Khaya - Is/Are/Was

Khaya - Is/Are/Was cover

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In 1997 SL records, a brand new Scottish indie label, released the début single by Edinburgh band Khaya. 'Summer/Winter Song' was an instant hit and received massive support from Jo Whilry, Steve Lamacq and John Peel on Radio One, at the time brand new music station Xfm and radio station across the UK and even the world – being one of the tracks of the year on Boston station WZBC.

The dramatic success of this first release launched the label and the band, who went on to record three highly acclaimed albums, “We've Got Rhymes 4 X Like These”, “Avoidance” and “The Lost Feeling” and sessions for John Peel, The Evening Session, Radio Scotland and BBC TV. They toured extensively, and explosively, playing with the likes of The Fall and The Make Up.

At their peak they were one of the best live acts in Scotland – their unforgettable performance to launch their 'Avoidance' album featured a string section and a live appearance by the Mississippi Sunshine Choir, who featured on the album. Equally often their shows would descend into drunken, naked chaos and lead to the band being barred from yet another venue.

As perhaps befitted their style Khaya dramatically split up, for the final time, on stage at The Spitz in London, and now, ten years on from their first single SL Records are releasing “Is/Are/Was” a collection of tracks from the bands 3 albums, singles and previously unreleased session and demo tracks.

Despite an often tumultuous musical relationship while in the band they have all remained friends and often collaborated together since. Dan formed the highly acclaimed experimental outfit Desc who, after recording an album with Steve Albini in Chicago, imploded whilst on tour in America. He now fronts The Leg, which also features Pete and they are currently working on an album with Dawn Of The Replicants frontman Paul Vickers. Greg and Richie formed The 55's and now play together as The Plague, which in incestuous musical fashion features Dan on guitar. Caroline and Pete are always in demand as session musicians, they've played strings on numerous Scottish releases and Pete has found time to form the highly sort after string players The Rose Street Quartet.

Khaya were one of the best bands to come from Scotland at the turn of the millennium, but sadly they never received the recognition from the public they deserved. “Is/Are/Was” will hopefully go someway towards putting this right.

More Khaya info here and download Khaya sessions here

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