It’s another showcasing of all things
‘essentially Goan’ at the forthcoming annual Goa Food and Cultural Festival
hosted by the GTDC. But this year around, they intend to ‘rock’ the fest,
literally, by inviting two of India’s most loved and longest standing rock
bands – Indus Creed and Parikrama, to raise the entertainment and energy
quotient.
“Rock music is unwilling to die,” is Uday
Benegal’s reverent belief. As founder, frontrunner and creative force of
India’s iconic rock band Indus Creed and one of India’s most influential
musicians, he believes that continual evolution has enabled Indus Creed stay
the course since it started in 1984. “Ours is a melodic band that plays various
categories of music from heavy rock to alternate rock, progressive, pop and so
on. Our music cannot be categorised, but we are constantly evolving as
musicians, with our melodies and high energy. Making music for us is fun and if
this fun translates to the audience, then we have achieved our purpose,” avers
this producer, musician and writer, who is credited with setting the stage for
India’s indie rock scene. Releasing four highly successful albums, their latest
album ‘Evolve’ is making the same impact as their recently released
heavy-hitting single ‘Thief’. Goan audiences will be treated to a performance
of both as Indus Creed headlines the opening day of the festival. But as Uday
promises, their act will included many old hits like the enduring ‘Pretty
Child’.
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Blazing a trail as one of India’s
front-running rock bands since they began in June 1991, Parikrama has kept good
its initial promise. “Being an English singing rock band in India, we have
stuck around for 24 years, still playing rock and roll for the sheer love of
it. None of us earn a living from it. Our aim is to produce good music,” avers
founder Subir Malik (keyboardist), underlining his band’s USP. True to its
name, ‘Parikrama’ (orbital revolutions), their music has been on an upward
spiral as they continue to evolve and experiment with hardcore rock and roll
music fused with Indian instruments like the tabla and violin, albeit in a
different way. With over 50 original songs to their credit, they believe in the
power of live performances rather than recording songs. Currently working on
their single, ‘Life is Certain’, their act in Goa on the penultimate day of the
festival will include some Rolling Stone’s covers as well as their recent
originals such as ‘How do we decide it’ and old hits including the 1996 ‘But it
Rained’ and ‘Gonna Get it’.
To these masters of rock who love Goa as
their own, the lack of original music is perhaps intriguing. “Remo is an
institution by himself. Although there are some very good bands in Goa, they
are content with what is happening,” observes Uday. Nudging musicians to take a
more proactive role, Subir advises them to “continue playing covers as that is
the demand, but while doing so, continue infusing your original songs a little
by little into the acts, like our band did, and you will definitely win an
audience for it.”
