ABSTRACT
In hindsight, the arrival of a number of Asian bands on the British music scene during the early 1990s seems as exciting and significant now as it did then. Until this genesis there had been simply no noticeably Asian musicians of any kind making music in the mainstream and suddenly we had radical hip-hop groups, garage/punk bands and devastating fusions of rock and dance forms which drew upon styles and genres from a bewildering range of cultural sources. What was so exhilarating about these musicians was their sheer diversity; they may have emerged at the same time but they did not do so on the back of a clearly delineated genre or single musical tradition. Their ability to incorporate sounds and influences that drew upon a range of elements reflecting the multi-accented nature of their lives in Britain during the latter part of the 20th century betrayed a confidence and, at times, a swagger that simply could not be ignored. That they have managed to survive and flourish within the bounds of the notoriously fickle music industry is a testament to their creativity, enthusiasm and, not least of all, their determination which at times have been sorely tested.
