Black Star Liner

Black Star Liner were formed in Leeds in 1994, by Choque Hosein, Tom Salmon, and Chris Harrop. Their music consisted of a mix of Asian music (sitar and tabla), dance music and dub.  Their debut single 'Smoke The Prophets' was voted NME Single Of The Week in 1994 and continued to produce a danceable swirl of ethnic instruments and synth sounds. They signed to major label WEA in 1997 and produced the album 'Bengali Bantam Youth Experience' in 1998, before splitting up in 2001.
== Links To Peel ==
After receiving the single of the week award in the NME magazine for "Smoke the Prophets", they recorded three Peel Sessions, the first of which was broadcast in April 1995. The Peel session enabled them to secure a recording contract with EXP, which was run by Feargal Sharkey from The Undertones and Richard Norris from The Grid. Their debut album, Yemen Cutta Connection was released in September 1996, with a press launch on Dartmoor involving Jimmy Cauty and Bill Drummond from The KLF. The album received critical praise, including album of the week in The Guardian. After the demise of EXP, Rob Dickens from WEA signed Black Star Liner, and they recorded their second album Bengali Bantam Youth Experience, which featured the single "Superfly and Bindi".
On The O-Zone TV programme broadcast in 1997, Peel praised the singer Choque and his band, explaining liking their different fusion of styles in their set. The band were taking part in the show at the India Five-0 music festival at the Custard Factory in Birmingham.
== Sessions ==
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1. Recorded: 1995-03-07. Broadcast: 07 April 1995. Repeated: 23 September 1995
*Harmon Session Special / Tabla Attack / Hooba Hooba / Non Stop To The Border / Ottoman Empire Strikes Back
2. Recorded: 1997-09-02. Broadcast: 07 October 1997
* Glitter Frenzy / Gimmick Prince / Superfly & Bindi / Rock Freak
3. Recorded: 1999-01-12. Broadcast: 09 February 1999. Repeated: 22 April 1999
* Yellow Funk / Swimmer / Hindu Homeboy Detective / Wheels Of Steel / Sita D
== Live ==
Recorded at the Custard Factory, Birmingham. Broadcast: India Five-0 (15th August 1997)
#unknown
#Duggie Dohl
#unknown
#unknown
Recorded at Glastonbury: 1999-06-29. Broadcast: 29 June 1999
* Set unknown
== Other Shows Played ==
;thumb|330x330px1994
*19 November 1994: Soft Skunk Skank (12" - Smoke The Prophets EP) Soundclash
*26 November 1994 (BFBS): 'Soft Skunk Skank (12"-Smoke The Prophets)' (Soundclash)
*02 December 1994: Harmon Harroot (12 inch - Smoke The Prophets EP ) Soundclash
*10 December 1994: Harmon Harroot (12 inch - Smoke The Prophets EP ) Soundclash
*10 December 1994 (BBC World Service): Harmon Harrout (12" - Smoke The Prophets EP) Soundclash
;1995
*25 February 1995: Killah Connection (12" - High Turkish Influence) Soundclash
*03 March 1995: Killah Connection (12" - High Turkish Influence) Soundclash
*25 November 1995: Harmon Bomb Drop (Original Excursion) (10" - The Jawz EP) EXP Recordings
;1996
* 12 January 1996: 'Yeboah's Jawz (10"-The Jawz EP)' (EXP Recordings)
* 21 March 1996: Harmon Haroot II (12" - Harmon Session Special XI) EXP Recordings EXP 005
* 29 March 1996: 'Harmon Session Special XI (12")' (EXP Recordings)
* 06 April 1996 (BFBS): 'Harmon Session Special XI (12")' (EXP Recordings)
* 12 April 1996: ‘Harmon Haroot II (12 inch - Harmon Session Special XI )’ Exp Recordings
* 13 April 1996: Harmon Session Special XI (12") EXP Recordings
*20 April 1996 (BBC World Service): Harmon Session Special XI (12") EXP Recordings
*25 May 1996: 'Duggie Dohl (12"-Haláal Rock EP)' (EXP Recordings)
*01 June 1996 (BFBS): 'Duggie Dhol (12"-Haláal Rock EP)' (EXP Recordings)
*16 June 1996: ‘Ottoman Empire Strikes Back (CD - Yemen Cutta Connection )’ EXP Recordings
*22 June 1996: ‘Killah Connection (CD - Yemen Cutta Connection )’ EXP Recordings
*29 June 1996: ‘Inverse (CD – Yemen Cutta Connection )’ EXP Recordings
*29 June 1996 (BFBS): 'Killah Connection (CD-Yemen Cutta Connection )' (EXP Recordings)
*07 July 1996: Ottoman Empire (album - Yemen Cutta Connection )’ EXP Recordings
*13 July 1996 (BFBS): 'Ottoman Empire Strikes Back (LP-Yemen Cutta Connection)' (EXP Recordings)
*27 July 1996 (BFBS): 'Inverse (LP-Yemen Cutta Connection)' (EXP Recordings)
*03 August 1996 (BFBS): 'None Stop To The Border (CD-Yemen Cutta Connection)' (EXP Recordings)
*12 August 1996 (BBC World Service): Killah Connection (LP - Yemen Cutta Connection) EXP Recordings
*24 August 1996: Killah Connection (12" - High Turkish Influence) Soundclash
;1997
* 13 January 1997: Hooba Hooba (John Peel's Classic Sessions)
* 19 March 1997: ‘Harmon Session Special (CD – Yeman Cutta Connection)’ EXP Recordings
* 16 September 1997: Rock Freak (12" Acetate Rock Freak EP)
* 18 September 1997: Low BMW (12" Acetate - Rock Freak EP) WEA SAM 3100
* 01 October 1997: Hooba Hooba (session)
* 09 October 1997: Rock Freak (12") WEA
* 15 October 1997: Rock Freak (12") WEA
*31 October 1997 (BBC World Service): Rock Freak (12") Warner Music UK Ltd.
;1998
* December 1998 (FSK): Hindu.Telekinesis.Co.Uk (12" - Superfly And Bindi) Warner Music
*10 December 1998: Superfly And Bindi (Single) WEA
*16 December 1998: Hindu_Telekinesis.Co.Uk (single) Warner
*23 December 1998: 'Ethnic Suicide Of The Volga Boatmen (Promo CD-Bengali Bantam Youth Experience)' (Warner Music)
;1999
* 03 January 1999 (BFBS): 'Superfly And Bindi (12")' (Warner Music UK)
* 13 January 1999: ‘Pink Rupee (CD - Bengali Bantam Youth Experience!)’ WEA
*21 January 1999: Khaatoon (LP: Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*26 January 1999: Dark Shadow Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*02 February 1999: Low BMW (LP: Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*03 February 1999: 'Swimmer (promo CD-Bengali Bantam Youth Experience!)' (WEA)
*04 February 1999 (Radio Eins): Sita D (album Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*11 February 1999: Khaatoon (LP: Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*11 February 1999 (Radio Eins): Swimmer (album Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA PROP 00036
*14 February 1999 (BFBS): 'Inder Automatic (CD-Bengali Bantom Youth Experience)' (WEA)
*23 February 1999: Dark Shadow (LP: Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA
*04 March 1999 (Radio Eins): Ethnic Suicide Of The Volga Boatman (album Bengali Bantam Youth Experience) WEA PROP 00036
;2000
*22 March 2000: Is That How You Get Off? (12") White Label
== See Also ==
*Gigography 1997
== External Links ==
* Wikipedia
* Discogs
Category:Artists