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Liquid rock

Motherjane is one of India's leading rock bands, with an album of rocking original tunes. It is performing tomorrow as part of Bangalore Habba

GOOD STAGE ACT Motherjane's front man Suraj Mani speaks for the band on and off stage PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.

I first heard Motherjane's Insane Biography three years ago. With catchy tunes, intelligent lyrics and brilliant production, the album was value for money. One particular tune, Mindstreet, kept haunting me. The experience of listening to that track played live at the Indian Institute of Science a couple of months back and singing along was a dream. Meeting up with the band members was the icing on the cake.

Respite from noise

Running away from the rock competition at the IISc. Gymkhana grounds, we headed towards the guesthouse for some respite from the noise. We found Motherjane sitting down for lunch and asked for an interview later in the day, but were instead asked to join them. The nicest thing about professional Indian rockers is that they are always willing to sit down and talk about their music. No mile-high egos and false pride there, and no one is an unwelcome guest for these blokes. Motherjane's front man, Suraj Mani, spoke for the band on and off stage.

A lot of bands find themselves at the crossroads when asked about their style of music. These guys however had a ready answer for that, Liquid Rock. Suraj said: "Each of us brings our own influences to the band. Moreover, being versatile is better than limiting ourselves to one particular genre."

Having sold 3000 copies of their first album, and having received airplay on 14 U.S. radio stations, Motherjane is heading towards an "all-original" setlist. "Thermal and a Quarter really inspired us. We looked at them and said we can do this too." Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ), the popular Bangalore band with over 50-60 original compositions, is known for its insistence on originality in its compositions and live shows. Suraj compared bands playing original music and those playing cover versions to nightingales and parrots. "Originality is the only way forward for Indian rock bands. No band is going to make it big overnight. Even The Beatles had about 200 original songs before they got a major record deal!"

Formed in 1996, the band has had a couple of line-up changes, but the vision and motivation have never changed. "Music motivates us. We will be patient till our time comes. Once we have a sizeable number of own compositions, we'll look at more aggressive marketing abroad. For the moment, Clyde, our bassist, a travel industry professional, passes on the album's copies to his overseas contacts."

Three of the band members are full-time musicians. Suraj is an engineer who provides air-conditioning solutions. The next time you find the band's music getting too hot to handle, you know whom to contact to cool down the scene. Their music, they say, deals with varying issues. "The track "Maya" is about the girl child in India and about following your dreams."

Stepping out after the interview and photo shoot, Suraj hopped on my bike and I dropped him down the road. "So, what do you do?" he asked. "Have you done your journalism?"

When I replied that I was an engineer with a rock and roll dream, he said: "`Maya' applies to you too. Don't give up your dream!"

Offstage, I found the band to be a bunch of well-behaved mamma's boys. However, their wariness vanished as soon as the band took the stage. Kicking off their set with their original "Disillusioned", the band became more confident with ample crowd support. They are phenomenally tight, and soon have the crowd grooving to their tracks. "Mindstreet" is particularly mind-blowing.

Among the people who loved the track were a grouchy policeman who wore a generous smile at the end of the song, and our photographer who usually hated Bangalore rock bands. Baiju, lead guitarist, drew raves from the crowd when he slips into his "note-perfect, tone-perfect" solo on "Karmic Spirits". Look out for this track when the band's new album is out. Suraj has the crowd jumping and cheering for the songs as usual.

Cracking up the crowd

What really cracked up the crowd was Suraj's take on IISc.'s volunteers. "Usually, when we play at competitions, the volunteers are freshers from the first year. At IISc., if you ask the volunteers what they do, they say, `I'm doing my PhD, saar!'"

"Indian rock band performing outsourced American style rock and roll," is how an American website describes the band's first album. We've all heard of people being Bangalored. At IISc. I was Motherjaned. When do you plan to get Motherjaned?

Motherjane performs live tomorrow as part of Bangalore Habba at St. Joseph's Indian High Grounds, Vittal Mallya Road from 5 p.m. The other bands performing at the venue are Parousia and Milind Deora's rock group.

V. ABHISHEK

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