King Khan and the Shrines

King Khan and the Shrines

King Khan with headgear
Background information
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Berlin, Germany
Genres Garage Punk
Garage Rock
Rock 'n' Roll
Psychedelic Soul
R&B
Years active 1999-present
Labels Vice Records
Kunta Kinte Records
Sounds of Subterania
Voodoo Rhythm Records
Vicious Circle
Hazelwood Records
Lola Product/Speed Records
Associated acts The King Khan & BBQ Show
Members King Khan
Till Timm
Dream Jeans
Rahn Streeter
John Boy Adonis
Simon Says
Ben Ra (God of IT and Internet security)
Long Fred Roller
Fredovitch

King Khan and the Shrines, sometimes referred to as King Khan and (His) Sensational Shrines are a Berlin-based garage rock and psychedelic soul band.

History

The band was founded in 1999 by then 22-year-old King Khan, 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.[1]

The original lineup of the (Sensational) Shrines consisted of King Khan on vocals and guitars, 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 (the IT guy) 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.

Discography

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
2013 Idle No More Merge Records Catalog No. MRG486

Compilation albums

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

References

  1. ↑

External links