Formed in 1969 and based in Maida Vale, West London, the Ebony Steel Band celebrate their 50th anniversary this summer. In 2019 they took up producer Ian Shirley’s challenge to interpret classic Kraftwerk tracks on steel drums. Seminal electronic songs like The Model, Spacelab, Neon Lights, Tour De France, The Robots, Computer Love and Computer World were arranged for Ebony’s 11-piece line-up taking a metal on metal instrumental approach to Kraftwerk’s visionary music. Shirley also got the Ebony Steel Band to take on older material like Europe Endless, Kometenmelodie 2 as well as serving up an amazing interpretation of Tanzmusik as Tanzmusik (Jump Up). When released in September 2019 Pan Machine received rave reviews from all points of the compass from Electronic Sound to The Financial Times. Conceived by producer Ian Shirley, the Ebony Steel Band took on classic Kraftwerk tracks like The Model, Neon Lights, Europe Endless, Computer Love, Tour De France as well as neglected gems like Kometenmelodie 2 and Tanzmusic. The LP was one of Rough Trade’s best LPs of 2019. The original vinyl LP has been out of print for over a year and with demand still there it seemed fitting to repress and reissue this modern classic – on clear vinyl. The Ebony Steel band have an international reputation. They have won the prestigious Notting Hill Carnival Panorama competition 22 times, play live gigs alone or with artists like Billy Ocean. Most of the band are in their 20s and their spiritual home is the Yaa Centre in Maida Vale where they have their permanent rehearsal space. It was here that they learned Kraftwerk songs arranged by Dephina “Panness” James and honed them in rehearsal before recording commenced.