canadian garage rock outfits The Spaceshits (where he operated under the pseudonym Blacksnake) and Kukamongas. The band is noted for its impressive stage antics. Typically King Khan is scantily clad, and the overwhelming frontman. His performances feature cheerleader/go-go dancer Bamboorella and a mixture of instrumentation including, but not limited to: keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
.
Khan formerly played with fellow former Spaceshit member, Mark Sultan
Mark Sultan
Mark Sultan is a Canadian musician and entrepreneur from Montreal, Quebec. He was a member of a number of Canadian garage bands including the Spaceshits, Les Sexareenos, and Mind Controls...
, in the King Khan & BBQ Show, a doo-wop and punk inspired two-man band and is currently with Sultan and the Black Lips
Black Lips
Black Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
in a garage gospel super-group called Almighty Defenders
Almighty Defenders
The Almighty Defenders is a supergroup consisting of members from the Black Lips and The King Khan & BBQ Show. The band was formed in February 2009 in Berlin, Germany.-References:...
. Sultan mentioned in 2010 that he and the Shrines have "bandied about" recording and singing some songs together.
The original lineup of the (Sensational) Shrines consisted of King Khan on vocals and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, Mr. Speedfinger on guitar, Boom Boom Jennes on bass, John Boy Adonis on "big beat," Sam Cook on trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, percussionist Ron (a.k.a. Rahn) Streeter (who formerly played for Ike and Tina Turner, Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
), Ben Ra on saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and Mr. Tom Bone on trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
. Eccentric French organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
Fredovitch joined the lineup a week before the group recorded their first album at Toe Rag Studios in London.
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Spread Your Love Like Peanut Butter | Sounds of Subterrania | First full-length 10"; Catalog No. SoS 011 |
| 2001 | Three Hairs and You're Mine | Voodoo Rhythm Records | Second full-length LP/CD; Catalog No. VR12 08/VRCD 08 |
| 2003 | Smash Hits | Vicious Circle Records | Best of old Stuff Catalog No. Reverb 888 |
| 2004 | Mr Supernatural | Hazelwood Records | Catalog No. |
| 2004 | Billiards at nine thirty | Sounds of Subterrania | Split full-length LP/CD with The Dirtbombs; Catalog No. SoS 055/SoS 056 |
| 2007 | What Is?! | Hazelwood Records(Europe) Vice Records (North America) | Catalog No. HAZ048 |
| 2008 | The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines | Vice Records | Catalog No. VCA 80005-2 |
Compilations
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Motormania 2000" | Sounds of Subterrania | 2XLP, Catalog No. S.O.S.-010 |
| 2003 | VR Home Of Primitive Rock'n'Roll | Voodoo Rhythm Records | CD; no Catalog No. |
| 2005 | Live Vol 2 At Subsonic | Lola Product/Speed Records | Catalog No. SRLP 010 |
External links
- Video: Exclusive live video on Punkrockvids.com
- King Khan and the Shrines page at Hazelwood Records
- King Khan and the Shrines page at Sounds of Subterrania
- King Kahn and The Shrines - Land of the Freak (Music Video Vice Records)
- King Khan & the Shrines article May 2009
- Pitchfork: article
- Article
- MTV