ARJUN KAUL IS a vocalist and guitarist of the Delhi-based band Prithvi. His favourite musicians are Frank Zappa, Soundgarden and Prince. Sahil Mehta, bass guitarist and vocalist; Akshat Bhardwaj, keyboards and vocalist; and Bhim Kaul, drummer and vocalist are the other three band members. The main motive behind forming the band was their true love for music.
Kaul spoke with Sudipta Sengupta, a citizen journalist.
When and how Prithvi was formed?
Prithvi was formed in August 2004. It was formed when we decided to have a rock concert in our locality. After our first show we realised that we really enjoyed the feeling of playing music for people. So, we pretty much just kept rolling from that point on.
A lot of your activities actually seemed to be centred in northern India. Any particular reason for this?
Well we simply have not yet had an opportunity to play in south India. We do know lots of bands in Bangalore, Pune and Mumbai and will love to play at these places.
How was your first stage performance? Any goof-ups?
We were surprisingly good in our first performance. Being the trusted leader of the band, I made sure that the band rehearsed like mad before the first gig.
Best vocalist, best guitarist in various concerts, featuring in interviews in Doordarshan, Headlines Today, Prithvi seems to be on an all time high. How does it feel?
It is always nice to be appreciated. We really do not believe that music is a competition. And, we are happy to be able to play music for the music lovers. The best part about the Amity Decibel performance, where we won the best band, guitarist and vocalist titles, was the crowd, which was simply super-enthusiastic. We feed on the energy of our audiences. Yes, we are excited about our interviews on television. This allows all our fans and friends to see us and know more about us. This is not an all-time high, as we have just got started and people will see more of the band performances in times to come. Right now we are looking forward to putting up a great rock record and tours to support it.
How was the experience at Dhanaulti Rock Festival? Is it different from other concerts you perform in?
The Dhanaulti Rock Festival was a festival in every sense of the word. Musicians could play their hearts out, and listeners could listen to their hearts’ content. Bands played round the clock and it was truly a celebration of music. We really hope that the festival gets more sponsorship in its next edition that happens in November this year.
Do you think that in a country where the size of rock music-literate audience is not great, the events like the Dhanaulti Rock Festival can succeed?
Well, actually there are a substantial number of people who enjoy rock music. The Dhanaulti Rock Festival is not just about rock music but music in general. There are great number of fusion bands, country artists and Indian classical musicians who have performed at the festival. So, as awareness about the festival grows more and more people will be interested to participate in the festival.
How do you define rock music? Does Indian rock music differ from the Western rock?
Rock music is hard to describe and easy to feel. It is all about a strong beat and strong emotions. I think the beats and time signatures used in contemporary rock music are simpler and more regular than Indian classical music. Indian classical music is more improvised and free form. However, since the late 1960s there has been a union between the elements of Indian classical music and rock. Artists like John McLaughlin and Ryland Peter Cooder brought these two worlds together.
Contemporary artists like Steve Vai also use Indian themes in their music and heavily draw inspiration from Indian music and philosophy. I think the base of all Indian classical music is spiritual. So, fundamentally the themes of Indian classical music have spiritual inclination.
A number of bands broke up because the band members parted ways due to personal differences. How is the equation among different members in your group?
Well, the band line up has gone through changes, but it has been the same for a year and a half. The former members went on to pursue their personal musical goals.
The band members share an incredible chemistry. We gel extremely well with each other. I think the key factor to this has been the fact that the members accept their responsibility and know that they are part of a team. The basic attitude of the band is positive and we strive to enjoy playing music and play it well.
You are very much popular in college concerts. Are their other prospects for rock artists in the country?
Yes, certainly. I think bands can play in bars and clubs. Apart from this, bands can derive income from record sales. However, this is a slow process as the consumer base for the rock record industry in India is still quite small. I think, after a band becomes really popular in India more rock records by Indian bands will sell.
What inspires you to have a career in rock music when others are earning hefty amounts in software and BPO industry?
We love playing music. That is fundamentally why we are in it. And, we are fortunate that we have been able to do well financially also. The Indian
rock industry is nowhere as big as the BPO or software industries, but then it is a totally different ball game. However, in the coming time it may become bigger than them. It is simply a matter of time. As awareness about rock music in India grows, more and more bands will be able to make a living playing the music they love.
