SOME OF YOU reading this article may know who I am, and some may not. Therefore, let me start by introducing myself. I am Tirthankar Poddar, a project manager at a software firm, a bike rider, a God fearing person, an animal loving salesman for peace, and a part time rock n’ roller in the loudest classic rock band of Mumbai, Vayu.

 

So here I am Tirthankar, aka 2Blue, trying to help you reach the sensitive, superstitious, and often emotional side of me though the story of the little kid that lives cloistered within the shell of the Vayu frontman.

           

It was February 2001, I think, when I attended my first Vayu concert. This was an open-air event called Snare 2001 held at the Razz Rhino, Mumbai. With my then girlfriend wrapped around my little finger, I stood through their entire performance. At the end of the show, I whispered into her ear, ‘Someday I am going to sing for this band.’ She gripped my hand firmly and said, ‘You sure will.’ Now good things sure take their time. It was two years and many short-lived bands later that this dream of mine saw the light of the day. But I guess it was every bit worth the wait.

 

And here is how it all happened. When 2003 arrived, it brought with it a series of Sunday jam sessions at a nightclub called Zwigs. One such Sunday night a jam was slated for Vayu and I attended that session. As their regular singer had immigrated to New Zealand, I wondered how they would put up a show. But they did, and a pretty impressive one too, with Soumitra Bhatt of the band Echoes behind the microphone.

 

I knew that Vayu had heard of me. But little did I expect Ravi Iyer, the guitar player of the band, to invite me for a jam towards the close of the night. It was splendid – a long healthy jam on our favorite Deep Purple songs with improvisations galore! The crowd loved it. And so the next thing I knew, I was at Ravi’s apartment the following weekend to chalk out a setlist and a plan of action for the coming months.

 

I think it warrants a mention here that about two months before our jam at Zwigs a dear friend of mine called me up to tell me about a dream that he had. He said I was soon to be invited to join a band that was going to bring me the recognition and the acclaim I deserved. He also said that the band will have a single word name, and an Indian sounding one. (Rakesh: If you are reading this, I want you to know you are one helluva guy!)

 

Vayu took me under its wings and made me feel at home.With Vayu, I traveled to places I had never seen before and reached out to audiences I had only dreamt of performing to. A very fulfilling journey indeed! Yes, we have had our share of hardships, but I guess that is what brings every band closer together. Today, we are all very happy about where we are, and more importantly about where we are headed. I can say without even the shadow of a doubt that the current incarnation of the band – with Ravi, Schubert D’Souza, the bass and keyboard player, Aatur Soni, the drummer, and me 2Blue on vocals – is the best Vayu could have ever had. The chemistry between us is simply magical. You will know what I am talking about if you have attended any of our concerts.

 

In more recent times, I have read all kinds of things written about us. Fortunately, most of these are stuff I can proudly show off to my loved ones. Yet, the sensitive idiot that I am, all it takes to undo a zillion compliments is one not-so-pleasant statement in a newspaper or a magazine. A close friend said that when critics start trying to rip a band apart, it is the first sign that the band has ‘arrived’. True! But the vindictive side of me makes me to address these people, who believe they have the power to distance artists from their potential fans, and give them a piece of my mind. Yes we know that we have survived a long time on music created by our predecessors. Now our critics can take comfort by knowing that we are squeezing in as much time as our hectic day-jobs will allow into writing, composing, and recording original music. Hell yeah! Let us bring those Vayu compositions out of the mothballs. Before this year is over, we hope to have our debut album out. And inshallah when it is out, it should (hopefully) silence these so called critics that are so well-aware of the power of classic rock but will just not acknowledge it.

 

For the record, we are just four passionate souls merely chasing our dreams in a country ruled by Bollywood, where SMS messages determine the next big talent, and where music is often listened to with the eyes and not the heart. We are no pop-stars in skimpy clothes put together by a reality show on primetime TV. We are hardworking people with ‘real’ jobs fighting ‘real’ battles everyday to keep classic rock alive. We do not have a record label backing us up or the money to buy our way to the top. All we have are our dreams, the determination, and the love and support of a small devoted coterie of fans to whom we remain indebted. And we know these loving fans have not brought us this far to leave us now.

 

Classic rock is not dead, will never be. Bands inspired by old school rock are here to stay, much like a stubborn stain. Try wiping us out if you can. In times to come, the old school magic will return in an even bigger way. And mark my words when I say so!

 

 

...............