WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The first Velvet Underground album sold not more than ten thousand copies but each of those ten thousand listeners – formed a band. This quote is attributed to Brian Eno – and is the fairest argument for unappreciated legacy.
What if Kafka’s friend was loyal and burnt his manuscripts? Greatness is an unfair parameter and in the grand mist of time most is usually forgotten.
What happened to those that were? Where are they now?
Sky Rabbit
Sky Rabbit is one of those bands whose songs stun your senses into attentive listenership. They made two great albums – lyrically and sonically astonishing and in an age-old twist – disbanded. By the time I found my favorite band – it was already too late.
Songs such as I Become I and Maybe is Open Tonight – fuse melancholic poetry with atmospheric punk to create a sound that is unforgettable. Sky Rabbit must reunite considering an interesting cultish growth after their disbandment.
The Vinyl Records
Punk meets Feminists – The Vinyl Records were an indie / post punk all girl band from New Delhi. They are as stylish as they are original – Blink 182 meets Bikini Kill meets Courtney Love.
The music video for Ready Set Go has their band crashing a boring party to play music and it’s just so cool. The music has an extremely relevant vibe – subject matter and coolness – both are kept in check.
RUN! It’s the Kid
Shantanu Pandit and members of Peter Cat – I remember in 4th grade – a friend of mine made me hear – Love We’re Made from Porcelain – That was the first time little me who loved to listen to international music realized that in our country too – we could have international standard art.
Their album was recorded and mixed by Miti Adhikari and is an insanely beautiful record that keeps getting better and better. To see them perform live would rid me of all the blues. It could be an interesting moment.
The Supersonics
Another act that was astonishingly perfect. Maby Baking is the lovechild of The Strokes and authenticity. Deep lyricism, beautiful guitarwork and strange melodies.
Why hasn’t this song gone international???
Reads a YouTube comment from thirteen years ago under one of their songs.
They are another one of those popular acts whose regrouping could really pump the scene – Ananda Sen has just released his solo project but God what wouldn’t the scene give for their regrouping.
Menwhopause
They have disappeared from the scene after evolving it. Amongst their plenty of admirers is also Prateek Kuhad. Their music is poetic and tender.
Easy is a breezy record that is impossible to replicate. Their live performance at Tihar Jail was a Johnny Cash at San Quentin moment.
Where are they? What are they up to? Nobody really knows. The pause has been too long for Menwhopause…
Them Clones
Zephyretta is a classic that a lot of us from 00s have heard at least once. This is the music that was shared via Bluetooth back in those days…
The band had a post rock sensibility but became inactive in 2017 and the last they reunited was for a One Night Only at The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre.
Scribe
A technically gifted post hardcore band that once used to dominate the scene – mixing genres of punk and metal to create an interesting sound that took after the likes of Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and System Of A Down.
Zero
Played their last concert years ago at Mahindra Independence Rock yet they have made several comebacks over the years but never made another record.
It may not be too late still.
Tough On Tobacco
Members of Zero formed another band that is just as memorable as their title. The alternative meets the lyrical. Big Big Joke and The Happy Goat are both great records that have stood the test of time.
Love, Love, Love and Do What You Gotta Do are indie classics.
Moonshine
Cut an album which was mixed and mastered by Miti Adhikari who clearly had a penchant for finding the best of the scene.
Their EP comprises of three songs – all perfectly astonishing. Come Out is an intensely emotional song.
Exactly why the band broke is still a mystery. Bijoy Sarkar who was the bassist for Moonshine says – ‘We were young, wild and reckless.’
Soulmate
Rudy’s guitar notes over Tipiriti’s vocals are some of the bluest blues in music history. I had asked a rockstar friend of mine if there were any legends still left in the scene just before he led me to discover Soulmate.
Voodoo Woman and I Am are Billie Holiday meets Jimi Hendrix reincarnations in North East of India. Soulmate is so blue they will make you cry while you dance.
Rudy and Tipiriti didn’t disband – they broke up – literally!
I used to have a ritual of playing Set Me Free every time after a long day inside a prison of a job that I used to work at. The first few seconds of that song saved me from madness and much more…
Atomic Forest
Obsession 77 is India’s best and only psychedelic rock album ever. The band once shared stage with Led Zeppelin.
Atomic Forest was a band led by the orphaned son of wealthy parents whose grandmother ran a brothel – illicit substances met rock & roll and most of the members died in obscurity…
Jeet Thayil – author of Narcopolis and The Elsewhereans was a guitarist for the band. Maybe without Atomic Forest’s disbandment – a novelist would not have been born.
