Indiecision: Music Blog: Independent Music in India and Elsewhere

INTERVIEW: THE SUPERSONICS

The independent music scene in Kolkata has very few ‘big’ names to its surprisingly large roster. Skinny Alley, of course, is the most prominent of these; the remaining only familiar to those part of the Eastern locale. The bands that break the geographical barrier are those that have a unique sound and the drive to make their music known. Which is why it is hard to imagine a fresh sound like that of The Supersonics being such a well kept secret, especially given the demeanor of the band.

I phone Ananda Sen (vocals, guitar) a day after his band has played a short, two-gig tour of Mumbai. Hard Rock Cafe and the Blue Frog were treated to sets of The Supersonics’ brand of garage-y, pop punk originals, and everyone present at the venues would probably agree that there is a need for such music to hit the city more often.

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WATCH: ‘PAINSTAKING OBSESSION’ - LUCID RECESS

Lucid Recess are a three-piece alternative act from Guwahati, Assam. They released their first EP Carved late last year. They will also be supporting Norwegian doom metal band Sahg on the Shillong leg (Nov 5) of Great Indian Rock 2008.

‘Painstaking Obsession’ is a track off the Carved EP. It’s pretty much generic, mid-late-’90s alternative that’s not very imaginative but would sound average in open air like at I-Rock. The video for said song is a four and a half minute shindig in black and white. According to the band

The Story (Abstract): Our song is about addictions and trying to come out clean. In the video, John is a crack/drug addict who is forced to confront his demons and decide to live life as an addict or to free himself off his addiction.

The video was shot by the ‘Theatre studies Group, The University Of Surrey, UK’, and it does look like a college project, but at least it has a concept and is not some rehash of an exhausted idea.

Take the jump for the video.

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UNIVERSAL MUSIC: RENDER ROCK IN HINDI OR VERNACULAR

Listen up Indian rock bands. If you want to sell CDs faster than the new Arctic Monkeys single called ‘Real Stories From Phnom Pehn’ and want women to throw their clothes at you like they were going out of fashion (lolcats), then you need to be singing in Hindi. At least that’s what Rajeeta Hemwani, VP A&R (not ANR as TOI would have you believe) and Content, Universal Music thinks.

In a Times of India feature about ‘cult Indian rock bands’ Hemwani was quoted saying

Indian rock bands singing in English draw poor sales. Either render rock in Hindi or in a vernacular lingo.

First of all, ‘rendering’ rock sounds like it’s part of a geological software ‘Save As’ process.

Rock bands in India do find it hard surviving on just their acts. Very few Indian independent artists are full time musicisians. But is singing in Hindi, or a ‘vernacular lingo’, really the answer? Vishal Dadlani, the TOI go-to guy for feature quotes, says (in the same story)

Today, parents are much more supportive of their children pursuing rock. With a large number of college rock festa and corporate shows - it’s no longer a poor man’s dream. I may be a Bollywood composer, but even today I wake up as Vishal from Pentagram.

Pentagram play Rock On For Humanity this evening.

In case you were wondering, pictured above are Lakkhichhara, a Bengali rock band.

STUPID DITTIES 2 FEATURED ARTISTS

se·quel [see-kwuhl]
–noun
1. a literary work, movie, etc., that is complete in itself but continues the narrative of a preceding work.
2. an event or circumstance following something; subsequent course of affairs.
3. a result, consequence, or inference.

The lineup

Split (Mumbai)
Fire Exit (Delhi)
Five Little Indians (Kolkata)
Lounge Piranha (Bangalore)
Rainbow Bridge (Chennai)
Anus The Menace (Chandigarh)
21st Rebel Street (Chandigarh)
Human Abstract (Mumbai)
Half Step Down (Delhi)
Aftertaste (Mumbai)
Tripwire (Mumbai)
Menwhopause (Delhi)
The Supersonics (Kolkata)

Stupid Ditties 2 is unleashed 12.16pm, Nov 14.