Knifeworld

Knifeworld
Origin	London, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Alternative rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock
Years active	Circa 2002–present
Labels	Believers Roast
Associated acts	Cardiacs The Monsoon Bassoon Guapo North Sea Radio Orchestra Mediæval Bæbes Chrome Hoof Khyam Allami Miss Helsinki Admirals Hard Die Laughing Authority Hatchjaw and Bassett Gong
Website	www.knifeworld.co.uk
Members	Kavus Torabi Melanie Woods Emmett Elvin Chloe Herrington Charlie Cawood Josh Perl Oliver Sellwood Ben Woolacott
Past members	Craig Fortnam Khyam Allami Nicki Maher

Knifeworld is a British-based psychedelic rock band led by Kavus Torabi. Originally a Torabi solo project, it became a full band in summer 2009.

Knifeworld has connections with various English musical projects both inside and outside the rock world, having shared members with Cardiacs, Chrome Hoof, North Sea Radio Orchestra and Sidi Bou Said (London-based oud player Khyam Allami also served as the band's original drummer).

Originally born in Tehran before a move to England while still a baby, Torabi had previously played with a succession of bands. Beginning his career in Die Laughing and Squid Squad in his native Plymouth, he moved to London and came to public attention as one of the two singing guitarists in The Monsoon Bassoon. Playing what Torabi described as "lysergic funk" and various reviewers described as psychedelia and math rock, The Monsoon Bassoon scored three Singles of the Week in a row in New Musical Express in 1997 and 1998 and released a single album, I Dig Your Voodoo before splitting up in 2001. During this time Torabi had become a well-established member of the group of musicians focused around Cardiacs, whom he joined as guitarist in 2003, playing with them until the group’s enforced halt in 2008.

Torabi had formulated the ideas for Knifeworld as a solo project at around the time of the breakup of the Monsoon Bassoon, but took eight years to assemble, finalise and record the songs. For the band’s first recordings, he played the bulk of the instruments himself (guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, santoor, melodica, violins and "devices") as well as singing the majority of the lead vocals and writing, producing and arranging all of the material. Former Sidi Bou Said drummer Melanie Woods sang the rest of the lead vocals and also sang backing vocals. The recording sessions featured further contributions from a broad swathe of musical collaborators drawn from Torabi’s contacts on the London art-rock scene. Drums were played by Khyam Allami (ex-Ursa and Art of Burning Water). James Larcombe (Stars in Battledress/North Sea Radio Orchestra) played piano and Ben Jacobs (aka Max Tundra) played keyboards and trumpet. Katherine Blake (Mediæval Bæbes) played recorder and Crawford Blair (Geiger Counter/Foe/The Slow Life) contributed some bass guitar parts. Torabi's former Monsoon Bassoon bandmate Sarah Measures contributed saxophone, clarinet and flute, and further vocals were provided by Shona Davidson and former Ring singer Johnny Karma.

...
Wikipedia