Not many of us would pick up a book of poetry for light reading. Poetry requires a certain temperament, a certain kind of reader. On the other hand, a rock concert would have takers across the board. What we do not realise is many musicians have turned timeless verses into contemporary lyrics. Bands such as Indian Ocean, Swarathma, Peepal Tree, The Raghu Dixit Project, Avial, Thaikkudam Bridge all do it. MetroPlus connects with modern day rock poets who are today’s ambassadors of Indian poetry of yesteryears.
Not may people like poetry, agrees Bengaluru drummer Joe Jacob from Masala Coffee and The Raghu Dixit Project. “However, bands such as Indian Ocean and others are changing the way we look at poetry. There was a deep sense of beauty and social-cultural influence in the poems of old. They have stood the test of time and many have inspired the musicians of today. Indian bands often take the poetic route to revive the tradition and rich culture of poems. Just like Raghu has taken Kannada poetry to a whole new level, a lot of poetry gets channelled into songs by bands so that they help connect with the audience. It is all about giving importance to the music and the message. That way, music plays a part in keeping poetry alive and us rooted.”
Poetry is a way of life for Neeraj Arya’s Kabir Café, the Mumbai band that brings alive Kabir Das’s verses in rock, pop, reggae and fusion. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Neeraj Arya, who pioneered the Kabir Rock genre, says they create a 700-year-old musical dialogue between Kabir and their audience.
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“It is about giving Kabir’s poetry a brand new persona,” the band says. “We don’t create sound. We create poetry and make sure the music enhances it. The poetry has a message which we feel is absolutely meaningful today.”
Says vocalist Siddharth Menon of Kerala folk rock band Thaikkudam Bridge: “Our lyricist, Dhanta Suresh, ensures it is all about the lyrics for us. Most of us have a rich, traditional background and it is obvious that our songs, that cover a range of genres, are drawn from the things around us – a big part of which is poetry. From simple poems on farmers to stories told in lyrical format about our homes, our neighbourhood well and traditions around us, we are inspired by a lot of cultural poetry.”
It is a very personal connect when it comes to poetry and folk-fusion, lungi-clad band The Raghu Dixit Project from Bengaluru.
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The lyrics for the Raghu Dixit Project are written either by frontman Raghu or singer-songwriter Ankur Tewari and lyricist Madhan Karky Vairamuthu or drawn from Kannada poetry. While most have poetic connotations and narratives, there are also incidents taken from Raghu’s life. Says bass guitarist Gaurav Vaz: “It is part of the band’s act and charm now. Many bands keep away from lingual compositions. Raghu has his way of ensuring people sing along. We break through a lot of barriers. These are our roots.”