Biography
DJ Swami has been on the music scene since the age of 18, but after producing and co-writing Apache Indian's early successes, it was Swami's own album Desi Rock that catapulted him into the limelight as a progressive artist in his own right.
Best Known For: Desi Rock
Up and Coming: New Swami album for 2012 UPGRADE
Not only has Desi Rock picked up accolades from the press, with Eastern Eye voting it best album of 2004, but Swami has successfully crossed into the mainstream. BBC Radio 1 voted 'DesiRock' as one of the DJ tracks of the year.
Swami has been playing the guitar since the age of 8 and started off playing in bands as teenagers in Handsworth. He later formed a band called The Movement with his brother Simon. The success from this first band earned him enough money to build his own studio. It was in this studio that Swami started recording with his cousin Steve (AKA Apache Indian).
For over a decade the brothers have written, produced, remixed and performed for artists in both eastern and western music industries including Shania Twain, Erasure, Maxi Priest, Apache Indian, Aretha Daye, Dillinger, The Beat, Boyzone, China Black, Stereo Nation, Janet Kaye Swami, Martine Girault Sly and Robbie, Stan Campbell Raise, Anne Saunderson (Inner City), Malkit Singh, Gurdass Mann and Hans Raj Hans.
As pioneers of the British Asian Fusion sound, Simon & Diamond, together with their first cousin Steven Kapur (a.k.a Apache Indian) were responsible for the huge international success of Apache Indian and achieved sales in excess of 3 million copies.
To date Simon & Diamond have sold over 20 million albums worldwide. They've had:
5 UK Top 40 Hits
Number One hit single 'No More (making Love)' performed by Aretha Daye (1991),
Mercury Music Prize nomination (1994) for the album 'No Reservations' by Apache Indian,
Brit Award nomination (1994) for 'No Reservations' by Apache Indian,
Ivor Novello Award (British Academy Of Songwriters, Composers & Authors) nomination (1993) in category of Best Contempory Song for 'Arranged Marriage' performed by Apache Indian,
Composed Theme, Score & Incidental music for BAFTA nominated (C4) TV drama 'Wingnut and the Sprog' (1994),
Number One hit album in India/UAE/East Africa (1999) with 'Jambo' performed by Stereo Nation
MTV Asia Best Video (1999) 'Oh Carol' performed by Stereo Nation, Secured sponsorship deals with Coke, Pepsi, Smirnoff and Rayban.
Their music has concentrated on breaking down cultural barriers and removing stereotyping. There were no rules, no agendas, just desi, hip hopping, breakin' urban vibes. Swami has also worked with Taz and Kam Bura to purposely blur the lines between the rival Bhangra and Asian underground scenes.
Swami's debut album Desi Nu Skool Beatz was launched on an unsuspecting public in early 1999. DesiRock in 2004 (also known as So Who Am I?) took the music further with the inclusion of electronic beats, raps and even rock. Swami's third album EQUALIZE in 2007 brought the hits Hey Hey, Electro Jugni and Ching with an international urban edge of house, drum and bass, funk, RnB, South African and French flavours too! A Swami Greatest Hits album was released in 2009 with two brand new hit songs Sugarless and Tonight.
Swami's new album entitled UPGRADE is set for release in 2012.
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