Djevara

Djevara
Background information
Origin London, UK
Genres Hardcore punk, alternative metal
Labels Genin Records
Website http://djevara.co.uk
Members Bass
Geoff
Malc
Past members Jeff Hughes, Steve Long, Gareth "Spyke!" Hitchmann, Ben, Kiara Zybix, Cal Smith, Erd (Erdogan Baristiran), Sandro Cappai

Djevara is a multicultural hardcore punk/alternative metal band, based in North London, that was originally founded in the University of Warwick. The band's first incarnation was initiated by frontman and main protagnoist Anté Bassey (then nicknamed "Bass"), in the form of the self-depreciatingly named 'Suck' - as all the musicians were novices (Bass himself only picking up the guitar just before joining university). Eventually this band became 'Djevara', which Bass explains was taken from an (undisclosed) ancient language, of Eastern or Asian origin, which roughly translates as "a time or place denoting the beginning of justice and the end of intolerance". Djevara were inspired mainly by the alternative rock phenomena of the early 1990s, though the sound evolved from diverse, but very basic, punk rock with hints of Nirvana, Green Day and The Offspring to a funkier sound that included influences from Rage Against the Machine, Faith No More and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Whilst at university the band recorded many demos and were very popular, with success in both the local Battle Of The Bands and the National Student Music Awards.

On leaving university and after some line-up changes, Djevara quickly became disillusioned with the mainstream industry and embraced the DIY ethic espoused by bands such as Fugazi with the example of their Dischord label, and started the Genin Records / Djevara Music DIY co-operative label, originally to release their debut album God Is White, which was recorded at New Rising Studio by Mark Daghorn, and eventually released in 2004. The release, though small and independent, received almost uniformly positive reviews including KKKK in Kerrang! and 8/10 in Metal Hammer, and the band received radio play on BBC Radio 1, despite the fact that the band were completely independent and had no pluggers or PR.

At the same time, Djevara became more pro-active, organising their own tours and getting involved more actively in campaigns and benefits, notably on human rights and third world issues. Bass/Djevara organised the Kerrang!-inspired Scumfest festival in 2002, as well as a series of spin-off events. Djevara also donated (and continue to donate) a percentage of revenue from merchandise and CDs to their chosen supported causes (at time of writing: Oxfam, Amnesty International, The Big Issue Foundation and TOSE Respite Care Home (Zimbabwe)).

Djevara's sound also changed as members matured musically and got into more genuinely alternative-progressive bands such as Refused, Tool (band), Kyuss, Botch and At the Drive-In as well as deeper into the UK underground scene, developing a heavier style and more left-field tastes. While most guitar/rock bands in the UK are almost uniformly English and white, Djevara have always been multi-cultural; Bass himself, though born in Scotland, is of African descent, while various members have had ethnicities including Italian, Turkish and Canadian. The influence on the music of this diversity has recently become more pronounced.

Having conducted self-organised tours of both UK and Europe, Djevara returned to the Orange & Blue Studio in Catford, South London, where they had recorded their first demos, to record their second album. The album Third World War : Cast The First Stone is due for release in early 2007 and the newest line-up of Djevara is due to tour in the spring. Djevara recently started running an arts-music centre out of a warehouse in North London called The Low Fidelity Disconnect.

Djevara were last seen playing free gigs at Bar Form in Enfield.

Discography

Full-length albums

Singles

External links