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JJI Exile Brothers: Biography and Information
From the first bars of the thunder strewn ‘Stand-Up' complete with spaghetti-western style whistling, you could imagine these 3 Tibetan guys walking down the steps of Potala Palace for a showdown with Chinese leader Hu Jintao. To do so, the Brothers would have to cross the Himalayas to get back home and break into Tibet; officially they are refugees in India and they have no passports. It's also highly unlikely that a band like the JJI Brothers would ever get near Lhasa under Chinese rule; in Tibet they would be political dynamite.
The JJI Exile Brothers wear their own bleeding hearts on their sleeves and in their music they tell the story of Tibet and the tales of Tibetans, stories of a people and culture devastated by the 58 years of Chinese oppression. Tibetans weep openly at the concerts of the JJI Exile Brothers; the Brothers' songs are a rallying cry to Tibetans to fight to get their country back.
In 1950 when the newly-established communist China invaded Tibet, Tibetans tried to live peacefully with the Chinese. In 1959 Tibetans sick and tired of the occupation and mass murder, torture and oppression, staged a National uprising but the Tibetans were no match for the Chinese army.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled to exile in neighbouring India. Tibetan Buddhism was banned then allowed under strict control; under modern policies like ‘strike-hard' Tibetan monks and dissenters have continued to be arrested and tortured by the Chinese. The UN have muttered and huffed and puffed, but nobody has stopped the Chinese occupation of Tibet and its oppression of Tibetans and their fundamental human rights.
Under Chinese rule, Tibetans live as second class citizens in their own country which has been swamped with millions of Chinese migrants; Tibetan culture and language is dying; their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is banned; the second most important spiritual Tibetan figure, the Tibetan-identified Panchen Lama is missing.
PRESS RELEASE: 11th June, 2007,
Chevstar Records.10 Simonside Crescent, Hadston, Morpeth, Northumberland. NE65 9YB. UK.
Contact: Carl Stiansen. Telephone: 01670 760856.
From outside the UK: +44 1670 760856
JJI Exile Brothers first album out now at www.chevstar.com
Continued: JJI Exile Brothers: Biography and Information.
Like a quarter of the country's 100,000 stateless Tibetans, the brothers-bassist/frontman Jamyang, 28, guitarist Jigme, 26, and drummer Ingsel, 25-were born in India and retain their parents' refugee status. Their music, a mix of Doorsy grooves and Rage Against the Machine-like lyrics, reflects the listlessness and un-Buddhist anger of this lost generation-raised among drugs and AIDS in Dharmsala. "Monks are with the gun/Eagle in the black cloud/Rats are on the run," Jamyang screams in "Thunder in the Temple."
"Our band is a revolution," says Jigme. "Before, Tibetan songs were too poetic. No one understood them. But everyone understands our music."
Last year, JJI launched an India-wide tour to promote their self-titled debut, selling out shows and headlining the Dalai Lama's 70th birthday celebration. In May and later this year they'll hit the road in India again to promote both the cause and the album. Though their stateless status-no passports-pretty much ensures you won't see them at Glastonbury, downloads of their music are available online. For more details check out http://www.chevstar.com/
From http://www.phayul.com/, writer: Tenzin Dickyi: ‘The Tibetan rock band JJI Exile Brothers wowed the crowd with their Tibetan fusion rock songs. Their songs are revolutionary in nature and provoke Tibetan nationalism, loyalty and unity. They are probably the one and only Tibetan band in the Tibetan Diaspora at par with international musicians so far. Speaking after their gig, guitarist Tenzin Jigme said: ‘It is our fate that we are born as refugee but one must strive to break through this label and dream for a free Tibet. Unlike other refugess who are placed in a refugee camp, we Tibetans are so fortunate to live freely and it is all because of His Holiness the Dalai Lama'.
01-10-2010 First ever Buddhist rock song 'If' now on video at YouTube
The Tibetan group 'JJI Brothers' are now the musical stars of a 7-minute special video feature made in Dharamsala, India. The band have, like the Dalai Lama been forced to set up 'home' in Dharamsala, India and the film shows the places and faces of the town that is home to thousands of Tibetan refugees.
The 3 brothers: Jigme, Jamyang and Ingsel are banned from their homeland Tibet - a country under Chinese rule. The new video features the band's song 'If'.
The track 'If' is the first Tibetan buddhist rock song to achieve worldwide release through Beleieve Digital and Chevstar Records. The incredible atmospheric video features remarkable footage shot by the USA-based film maker Carl Cimini and his prodcution company Wobblimind.
The Buddhist rock song 'If' is now available on Chevstar Records, Believe Digital and in download stores including iTunes.
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From the first bars of the thunder strewn ‘Stand-Up' complete with spaghetti-western style whistling, you could imagine these 3 Tibetan guys walking down the steps of Potala Palace for a showdown with Chinese leader Hu Jintao. To do so, the Brothers would have to cross the Himalayas to get back home and break into Tibet; officially they are refugees in India and they have no passport ...
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