Meet a designer-lawyer duo who believes in Techno, dogs and Bollywood, and shows you how bands can split in peace
Meet a designer-lawyer duo who believes in Techno, dogs and Bollywood, and shows you how bands can split in peace
Their band name opens up to read, Basic Love of Things (B.L.O.T). But, it turns out, they're fond of stuff far finer.
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The Indian grandmasters of electronic music and percussions, based in Delhi, have just returned from Sri Lanka after some big performances.
Jab The GUIDE met B.L.O.T at a South Delhi coffee house, small cappuccino shots gave way to nutty talks.
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"Can I get my Pomeranian in? He's getting cranky in the car," asks Avinash, the visual designer of the two-member band.
Reluctantly, with an Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan like plastic smile, the girl at the cash counter says, "yes".
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Avinash first introduces me to Goldy, and then himself. "Gaurav, who's the DJ, is on his way. But we can start talking."
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Avinash and Gaurav Malekar from Delhi-based band B.L.O.T |
Threesome turns into twosomeWeren't they supposed to be a three member band? "We were three but a long time back. Now it's just Gaurav and me," smiles the brown-eyed Avinash. Now, don't speculate a dispute.
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"We rest in peace, even in separation. For Saturday's performance, Madhav of Kohra will join us. Together, we three are called B.L.O.T. There'll be live Electronic Dance Music, percussions and amazing video sampling."
The inception of B.L.O.TAvinash was involved with product design, making films and documentaries. "That's when I met Gaurav, a lawyer who like 99.9 % of other people, wasn't satisfied with what he was doing.
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Music is where his heart was, and it helped the two of us connect. We performed casually at few events before formally forming B.L.O.T in 2007," says Avinash.
Gaurav walks in with a thinker's hat on. A goatee, aviator shades and ear studs make his style. After all, it takes a warrior's heart to leave a lawyer's fat package and tread the road less taken, one that'd render him utterly irresponsible. "I wouldn't say that I never regretted my decision to leave that job.
When you battle uncertainties thinking that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, you're often disappointed to see that at the end of the tunnel, awaits another tunnel.
Yes, lately, I haven't felt like that because now we're much more settled, paid well, working on our own terms and conditions, and yes, I can sleep till 1 pm without the f'''king irritating call from my boss. Also, people take us and our music seriously," he says.
India warming up to Electronic musicThe Indian audience is a snob, they wouldn't think twice before asking a French DJ, who is clueless about Bollywood music, to spin Kala Chashma, Ek Glassi and Kajarare, Gaurav shrugs.
"Electronic music in India is still like a kid, but that doesn't mean we're super performers. Acceptance comes with time. For our performance this Saturday, I'll be using Bollywood video samples because I know Mumbai is all about Bollywood, and it's only when I create a synergy between my music and the audience's taste, that it'll work.
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But yes, the fanfare has increased; even if three people in the audience are responding to our composition, we're kicked up. It's foolish to think everyone will be gung-ho about your music," remarks Ashutosh.
But is the acceptance the right compensation that can help them reach out with their kind of music? "Agreed, an ego massage is like a tonic, and we may not get an overload of that in India, but on our recent tours to Berlin, Switzerland and France, people have been stunned to see how two musicians from a country where Electronic is not a popular genre, are playing such good music.
So, we may not work for India but India works for us," reasons Gaurav while playing videos of some of their recent performances.
Thrash out your disputesPredictably, the phone rings, it appears they've got to rush for their next appointment. There's room for a last question, though. Why do bands split so frequently, poach and fight?u00a0
"There can be disputes, but you need to talk it out and not nurture it. Poaching? What's that? Neither we nor anyone else is eligible or competent enough to be poached," they sign off sarcastically.
At: The Blue Frog, D/2 Mathuradas Mills Compound, NM Joshi Marg, Lower Parel.
On: Tonight, 10.30 pm onwards
Call: 40332300. Entry: Rs 500
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What does b.l.o.t stand for?
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