Easy on the ear

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Delhi-based alternative rock band Menwhopause is slated to play at the Rabarock Festival in Estonia this June. They’re going to be playing alongside a few big names, including The Big Pink, Dub FX and British punk rockers, The Stargazers. Randeep says, “There was a particular girl, Kadri who would hang out at our cafe.

We weren’t aware that she was with the Rabarock festival team or into organising gigs, and she’s been a fan of our music. So, she recommended us for the festival and that’s how it happened. We are really hoping to play along with some great musicians and may be even collaborate with a few.”
The band has earlier performed at the world’s biggest independent music festival, the South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, being the first Indian band to be officially sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, government of India, for the gig.
After a busy 2011, where the band toured extensively promoting its album, Easy — there was another special gig that stood out in every fan’s memory — the gig at Tihar Jail. “It was awesome and unbelievable. The initial idea was just to go there and perform but it turned out to be a completely different gig for us. We ended up taking workshops and helping the inmates who have a band called The Flying Souls. We helped them write more songs and work on their existing tracks. If we have to pick the best gig so far, it would have to be our performance in Tihar Jail, it was a profound experience,” he says.
The men are currently working on their next album, which will be titled Haze. “We are working on it. We have worked on a few tracks,” confirms Randeep.
What has been the most important change that you’ve noticed that has aided or abated the growth of indie music in the country? “Time is irrelevant. Decade or a century, the music industry always sees many artistes, musicians and visionaries. And we all have witnessed the sheer joy of musical prowess in bands, forums and music fests all around the world. The charge with which the scene has become a change in itself, also sheds light on the fact that the industry is growing,” says Randeep.
He concludes, “Connecting people with music is our reason to exist and that’s the voice we cultivate,” he says, adding, “For budding artistes out there — Stay at it and find your moments. Dwell into your expression and reach out with your music.”