It Starts Now

Indiecision editor Arjun S Ravi on the excitement that lies ahead.
As I write this, I’m listening to a bunch of demos that bands from around the country have sent in for the new edition of our annual Stupid Ditties compilation. To be honest, a lot of the entries aren’t very interesting – the same classic rock-inspired stuff still finds place among the Rage Against The Machine-inspired faux-alt. But there are moments here that embolden me to believe that we’re not entirely fucked. In fact, we may even be on the cusp of something brilliant.

But that’s been the story of the Indian indie scene for much of the last decade. We’ve always been on the cusp of something brilliant. Whether it was 7-8 years ago in Gigpad’s heyday or when Vh1 started playing music videos by Indian bands, we’ve had many a newsworthy (someone from a newspaper/magazine has to write an article about the changing face of Indian indie at least once every six months with some explanation – the internet – about why things are finally looking up) sign of good things coming our way. None of them have, of course, amounted to anything. Well, at least till now.

The events of the last couple of years and 2009 in particular are an undeniable harbinger of a tipping point that’s as real as it is fleeting. More bands are playing more gigs and releasing more music that’s being heard by more people than ever before. The culmination of years of frustration, a lot of media coverage driven enthu and um, more frustration is the scene we find ourselves in today.

We’re living history here. Everything that Demonstealer Records does to bring acts together to distribute CDs, and Rolling Stone magazine does to send bands on tribute gig tours, and Bollywood does to make movies about “rock” music, and Only Much Louder does in general with conventions, bands, et al is changing the way Indian independent music is and will be considered. This is a genuine, albeit largely disconnected, movement.

Over the next few years more Indian bands will travel abroad to play gigs, fans will be able to access music via organised web interfaces, labels will only sign bands that are hardworking and productive (okay, this is perhaps asking for a bit much) and who knows, Indian musicians may even be able to make a living through music. But I think the biggest change is going to be the acceptance of a music scene independent of, and far more creative than Bollywood. This isn’t another debate about Bollywood vs rock/indie. It’s about our scene creating it’s own individual identity. Once we’re done piggybacking on ‘Jai Ho’ that is.

This is a cultural shift, one that is perhaps defining the Indian zeitgeist as we speak. The predictability of Bollywood is its best friend and worst enemy. The kids willing to spend Rs 300 on a movie ticket, where they know they’re guaranteed slapstick laughs, an item number and the story of two brothers seperated at birth, now have the option of catching a gig by this band one of their friends told them sound exactly like Pearl Jam. Sure, they’ll also have the option of drinks at Gokul/Janata/equivalent, or as Vijay Nair put it, “Just staying at home, man”, but the big change is that the gig is a considered option.

That’s what everyone’s putting their money on – the venues hosting gigs every week, the magazines who want to set up shop in the country, the international, non-third-world-rock acts coming down to play gigs here, everyone. The bands know it too. And they’re working harder than they ever have to ensure that their craft is received by as many people as possible. Whether that means releasing more music more often, or connecting with fans via social networks, or just playing a truckload of gigs everywhere, the signs of life we’ve hoped to see from bands who five years ago wouldn’t even consider the possibility of, well, all this, are evident.

I was at the Prithvi Theatre festival last month to catch Sridhar/Thayil‘s absorbing opera noir The Flying Wallas. After the performance I ran into Monica Dogra (Shaa’ir of Shaa’ir + Func) and we got to talking about their new record. She said, “I think this is our best work yet.” While I didn’t think much of the remark at the time, it struck me later on that that was it. If as an artist she didn’t think that whatever she was doing was in fact the best work she was doing, the work wouldn’t be worth it. The fact that she did was incredibly reassuring. Like all the signs we’ve had in 2009, this was another that signalled big change.

You can hear it in the music as well. Classic rock influences are being replaced by new Brit post-punk, electronica is getting less desi and folk-rock is keeping up one end of the bargain. Sure, we’re still some time away from nailing a definitive Indian sound, but fuck, do we even need it?

The system works, and for proof one needs to look no further than the excitement building up about the upcoming Zero reunion tour. The Dadar quartet’s announcement that they were getting back together, in their original lineup, to play gigs around the country this month was met with rampant Facebooking and Tweeting in by far one of the biggest viral tour buildups Indian indie has ever seen. Here’s a sample comment from the band’s Facebook group

I’ve gone through a LOT with Mumbai University. Sadness, anger, depression, frustration, happiness at passing. But the fact that I won’t be able to attend the first original line-up zero gig in ages because theres a paper the next day, thats just fucking evil MU. Thats just bloody wrong.

Such adoration for an Indian band? That last line says it best.

But this, I’ll just say it, revolution in Indian indie will demand a lot from all parties involved. From the bands it demands a quality of music and quantity of effort that measures up against international standards. From gig promoters it demands an openness to different genres and a willingness to take risks. From managers it demands an entreprenuerial sense unafraid of experimentation. And from fans it demands an open mind. We’ve just begun getting to the point where all these efforts coalesce.

And here’s my pitch to you dear reader – get involved. Whether it’s by trashing a Deep Purple cover band in your blog, or by making a fan video for your favourite Indian punk act, or by just clicking on the MySpace link of the band your annoying friend’s been telling you about, just get involved. Why? Not to “support the scene” or any of that emo shit we were peddling five years ago. Because, as Thermal & A Quarter (there, obligatory TAAQ reference put in so that guy from the TAAQ blog can get off my ass, please?) put it, this is it. And you really don’t want to be left out.

The Indiecision Decade In Review