Aretha Franklin in Punk, Sometimes with Nick Cave

Shilpa Ray is an Indian American singer-songwriter. She got Indian classical music education, and learnt to play harmonium and piano. In her childhood it had been forbidden her to listen to pop music. Her first pop experience was Oliver Stone’s film The Doors. Then she has taken to music of Velvet Underground, Cramps, Stooges and Joy Division. After her bands „Beat The Devil” and „Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers” were split, she toured with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as a backup singer and supporting act. Then she recorded a version of Pirate Jenny featuring Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for compilation album „Son of Rogue Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys.” (It was co-produced by Butthole Surfers’ Gibby Haynes’ bandmate in the band „P”, Johnny Depp.) Her latest EP It’s All Self Fellatio was released by Nick Cave’s own label in 2013.

Shilpa Ray in Palisades, Brooklyn

It’s back home that Shilpa Ray closed her 6 weeks US tour. And the gig was as stunning as the character herself. She plays harmonium (a kind of beautiful piano/accordeon instrument) that fits perfectly with her style. Wavy hair and open mouth, her cat voice hiss and miaows through the sound system sitting in front of me and I let my body speak with the alive machine.

Shilpa, I’d like to say that you’re a sort of hero. You possessed your public by spreading your healthy, angry, frustrated feeling of shame. Your natural talent is an inspiration to all the unloved ones. So what else do we need? You transform your own emotions into a real touchable and touching music. The tribality of it all, sustained by heavy beats proves that you can deal with being rough and powerful. The female fans say it surely, you inspire and transpire feminity.

John, the professional pedal steel guitar/keyboard player melts with her. He says, when playing he tries to inverse the melody making his music complementary to other’s, and that’s the magic trick of being a professional artist. This 6 weeks tour has been tough for the band, but finishing it at home just makes it seem all so smooth. Indeed, John lost himself on stage and that’s how he knows it’s been a good night!

Oooo crap, Shilpa has to fly away and there are so many things I will never know about the artist, though, after having heard what I heard I ‘ll always remember her melodic inside.

People! Do yourself a pleasurable favor and listen to It’s all self fellatio, you’ll see, it’s all so goooood.

Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers