For the longest time, King Khan was known as Blacksnake. Sometimes, he still is. His parents are Indian, he's originally from Montreal, and he was once drummer in a garage rock band called the Spaceships (if you replace the second p with a t) whose other members were named Oily Chi, Stinky B., Skid Marks, and Needles (the band's leader, now going by the name BBQ) and whose on-stage and off-stage behavior and antics were so atrocious that not only would they make Motley Crue look like choir boys, but also they were actually blacklisted from playing any clubs in Montreal. Soon, the band toured Europe (mainly because no one else would have them), and Blacksnake/King Khan liked Germany so much, that he decided to stay there. He's now married and has two children...and his music--and performances (a cheerleader travels and performs wit the band) are as off-the-wall (and quite often offensive) as ever. His current band features Mr. Speedfinger on guitar, Boom Boom Jennes on bass, Ben Ra on sax, Mr. Tom Bone on--you guessed it--trombone, Sam Cook on trumpet, and the great soul drummer Ron Streeter on, uh, drums, and they've been concocting some fantastic (though a bit retro) rock and roll for the past five years, varying from garage/punk to psychedelica to soul to funk to Indian raga to beach pop like the gem "Welfare Bread."
Compressed and muted horns and organs, falsetto background vocals, compassionate (or maybe socialist) lyrics, with a possibe double entendre in the chorus: the song is controlled and less manic than you'd think if you'd read about some of Blacksnake/King Khan's wild stage shows and backstage antics. It's retro, but it's not chic. It's sloppy but cohesive. It's a hippy love-in with soul. Some critic, after praising the album, asked ultimately what was the purpose, since the music is so nostalgiac. The purpose is the song/record itself. Leave your politics and agendas at the door, slip off your shoes, and take a bite off King Khan's welfare bread and drink from his loving cup (but make sure he hasn't urinated in it first).
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