Most consider the Blues to be old Western folk music, which is a one, two or three-chord tune that can be strummed easily on a guitar. But Rudy Wallang, founder member of blues bands Soulmate, refutes this and says: “It is one of the most challenging genres of music to play. It is special and you've got to have a feel for it. I wonder how willing bands are to be emotionally naked. The blues is about letting go, are they prepared for this?” wonders Rudy.
Ten years ago, Soulmate was arguably the only Blues band in India. “There were hardly any listeners and performers when we first started out. But we changed all that. We want to be accepted by the Blues fraternity all over the world.” Their first performance was at the 2003 Roots Festival at the Water Sports Complex in Umiam. Ever since, they have performed in the North-East and in different parts of India. They performed at Bflat recently, following two performances at the Baltic Blues Festival in Germany and the Blues and Roots Festival in Sweden. For an audience who are used to only European and American Blues bands, Soulmate came as a pleasant surprise.
“A Western audience associates music in India with Ravi Shankar. They told us that it was worth the travel and money spent to listen to us. We were also interviewed by German National Television.”
Rudy's soulful guitaring and Tipriti ‘Tips' Kharbangar's powerful voice is Soulmate's trademark. Rudy says that music is in his blood.
“My father Toto Wallang was a musician. Tips comes from a similar background. Western music is huge in Shillong. As you walk down its streets, you will hear folk, country, rock and roll and jazz playing from every house. Both Tips and I sing Gospel, which goes hand-in-hand with the Blues.”
But Rudy doesn't quite agree that Shillong is India's rock capital. “Infrastructure and money are in short supply. Bands need more spaces to perform, which is lacking. ‘Rock capital' is a blanket term,” he says and adds, “There are promising bands in other parts of the North East too.”
Rudy and Tips say that the Blues chose them instead of them choosing the Blues.
“The Blues is the best way we express ourselves. We may not be from the Mississippi Delta or Chicago, but we connect to the music from there.”
Blues is all about Soul, and the duo's soul lies in Shillong.
“Many people ask us why we don't relocate to a metropolis. We don't want to leave as Shillong as it is our primary influence.”
“Our initial intention was to get the younger generation interested in Blues. Some bands were copying the music played on music channels without knowing the roots of the music.”
Rudy contends that the current bands need to compose original music. “Some bands are doing a lot of covers, maybe that's the way to start, but I would suggest that they compose original songs. Find your own sound.”
