And The Lady Behind The Brilliant ‘Anti-Freeze Album’
Well little glitter lady, first time I saw you rocking the show was up at Cream in Liverpool – what are your favourite memories from those mad nights up in Merseyside?’
“Gosh, they were mad indeed! I played there every weekend from 1993 – 1996 so there were many incredible nights. From mind-blowing sets by Sasha, Jeremy Healy and Rampling, to PAs from Chaka Khan, BT and Kylie (who I played with) – the list is endless. Back room memories include seeing a twatted Robbie Williams fall off his stool. Ha ha!”
Who was your favourite member of the Cream team?
“I got on with Darren, James and Jim so it’d be hard to say really.”
You also had a residency at The Hacienda in Manchester – so, Liverpool or Manchester?
“I spent so many years and seminal moments in Liverpool but I lived in Manchester and still have many friends there. Erm, yep, it’s gonna have to be Manchester.”
So a brilliant album ‘Anti-Freeze’, talk us through it – what are your favourite tracks off it?
“I’ve been steadily chipping away at writing and producing for years and ‘Anti-freeze’ is a culmination of all those years of ideas. It’s an electronic concept album with a sound that’s fat and analogue mixed with delicate percussive textures – lots of 808 drum patterns combined with bits of crushed live congas and filtered drums. This sound forms a background to a rich collection of songs featuring a number of different vocalists and even some of the Faithless live band. My favourite tracks have to include ‘Colours’ featuring David Sanderson on vocals – it’s laid back, emotive and holds the key message of the album. I really enjoyed writing this one too – me and David wrote it in Paris over a weekend and when I listen back to it it really takes me back there. ‘Saiko’ is another fave. Recording Masa on vocals was an absolute scream. But really, my two most favourite have to be the tracks featuring Zoe Johnston (Faithless, Bent) on vocals, ‘Inside Out’ and ‘Leche’. Zoe’s soaring vocals are just so haunting. ‘Leche’ has been released as a single with stunning mixes by Way Out West and Thomas Schwartz, which have already made the top fifteen in both the Buzz and Coldcut charts.”
The album’s name is obviously related to the notion of ‘defrosting’, politically, emotionally or spiritually I suppose – is this true?
“Spot on Dan. The concept came about after endless conversations on the tour bus and with friends about stuck relationships, political dead ends and spiritual stagnation. And so ‘Anti-freeze’ explores the notion of ‘defrosting’ whether emotionally, politically or spiritually. From the deep electronica of ‘Feeling Innovation’ to the simple message in ‘Colours’ and the releasing vocals of ‘Leche’, it’s an album full of hidden meaning, emotion and warmth.”
How did you get into the world of club percussion in the first place?
“I was working with K Klass back in late 1992 and I’d met Darren Hughes from Cream a few times. I’d thought about playing alongside DJs for a while and had considered talking to Darren about it. One night we were chatting away and he said, ‘Sud, I’ve been thinking, I’d love to get you playing along with DJs in Cream’. A brilliant moment of synchronicity and one I’ve never looked back on.”
What artists were you listening to growing up as a teenager?
“Oooh, all sorts. In my early years I was miming the drums to Mel Gaynor from Simple Minds, break dancing to Newcleus and Mantronix, and was heavily into Michael Jackson. In my teens, it was anything from The Pixies, Tom Waits and Talking Heads to Marshall Jefferson, Juan Atkins and Inner City.”
So if we rocked back to yours after a club, what would be blaring out your speakers? The album samples the likes of Shilpa Shetty and Lata Mangeshkar showing your Asian roots, but we also know that you love your old skool Electro and well, just beautiful laid back melodies…?
“If you rocked back to mine the chances are I’d stick on Radio Nova, the coolest radio station around. It’s based in Paris and I hear so much fresh, new music on there, whether it’s World, House or Electro.”
‘Anti Freeze’ was recorded in London, Paris and Berlin with a host of collaborators…who were you most impressed with in the studio?
“All the vocalists were a pleasure to work with and it was great having some of the Faithless band playing on the album. Right now I’d have to say David Sanderson, vocalist on ‘Colours’ and ‘Golden Light’. We sparked off each other in and out of the studio and his piano playing was just awesome.”
You have been integral as a part of Faithless for over a decade now – how did that all happen?
“When I first heard the first Faithless album, ‘Reverence’ after it had been recently released, I was like, ‘Oh my god, I have to play with them!’ A couple of months later I did a DJ/percussion gig with Sister Bliss in Hastings and we ended up having a chin-wag afterwards. A few weeks later, the Faithless live band was playing in Mcr and after seeing them I went backstage to say ‘hello’ to Bliss. At the end of our conversation she said, ‘Ah, if ever our Percussionist drops down dead I’ll give you a call’. Sure enough, not long after and not because their Percussionist had dropped down dead, I got a message on my answer phone from Bliss saying that her and Rollo wanted me to play with the band. I was so shocked – I thought it was my mad mate having a laugh! I phoned back and Bliss assured me it was true. The rest is history…”
Are there any percussionists out there that you rate?
“Trilok Gurtu, Leo Di Angella, Ignacio Berroa, Sheila E, Pakito Baeza.”
How long did the album take to make?
“As I’ve said, ‘Anti-freeze’ is a culmination of years worth of ideas. From putting them altogether to the end result it took about 18 months.”
What have been the best five concerts/festivals you have performed at with Faithless?
“I’d say they’d have to include headlining at Glastonbury 2002, Hemsedal in Norway when we were helicoptered to the stage, playing in minus 30 degrees in Lapland, Werchte in Belgium where we caused an earthquake and playing at Live 8.”
What is your best memory from the days with Sister India, a ground breaking Asian project you were a founder member of?
“Ah, Sister India – how fantastic was that? A group of 8 or 9 girls representing the cream of British Asian talent, touring the UK and Europe. Let’s say it was carnage! My best memory has to be playing at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1999. The place quite literally rocked.”
Best club you have played at?
“Tough – there really have been so many. I think Cream would have to score very highly. Zouk in Singapore (amazing Lychee Martinis), M1 in Stuttgart back in the day, Sirena in Sao Paulo and Pacha, Argentina would be to name but a few.”
Most beautiful parts of India?
“India is a country of such vast beauty, I feel like I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. Misoori and around that region, up in the foothills of the Himalayas is stunning. Udapur and Rajasthan are culturally mind-blowing. I’ve yet to discover the South over and above Goa – that’s my next trip…”
But it’s not just Faithless that have been inspired with your work on stage, you have also worked with the likes of Dido, Kylie Minogue and The Spice Girls – what were they like to work with?
“I toured with Dido for a couple of years in 2000, mainly in the States. I knew her anyway from the studio and playing on her album. She was great and her band were a right laugh. For Kylie, I was asked to play with her as part of her ‘Confide in Me Tour’. We gigged at Cream and I was asked to dress in a bow tie and dinner jacket. Quite surreal! Kylie was cool – quiet and professional. I played with The Spice Girls as part of their 2008 reunion tour. We played about 48 gigs in the space of about two months, which was pretty bonkers. The girls were friendly and we hung out quite a bit on the Spice Jet.”
What’s next from Sudha musically?
“Well, given that my record label, Bish Bash Records, is now in full swing and the fact that I’m bursting with new ideas, it’s gonna have to be another album. Watch this space…”
www.sudha.co.uk
