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.