28 artists and bands perform at 23 gigs over a span of 10 days starting on 2 May, all culminating into the India’s premier music awards night on 11 May- we are talking about Vh1 Sound Nation!
With artistes like Dualist Inquiry, Nucleya, Arjun Vagale, Midival Punditz, Parikrama - this is clearly one of the coolest music festivals around.
We spoke to few of the artistes this week and shall be speaking to a few more in the week to come. Here's what Parikrama had to say...
Tell us about you guys. How did you guys start off?
A summer afternoon in Delhi, 17 June, 1991 brought Parikrama together. All band members met and that’s how Parikrama was born.
Every year around 17 June, we do a tour and this year we are planning a 15 city tour called Parikrama @ 23.
What was the first big break for you?
Our first performance was at Father Agnel School in Delhi on 15th September 1991.The crowd response was huge and awesome. We were very well accepted. So yeah, I would say that was our first big break.
How would you define your musical philosophy? Tell us a bit about your music, what do you think defines you?
Our band started for the love of classic rock and we share that common interest amongst us.
That’s what connect us as a band. The period when Iron Maiden picked us for a tour in 2008, then onwards we started playing more of heavy rock. But we do we have the presence of Indian classical, with tablas and all. So basically its Indian classical and heavy rock that defines us.
How easy (or difficult) is it to make a mark in the music scene? What do you think about the main issues are?
See, there are two ways in which you make a mark. One is, hard work, perseverance and over the years you get your due recognition.
The other is instant fame, overnight success, which is also good in a way but proves bad when it gets to the head. Many of these youngsters get overnight fame with money, fame and power and their brains go for a fix! The trick is don’t let success get to your head and let it go the way it is. There is no comparison to hard work.
What/Who inspires you?
Well, I personally have lots of inspirations. Being a classic rock lover, we love Led Zepplin, The Doors.
Tell us about your best tracks
So many of them are special to us. The most special I guess would be our first track Till I Am No One Again and Xerox.
What songs top your playlist right now?
The tracks from the latest film ‘Manjunath’. In fact, yesterday we had the music launch in Mumbai and in Delhi on 5 May.
What suggestions/advice would you have for newbies in music?
Work hard. Stay off drugs! Don’t let success get to your head!
How has Delhi been for you?
Oh brilliant! It's been home for us! This is where Parikrama was born!