Steve Chandra Savale

Steve Chandra Savale
A promotional poster for the Al-Jazeera English show, Music of Resistance
Background information
Birth name	Steve Chandra Savale
Also known as	Chandrasonic, Chandra Blunt, Imperial Bulbhead, Efrem Zitblaster (Jnr)
Origin	London, United Kingdom
Genres	Electronica, dub, drum and bass, big beat
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, activist, composer
Instruments	guitar
Years active	1986–present
Labels	Slash, Virgin, FFRR, EMI, Cake
Associated acts	Asian Dub Foundation, Higher Intelligence Agency, Atom Spies, The Davidsons, Dog Food
Website	www.asiandubfoundation.com,

Steve Chandra Savale originally from London, United Kingdom, also known by his stage names Chandrasonic and Chandra Blunt, is a British musician of Asian descent, best known as the lead guitarist of the British electronica band Asian Dub Foundation. He is also part of the Birmingham-based bands Higher Intelligence Agency and the Atom Spies in which he was a collaborator, as lead guitarist and a vocalist respectively. He also composed and co-wrote the musical Gaddafi: A Living Myth with the Asian Dub Foundation and has presented a series of documentaries for Al-Jazeera English called Music of Resistance.

Amongst other early projects Savale played guitar with Birmingham band the Davidsons (as Efrem Zitblaster (Jnr)), both live, and on their 1987 12" EP release Muscle Jerks (Cake Records - 12 Piece 4), and with Dog Food (as Imperial Bulbhead) on their 1986 cassette only self-release More Frantic Than...

Biography

Savale earned the nickname Chandrasonic because he used to tune all of the strings on his guitar to one note and play it with a knife.^[1]

He uses the alias Chandra Blunt when performing with the Atomic Spies.

Asian Dub Foundation

Savale played guitar for the Asian Dub Foundation and is where he made his claim to fame as a musician.

Savale has interviewed prominent leftist intellectual, historian, political campaigner, author, and filmmaker Tariq Ali about the War on Terrorism, Pakistan, 1960s musicians and their activism, and health care in the United States.

Music of Resistance

The Music of Resistance is a six-part documentary series that tells the stories of musicians who fight repression and sing about injustices. They are unique musical personalities from some of the world's most troubled areas - what makes them different is their need to communicate their politics through music. They are all ambitious and talented but for them 'making it' is not about diamonds and sports cars - it is about radical political change. They come from Nigeria, Mozambique, the favelas of Brazil, Cape Verde, the desert of the Sahara and London.

References