Karnataka (band)
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The Welsh progressive rock band Karnataka were formed in 1997 by founder members Ian Jones (bass/guitars), Rachel Jones (vocals) and Jonathan Edwards (keyboards). The three had previously worked together for some time before going their separate ways with various local bands based around the Swansea area, before finally regrouping due to a desire to record some of the songs they had written together. Ian built a home studio and bought a mixing desk so that the trio were able to start recording.
The embryonic band were augmented by guitarist Paul Davies and drummer Gavin Griffiths, who had both played with the other members of Karnataka in other bands or in rehearsals. Enjoying an instant rapport, the five piece Karnataka recorded what became their debut album, Karnataka. In the beginning, the band had no thought of actually releasing the album—they had made the recording for their own pleasure. As they started to play live shows in their new configuration, however, word of mouth ensured that an increasing number of people started asking for their own copies.
It was recommended to the band that they send a copy of the album to Martin Hudson at the Classic Rock Society. Martin gave the band their first break by positively reviewing the album in the society's magazine, and then offering them a gig for the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham, supporting the Genesis covers band Re-Genesis in 1999. The show was a success and Karnataka were offered another support with Jump in October 1999. Encouraged, the band had already started writing the material that would eventually appear on their second album, The Storm.
The Storm was recorded between August-November 1999, usually in the evenings and at weekends, since most of the band still had day jobs. The album was then mixed over a period of five days at Rockfield studios in Mounmouthshire, Wales—a studio used by such notable bands as Rush, Hawkwind, Queen and Clannad. While the album was well received, the band still felt it did not accurately reflect their live sound. Embarking on a more rigorous touring schedule, the band toured the UK extensively with the new album, culminating in a show before an audience of die-hards at London's Mean Fiddler, which was filmed and subsequently released on DVD under licence to Classic Rock Productions. The DVD, entitled simply Live In Concert, was well received by fans but frustrated the band who still felt that the results did not fully reflect the band's acclaimed live performances.
The DVD did, however, feature some new material that the band was working on for their third album, although the songs were destined to change a little before they were recorded in the sessions for what was to become the band's breakthrough album, Delicate Flame Of Desire. While working on the album, the band worked harder on the arrangement of backing and harmony vocals, eventually leading them to take on vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anne-Marie Helder as a full-time member of the band, expanding the line-up to a six-piece.
Karnataka were being invited to play their first shows overseas: indeed one of their first shows in the US was filmed and released on DVD as Live In The USA, again through Classic Rock Productions. The band were also working on more new material, some of which was premiered over the course of 2003/2004, as the band continued to expand their fanbase and received increasingly positive reviews. A double live album, Strange Behaviour, was released in mid 2004 to accompany what was to be the band's final tour with the existing line-up.
Although another tour of the UK was in the early stages of being planned, in August 2004 the band's website was updated to display a notice that due to unforeseen personal circumstances, the band had decided not to continue. There followed a period of inactivity, during which the members of the band embarked upon new musical projects. Helder released her first solo recording, The Contact EP, whilst Ian Jones joined forces with songwriter Steve Evans and guitarist Ian Simmons to record an album under the moniker Chasing The Monsoon. At the time of writing, the Chasing The Monsoon album is due to be released in early 2006. Rachel Jones decided to take time out from the music business and returned to college, although she has appeared on recordings from other bands and has occasionally taken the stage as well, most notably with Mostly Autumn.
Edwards, Davies and Griffiths, along with Helder on vocals, joined forces under the name Panic Room and are currently finishing recording their debut album.
Karnataka was then resurrected as a band when Ian Jones' work with keyboardist Gonzalo Carrera took on a life of its own. The pair were joined by veteran drummer Bob Dalton, guitarist Nick May (formerly of The Enid) and vocalist Alquimia, and shortly the Karnataka website announced this to be the new line-up of Karnataka itself, subsequently completed with the addition of lead vocalist Lisa Fury (who also contributed vocals to Ian's Chasing The Monsoon project). Work is currently ongoing on Karnataka's fourth studio album, entitled The Gathering Light.
