‘We also inspire each other’
26 July 2012 12:39 AM GMT
Delhi band Half Step Down has arrived on the national stage with several of their performances and television shows. So when they perform in the city, there is obviously some amount of enthusiasm generated. The versatile band performed at Hard Rock Cafe recently. Millennium Post caught up with Dhaval Mudgal — the vocalist, lyricist and frontman of the band. Excerpts:
WHY ARE YOU CALLED HALF STEP DOWN?
We were going through a bunch of names, when we came across this name, Half Step Down. We found it to be very appealing and it is also quite appropriate as most of our tunes are half step down.
WHO ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS?
We derive a lot of inspiration from Led Zeppelin, RHCP, Dave Matthews, Rachmaninoff, Marley and Django Reinhardt. Also, sometimes it so happens that the band members come up with new ideas and tunes which we work on and incorporate in our songs. So, not only are we inspired by legends, we also inspire each other at times.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE GREAT INDIAN ROCK SHOW AND V LAUNCH PAD?
Well it has been seven years since we were in The Great Indian Rock Show and V Launch Pad, but we will never forget their contribution to our success. The Great Indian Rock show was a big platform for us. It taught us a lot and helped us get recognition. By the time when we were in V Launch Pad, we were much more confident and complacent. We had faith in ourselves and each other, and we were pretty clear on what we were doing. It gave us a big boost and helped lot in our later endeavours.
HOW DID ALL OF YOU GET TOGETHER?
I knew Srijan Mahajan [drummer] for quite some time and then we got to know Shiv Lumba, KD aka Karan Dutta [guitarist] and Carl Abraham [bass] through some common friends when we were looking for people in different colleges who were talented, hardworking and willing to be a part of the band.
YOUR BAND DOESN’T STICK TO A SPECIFIC GENRE. ANY REASON FOR THIS?
We don’t like to limit ourselves to a specific genre. We think that limiting music or adhering to a particular genre can curtail the scope for birth of new forms of music and songs. If our drummer comes up with some ‘metallic’ tunes, we do our best to incorporate it in our song which may not be of metallic origin. So that’s the main reason for not sticking to a specific genre.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT PERFORMING?
Well, we are all a lazy bunch of people. When not busy with music and songs, we basically lie down and talk to each other.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH TENSIONS IN THE BAND?
Well, like in every profession, there is tension at work and it is same in our profession. But one needs to get over all the tensions and look on the brighter side of things. In times of trouble, we all try to work out our problems by discussing it among ourselves. A good performance helps us forget the tensions and get along.
YOUR FAVOURITE COMPOSITION?
It has to be Knock at the Head and Stories of Sun. In Bollywood, it’s Bombay.
WHY ARE YOU CALLED HALF STEP DOWN?
We were going through a bunch of names, when we came across this name, Half Step Down. We found it to be very appealing and it is also quite appropriate as most of our tunes are half step down.
WHO ARE YOUR INSPIRATIONS?
We derive a lot of inspiration from Led Zeppelin, RHCP, Dave Matthews, Rachmaninoff, Marley and Django Reinhardt. Also, sometimes it so happens that the band members come up with new ideas and tunes which we work on and incorporate in our songs. So, not only are we inspired by legends, we also inspire each other at times.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE GREAT INDIAN ROCK SHOW AND V LAUNCH PAD?
Well it has been seven years since we were in The Great Indian Rock Show and V Launch Pad, but we will never forget their contribution to our success. The Great Indian Rock show was a big platform for us. It taught us a lot and helped us get recognition. By the time when we were in V Launch Pad, we were much more confident and complacent. We had faith in ourselves and each other, and we were pretty clear on what we were doing. It gave us a big boost and helped lot in our later endeavours.
HOW DID ALL OF YOU GET TOGETHER?
I knew Srijan Mahajan [drummer] for quite some time and then we got to know Shiv Lumba, KD aka Karan Dutta [guitarist] and Carl Abraham [bass] through some common friends when we were looking for people in different colleges who were talented, hardworking and willing to be a part of the band.
YOUR BAND DOESN’T STICK TO A SPECIFIC GENRE. ANY REASON FOR THIS?
We don’t like to limit ourselves to a specific genre. We think that limiting music or adhering to a particular genre can curtail the scope for birth of new forms of music and songs. If our drummer comes up with some ‘metallic’ tunes, we do our best to incorporate it in our song which may not be of metallic origin. So that’s the main reason for not sticking to a specific genre.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT PERFORMING?
Well, we are all a lazy bunch of people. When not busy with music and songs, we basically lie down and talk to each other.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH TENSIONS IN THE BAND?
Well, like in every profession, there is tension at work and it is same in our profession. But one needs to get over all the tensions and look on the brighter side of things. In times of trouble, we all try to work out our problems by discussing it among ourselves. A good performance helps us forget the tensions and get along.
YOUR FAVOURITE COMPOSITION?
It has to be Knock at the Head and Stories of Sun. In Bollywood, it’s Bombay.
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