Sufi rock, as a genre, has more than its share of takers in the country. It came with a bang in the form of the phenomenon called Junoon and its ‘Sayonee', went into a lull during the peak days of Indipop, saw an indigenous rock-solid revival in the form of Indian Ocean, and went mass through the likes of Jal and Atif Aslam. Seven-month-old Delhi-based band Nasha, by definition and ensemble, a Sufi rock band, prefers the term Sufi soul.
The band comprises Akhil (lead vocals), Saurabh (rhythm guitars), Puneet (lead guitars), Jivi (bass guitars), Ankur (drums) and Yogesh (keyboards).
“People mostly associate Sufi music with semi-classical. Ours is soulful music set in a contemporary rock version,” says Akhil, the band's founding member.
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It was at the Tata Indicom ‘Dil Ki Awaaz' contest that the six came together. Incidentally, they were either part of different bands or, as in Akhil's case, solo performers. “We got a chance to meet. Our music kind of jelled, we became friends and started the band,” recalls Akhil.
The band name came up impromptu. “We were performing with Mohit Chauhan in Patiala and someone asked us, ‘What's your band called?' ‘Nasha' was our title track and so we just said, ‘Nasha'.”
Musical influences aren't hard to predict. “My musical influences have been Pakistani musicians. I've grown up listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Reshma. Then there's Jal,” Akhil says. The band recently performed in the Capital's Ice Lounge & Bar, the first band to play at the venue.
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With a history that doesn't even extend to a year, things for the band, he says, look bright. “Talks are already on with various music companies. We've already recorded three tracks in the studio.”
The final destination
While admissions of Bollywood aspirations don't always come about easily, Akhil is clear. “I ultimately want to come out to Bollywood. I want more and more people to listen to us.”
In fact, their track ‘Nasha' will feature in a Bollywood film slated to release early 2011. (The film's name, though, the band's not allowed to reveal yet.)
Besides original tracks like “Nasha” and “Papa” (about the relationship between a father and daughter), the band also performs covers in concerts. “‘Intehaan ho gayi (from the film Sharaabi ) is one of my favourites. On stage we like to give it a raw feel.
Then there are tracks like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's “Tere bin nahi ladga”, “Laal meri jat”, old Bollywood numbers like “Gulabi aankhen” and “Kabhi kabhi”, “Mora saiyaan” by Fuzon, or “Tu jaane na” by Atif Aslam,” Akhil lists.
Things get busier here on. Nasha sets off on its first international tour this year, performing in Washington in September, followed by Australia in October. “The plan is to keep performing everywhere,” Akhil says.
The highlight, though, will come next month, at Hamsdhwani theatre in Pragati Maidan. “Performing with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in only our eighth month is a dream come true,” he gushes.