Banco De Gaia Biography
Inspired to enter the field of electronic music by Britain's acid house explosion of the late '80s, Toby Marks took quite a different spin on electronica with his recordings as Banco de Gaia, introducing elements of Eastern and Arabic music, sampling similarly exotic sources, and tying the whole to ambient-dub rhythms. Marks began releasing cassette-only albums in the early '90s, distributed through a network of clubs and artists known as Planet Dog. When Planet Dog became a record label as well (later the home of Eat Static and Timeshard), Banco de Gaia debuted on disc with the Desert Wind EP, released in November 1993. Early the following year, Marks released his first album, Maya. For 1995's Last Train to Lhasa, Marks concerned himself with the plight of occupied Tibet. The following year brought a rare concert recording, Live at Glastonbury, with Big Men Cry appearing in 1997, followed by The Magical Sounds of Banco de Gaia two years later. In late 2000, Marks returned with Igizeh through Six Degrees Records, a label with which he decided to stay for 2004's You Are Here and 2006's Farewell Ferengistan. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
I am kloot Biography: I Am Kloot is an oddball pop trio based in Manchester, England, that consists of vocalist/guitarist John Bramwell, drummer Andy Hargreaves, and guitarist/bassist Pete Jobson. Bramwell used his...
Stuck mojo Biography: Having gotten their start in 1993, Stuck Mojo was always an easy target for criticism, if not for their use of fusion of metal and rap -- "overdue" or "generic" were the most common jabs -- and even...
Timbaland and magoo Biography: Timbaland & Magoo are a hip-hop duo from Norfolk, Virginia that stormed onto the scene in the fall of 1997 with their debut single "Up Jumps Da' Boogie" and album, Welcome to Our World. The duo met...
Steelheart Biography: Hailing from Norwalk, CT, Steelheart was one of the very last hair metal bands to score a hit with a power ballad, just before Nirvana and their ilk exterminated the genre completely. Originally...
Bleeding kansas Biography: Formed in 2001, Bleeding Kansas hails from Burbank, CA, and comprises vocalist Ben March, guitarist David Watrous, bassist Jeremiah Bignell, and drummer Daniel Pouliot. Inspired by the early-2000s...
Sloppy meateaters Biography: Comparable to blink-182 and Fenix TX, Sloppy Meateaters (aka SME) are an alternative rock trio with strong punk-pop leanings. Their songs are angst-ridden but humorous and amusing -- quite often,...
Legs diamond Biography: Legs Diamond was an obscure hard rock/heavy metal band from the late '70s. Founding members Michael Diamond (bass) and Jeff Poole (drums) were originally from the San Francisco area, but it wasn't...
Enter shikari Biography: Post-hardcore outfit Enter Shikari formed in Hertfordshire, England, in 2003. Founded from the remnants of the group Hybryd, the original lineup comprised vocalist Rou Reynolds, guitarist Liam "Rory"...