Stories from the Asian Underground
Collected by Mira Makadia
"Inspired by the Museum of Youth Culture’s archive, my work as an Outreach Champion aimed to collect stories about British Asian youth and club culture in the 1980s and 1990s. As the voices and contributions of Asian women remain scarce in archival collections and mainstream accounts of culture, the oral history interviews aimed to centre these stories.
Focusing on Asian Underground in the 1990s, and the daytimer phenomenon of the 1980-90s, conversations explored negotiating British Asian identity, finding inspiration in the Indian Independence, the intersections between dance music and youth politics, and the formative role of women of colour in British Asian music. Alongside interviews, my research focused on club flyers and other ephemera. The material collected offers a visual dimension to Asian Underground and daytimers, two fleeting and little photographed subcultures. The collection of DIY flyers are a valuable addition to the available music releases and the oral history interviews to tell a fuller story of how British Asian youth cultures and music in 80/90s Britain."
Mira Makadia is an archivist, collector, and researcher based in London. She holds a First Class Masters degree in Social Anthropology and is the founder of YAADA, an online platform of contemporary photography that spotlights the South Asian diaspora. As a researcher, she works collaboratively across disciplines.
@yaada_
Mira's research project was part of Setting the Record Straight, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Collection of Stories
DJ Ritu
'aside from the 700 young people inside the two-floor venue, there were hoards of clubbers outside that couldn't get in. The WAG Club was itself very famous and on Tuesday nights it suddenly became awash with British Asians.''
Since joining Bombay Jungle, one of the first weekly Asian club nights at the WAG Club, as a resident DJ in the early 90s, DJ Ritu has been at the foreground of the Asian Underground Scene as a DJ, promoter and label boss. She co-founded pioneering Asian Underground label and club night Outcaste Records, giving a home to young British Asian artists straying from the popular, pre-defined genres. Since then she’s run long-running club nights Club Kali and Kuch Kuch, toured with her bands Sister India and Asian Equation and become a champion of the scene.
DJ Bebz
DJ Bebz, aka Awesum Soundz started her DJ career in 1986 after using her college grant to buy decks, speakers, mixers and records, becoming one of the first Asian female DJs on the scene. She talks about how she got started and the importance of day gigs for Asian youth culture.
Ajay Swaraj
'Warning: this clubnight may seriously challenge your cultural preconceptions’
Running at The Blue Note on a Monday night, legendary club night Swaraj provided a space for young South Asian Brits in this sweaty underground venue. Bringing together hip hop, drum n bass and Asian Underground Sounds, the night tried to break down preconceptions of the scene, hosting legendary artists such as Nasha Experience, DJ Pathaan and Earthtribe. Ajay, who founded the club night and label, also joined DJ Ritu’s The Asian Equation on guitars.
Sweety Kapoor
Sweety Kapoor is promoter central to the Asian Underground movement. In the 90s she ran legendary club night Anokha on Mondays at the Blue Note alongside Talvin Singh and Sam Zaman. She works as a curator and creative producer, as well as running Brown Girl in the Ring.