“ I’m not sure if I chose music or if it chose me, but here I am doing what I love and loving what I do,” says renowned city-based musician Ashley Joseph, who plays for three bands. For The Ministry of Blues, a blues-rock band, he plays bass. He sings and is the bassist for Hard Attack, a dance pop-rock band that covers a lot of Retro and Rock n’ Roll and is also the co-founder of Zehen, a mash-up band for which he plays bass/guitars. Interestingly, he also runs his own western music school, The Music Room, located in Hennur, where they teach different instruments as well as music theory.
Despite pursuing a degree in Mass Communication at Christ College, Ashley decided he wanted to be a full-time professional musician, and he has no qualms admitting that was why he chose his college.
“In my interview, when I was asked by the Principal why I wanted to get into that college only, I was honest and told him that it was because I wanted to get into the Cul team. In my three years of being in it, I participated in and won every possible competition from music to lit events. My experience here, on stage, changed the course of my life and though I went on to work at a call centre for a bit, I hated it enough to go ahead and become my own boss.
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Previously, Ashley has played for several well-known bands and has worked with some of the country’s leading music directors on various projects. Given that he’s great with kids, before setting up his own school, he taught at various other music schools and many of his students are now professional musicians.
According to him, “Being a full-time musician and teacher is not easy. But I will admit that I love what I do because I do what I love.” Ask him what he enjoys most about his job, and he responds, “Most of the time I’m on tour and this year I’ve done over 100 gigs. The kick we get from watching the crowd dance and sing the songs back to us is magical. Of course, that also requires huge amounts of practice and coordinating with the bands, as playing for three bands that have their own unique sound, is not that simple.”
Being a full-time musician in India is, in itself, challenging, and Ashley says, “From starting off with not being able to afford a guitar to running a full-fledged music school today, I’ve come a long way. Having always been told that I would never make it or that it’s hard or that I should consider getting a regular job, I was even more motivated to get to where I am today. The tough days that break you are the tough days that make you.”
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He adds, “People may think what we do is easy but they are unaware of the amount of time spent jamming or writing some good music, and for me, even managing my school. Today’s parents want to see what background you have before they sign their kids up and they go all out to ensure that quality music education is being taught to their kids. This calls for people like me to step up our game even more. As a musician and director of my school, there are no holidays, but I’m not complaining. But yes, I do pack my bags and travel to watch some of the biggest bands perform. The highlight this year was watching Coldplay in Bangkok.”
It’s a busy time of the year for all musicians and Ashley is no exception. “As far as work with my bands goes, we are in the process of releasing our own albums and some music videos too, apart from travelling and performing around the country. I often tell people that music’s taking me places my books never did,” he quips, adding, “I will be launching two more branches of my music school and am looking to expand into recording studios/jam pads as well as orchestrate tie-ups with some international musicians and universities. So looks like I’ve got some exciting days ahead!”
(This column profiles those who choose to veer off the beaten track)