Shaka Ponk
Shaka Ponk (sometimes abbreviated as SHKPNK) is a French electro rock band formed in Paris in 2004. They mix different forms of popular music into their songs in addition to world music, although predominantly with an electronic and experimental rock sound. Their lyrics are mostly in English, though they sometimes sing in French and Spanish.
Shaka Ponk | |
|---|---|
 Shaka Ponk performing in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | SHK PNK |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Edel Music |
| Members | Frah C. C Steve Mandris Ion Samaha Sam |
| Past members | Bobe-ID Thias |
| Website | shakaponk |
History
Shaka Ponk is a Paris-based band that blends rock, electronic, punk rock, funk rock, and hip hop. Their live shows combine digital animation with an energetic display from the band members.
Shaka Ponk got its start between Paris and Berlin in 2005 from a concept that brings together music, imagery, and energy. The former web designer and frontman of the group, Frah, along with guitarist CC, came up with a project that combined conventional rock-n-roll elements (dirty guitar riffs and beats) with techniques such as VJing, which mixes sounds and images around an animated monkey character named Goz who is considered as much a part of the group as the other members. Since then, the band has been active online creating videos and motion graphic work along their conceptual style, releasing videos on their online channel "Monkey TV".
The band released their debut album Loco Con Da Frenchy Talkin' in 2006 and followed up in 2009 with Bad Porn Movie Trax, under the French record label Tôt ou tard (Ben Howard, Patrick Watson). This album spawned the singles "How We Kill Stars" and "Do".
Shaka Ponk performed in New York City for the first time in October 2009 in the celebrated CMJ Musical Festival and on 7 November, AOL chose the track "How We Kill Stars" as the Music Video of the Day. The band released Bad Porn Movie Trax in the United States on 1 March 2010.
In 2011, Shaka Ponk added a female vocalist, Samaha Sam, and released their album The Geeks and the Jerkin' Socks in June 2011.
The band released two albums simultaneously in 2014, titled The White Pixel Ape (Smoking Isolate to Keep in Shape) and The Black Pixel Ape (Drinking Cigarettes to Take a Break). they issued The Evol', in 2017, and their latest, Shaka Ponk, came out in 2023.
Band members
Current
- Frah – vocals (2004–present)
- C. C – guitars (2004–present)
- Steve – keyboards (2004–present)
- Mandris – bass (2008–present)
- Ion – drums (2008–present)
- Samaha Sam – vocals (2011–present)
Other
- Goz – digitally created monkey serving as the band's mascot, sometimes credited as a band member (2004–present)
Past
- Thias – bass (2004–2008)
- Bobee O.D – drums (2004–2008)
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Charts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR [1] |
BEL (Wa) [2] |
SWI [3] | ||
| 2006 | Loco Con Da Frenchy Talkin' | — | — | — |
| 2009 | Bad Porn Movie Trax | 101 | 194 | — |
| 2011 | The Geeks and the Jerkin' Socks | 14 | 18 | 69 |
| 2014 | The White Pixel Ape (Smoking Isolate to Keep in Shape) | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| The Black Pixel Ape (Drinking Cigarettes to Take a Break) | 4 | 39 | 54 | |
| 2017 | The Evol | 6 | 31 | 25 |
| 2020 | Apelogies | 22 | 27 | — |
| 2023 | Shaka Ponk | 2 [4] |
25 | 99 |
Reissues
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Loco Con Da Frenchy Talkin' (Recycled 2009) |
| 2010 | Bad Porn Movie Trax – 3rd edition (additional titles "Stop the Bot" and "French Touch Puta Madre (Live)" |
| 2011 | Sex, Plugs & Vidiot'Ape (included DVD: 70 minutes of Monkey TV mini-reportage about the band and music videos) |
| 2012 | The Geeks and the Jerkin' Socks – Deluxe Edition (with a DVD of Monkey TV mini-reportage about the band and music videos) |
Live albums
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR [1] |
BEL (Wa) [2] |
SWI [3] | |||
| 2012 | NRJ Sessions Shaka Ponk | 144 | — | — | |
| 2013 | Geeks on Stage | 12 | 109 | — | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Charts | Certification | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR [1] |
BEL (Wa) (Ultratop) [2] |
BEL (Wa) (Ultratip*) [2] | ||||
| 2012 | "My Name Is Stain" | 7 | 11 | – | Gold (Italy) | |
| "Let's Bang" | 55 | – | 16 | |||
| "I'm Picky" | 28 | – | 29 | |||
| 2014 | "Wanna Get Free" | 45 | – | 18 | ||
| "Scarify" | 81 | – | – | |||
| "Altered Native Soul" | 98 | – | – | |||
| "Story O' My LF" | 132 | – | – | |||
| 2017 | "Wrong Side" | 136 [6] |
– | – | The Evol' | |
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling-under Ultratip charts.
References
- LesCharts.com: Shaka Ponk page
- Ultratop.be: Shaka Ponk page
- Hitparade.ch: Shaka Ponk page
- "Top Albums (Week 25, 2023)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 27, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 47, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
