I remember first hearing Skunk Anansie's Weak in 1996 and being completely shaken. As a 10-year-old plaasmeisie, I was terrified by the haunting ferociousness of the iconic shaven-headed lead vocalist Skin.
In our own twisted political and racial dilemma in South Africa at the time, to me she was black, a lesbian fronting a rock band, and damn angry. And I loved her for it.
But since the release of their third record Post Orgasmic Chill in 1999 and then subsequent break-up of the band in 2001, there has been little news about Skunk Anansie.
After an eight year hiatus, the band who mockingly first termed their music "clit-rock", have reformed, and this time, they promise, for good.
I manage to speak to Skin about it while the band are currently touring Europe.
A husky voice peppered with an elegant British accent answers the call from a hotel in Munich, and to my horror, I have called an hour early by accident. Despite being caught off guard, she is completely accommodating and remarkably easy to talk to.
"I'm just checking out footage from our gig last night just to see what the live shows actually look like" she tells me and asks me to hold on while she texts her other half.
"It's been amazing actually. The shows have all been completely sold out and audiences are going really crazy. It's a phenomenal reception and I think people are really excited that we're back. It's been really heartwarming"
The bands reformation came while they were putting together a greatest hits album in Kenya after being bugged to do it for ages, called Smashes And Trashes. They state that the initial break-up had been due to everyone feeling burnt out, but now they intend to take things very slowly.
Promo for Smashes And Trashes
"http://www.youtube.com/v/lCyaZCQJ5lI&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"
"It wasn't a big conscious decision. I think while we started doing the Greatest Hits, we fell back into being a band together. It was so easy and so natural. We all had the same feeling about it and we were doing a bunch of new songs. And we're just enjoying being in a band again."
The album features three new singles Tear The Place Up, Because of You and Squander, already being met with an enthusiastic response from their fanbase, even on local radio stations here. There are already several remixes of Because Of You especially by some of the lead UK dubstep producers, like Skream and Rusko.
Because Of You
"http://www.youtube.com/v/ewDa5MtJKks&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"
Skin seems absurdly clued-up her on her dubstep knowledge, although that makes sense once she tells me she is also an electronica and house DJ. "It's very natural for us. We love dubstep. I mean to be in a rock band, we really enjoy being involved in other kinds of music - to put you in a different world. It feels like I can breathe life into this band because of all the other stuff I do."
The band toured South Africa three times before and Skin says, "I'd love to come back to South Africa and we're working on it. I remember playing in Johannesburg and it being one of the best gigs we had. It was just such a brilliant feeling and a energetic audience and people were so ready for it."
For now, Skunk Anansie are touring until December, then taking a short holiday before starting to work on their new album in January, followed by more tours and "lots of festivals".
Before she leaves, Skin tells me to look-up her favourite new band, Band Of Skulls, who are "kinda Led Zeppelinny, they're amazing", she continues, "except you'll be shocked because it's a girl singing and playing bass but it sounds like a boy". Go figure.