Skunk Anansie
Photo: Anton Corbijn

Members of the English electro-metal group Skunk Anansie are parting ways to pursue solo careers, the band said in a statement issued through a spokesperson.

Skin (born Deborah Anne Dyer), the group's eccentric frontwoman, is working on a solo album due early next year. Guitarist Ace (born Martin Ivor Kent) is also recording, bassist Cass (born Richard Keith Lewis) is focusing on photography and drummer Mark Richardson is acting and playing music.

"This has been a mutual decision and the band remain the best of friends," the statement said. "The band decided that they had taken Skunk Anansie as far as they could." Skunk Anansie formed in 1994 and has released three albums: 1995's Paranoid & Sunburnt, 1996's Stoosh, and 1999's Post Orgasmic Chill. Although the group never broke big in America, they sold four million albums worldwide and scored several hit singles in the United Kingdom.

• Skunk Anansie

While making the rounds in Europe earlier this month, the men of Sevendust hooked up with Skunk Anansie singer Skin and the British brother directing team of Ben and Joe Dempsey to shoot a video for "Licking Cream."

• 12/5 - Rochester, NY @ Water St Music Hall (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Metropol (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/7 - Scranton, PA @ Voodoo Lounge (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/8 - Cincinati, OH @ Annie's (w/ Static-X & Dope)
• 12/12 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/13 - Boston, MA @ Avalon Ballroom (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/17 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere's (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/18 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo's (w/Static-X & Dope)
• 12/28 - Miami, FL @ Orange Bowl (w/Metallica, Kid Rock & Creed)
• 12/29 - Tampa, FL @ Tropicana Field (w/Metallica, Kid Rock & Creed)
• 12/31 - Detroit, MI @ Pontiac Silverdome (w/Metallica, Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, and Methods Of Mayhem)
• 1/1 - Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)
• 1/3 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)
• 1/4 - Chicago, IL @ All State Arena (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)
• 1/5 - Chicago, IL @ All State Arena (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)
• 1/7 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)
• 1/9 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center (w/Metallica & Kid Rock)

-- Robert Mancini

• Sevendust
• Skunk Anansie

After meeting the people with stints on this summer's Vans Warped Tour and a slot at Woodstock '99, Sevendust is preparing to launch its own headlining tour next month.

• 8/11 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• 8/12 - Reno, NV @ Rodeo Rock
• 8/13 - San Francisco, CA @ Maritime Hall
• 8/14 - Sacramento, CA @ Hornet Field
• 8/16 - Hollywood, CA @ Palace
• 8/17 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
• 8/19 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
• 8/20 - Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
• 8/21 - Maryland Hgts., MO @ Riverport Amphitheatre
• 8/22 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
• 8/27 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Casino Ballroom
• 9/3 - Rockford, IL @ On The Waterfront
• 9/11 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater

• Powerman 5000
• Sevendust
• Skunk Anansie
• Staind

Rammstein and Soulfly have finally lined up a U.S. tour itinerary that will see them play at least a few dates with the U.K.'s Skunk Anansie.

The flame-broiled German industrial metal outfit and the Brazilian rockers will launch their tour on June 1 in Washington, DC. Skunk Anansie will be on board for the first nine dates of the trek.

As we first reported last week (see "Skunk Anansie Hooks Up With Rammstein, Soulfly, Sevendust On Upcoming Projects"), Soulfly and Rammstein are touring behind albums released last year. But Skunk Anansie is making the rounds to drum up support for its upcoming album "Post Orgasmic Chill," which is due on August 24.

After the British outfit drops off on June 11, Mindless Self Indulgence will step in to open the remainder of the tour.

Here's how the Rammstein/Soulfly tour shapes up:

w/Skunk Anansie
• 6/1 - Washington, DC @ Nation Ballroom
• 6/2 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
• 6/4 - New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
• 6/5 - Worcester, MA @ Worcester Palladium
• 6/6 - Montreal, Canada @ Metropolis
• 6/7 - Toronto, Canada @ Docks Concert Hall
• 6/8 - Detroit, MI @ State Theatre
• 6/10 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
• 6/11 - Villa Park, IL @ Odeum

w/Mindless Self Indulgence
• 6/12 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
• 6/14 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
• 6/15 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Wasatch Events Center
• 6/17 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
• 6/18 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
• 6/20 - San Francisco, CA @ Maritime Hall
• 6/21 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
• 6/22 - Tempe, AZ @ Club Rio
• 6/23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall

• Rammstein
• Skunk Anansie
• Soulfly

Skunk Anansie will be reaching out to new fans here in the States with a tour that teams the band with Rammstein and Soulfly, and a guest appearance on Sevendust's new album.

• Rammstein
• Sevendust
• Skunk Anansie
• Soulfly

Veteran British singer Rod Stewart's new album will find him covering some unlikely ground as he turns in versions of tracks by Oasis, Primal Scream, and Skunk Anansie.

The album, "When We Were The New Boys," will arrive in the States on June 2 and will see Stewart tackle Oasis's "Cigarettes And Alcohol" [600k QuickTime], Primal Scream's "Rocks," and Skunk Anansie's "Weak."

Stewart's spokespeople explain the seemingly inexplicable move saying that its a conscious move away from overblown productions and back to rock and roll. They go on to note that Rod's a fan of recent British rock acts like Oasis, and that he thought that "Cigarettes And Alcohol" sounded a lot like his old band, the Faces.

Rod also returns to Faces territory with the album's first single, a post-Riverdance version of that group's "Ooh La La."

• Oasis
• Primal Scream
• Skunk Anansie

August 20 [10:00 EDT] -- Skunk Anansie singer Skin could easily be imagined to be the punk bastard child of Grace Jones and Bowie's Ziggy Stardust -- visually and musically.

She's beautiful, black, bi, bald and British. Not easily categorized, the band, which includes co-contributors CASS on bass, ACE on guitar and Mark on drums, creates music that fuses elements of rock, pop, funk and metal. They site influences including Sly Stone, the Sex Pistols, Public Enemy, Black Sabbath and PJ Harvey.

Their live shows have been described as ferocious, dynamic, mad, angry and confrontational, laden with personal politics. "Skin's amazing vocal pyrotechnics add soul and style to the incendiary musical backdrop," writes one reviewer.

The band's moniker is derived from 'Skunk,' the black and white defensive mammal, and 'Anansie,' a cunning and rather nasty spider prominently featured in Jamaican folk stories.

Skunk Anansie were formed in February 1994 and signed to the One Little Indian label in July right after a company rep saw them play at what was only their second gig. The band has released two full-length CD's since: "Paranoid & Sunburnt" in 1995 (winning them Kerrang magazine's best British band award) and their latest, "Stoosh," released late in 1996. Their songs include "Little Baby Swastikkka," "Selling Jesus," "I Can Dream," "Weak," "Charity," "Yes, It's F%*king Political," "Infidelity," "Hedonism," "Twisted," "Brazen," "Pickin' on Me," and "We Love Your Apathy."

The best description of Skunk Anansie we've heard so far? Pepe Le Pew in a blender.

The band begins a month-long North American tour September 9 in Vancouver, Canada.

• Skunk Anansie