Independent music goes mainstream

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Listening to FM radio nowadays has turned out to be quite a revelation as the omnipresent Bollywood selections are now showing the very obvious influences of Western music that go beyond the realms of popular genres pop and rock.

I noticed a considerable influence of jazz, blues, alternative, and even country in the playback of selections, which I am inclined to believe is due to the revolutionising sounds of independent music emanating from within the country due to the online digital boom in terms of accessibility to newer, fresher, and unconventional sounds.
There is no doubt that independent music and the musicians behind it are now making inroads into Bollywood soundtracks, where no more single music directors are necessarily responsible for the soundtrack but several. However, for the moment, I would like to consider the genesis of independent sounds well before the digital invasion occurred. For instance, while rock concerts during the ‘80s (onward) no doubt had the bulk of repertoire performed being “covers” of popular hits from the West, the irony of it is that those very musicians made every effort in composing their own songs even while the audience, at that moment, were reluctant to hear anything that appeared unfamiliar to them i.e. original compositions. But with the likes of Rock Machine, Agnee, Brahma, 13AD, Sugarfoot, KrossWindz (with whom I was associated in releasing a “single” on cassette for Crescendo Music, a label that has recently been revived by founder Suresh Thomas to support independent music), these bands, among others, deserve credit for taking the initiative of uncovering themselves from the audience mindset for “covers”.
Formed in 1984, I first saw Rock Machine perform at one of their earlier concerts, in 1985, when they played at the TN Medical College Hostel grounds near Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Before the release of their debut album in 1988 containing all original compositions, Rock ’n’ Roll Renegade, I was fortunate to receive a demo copy of the album on cassette, which I still proudly own, containing different arrangements of tracks that eventually made it onto the debut, including an instrumental track that did not! Rock Machine, of course, eventually changed their name to Indus Creed in 1993; a re-formed line-up launching the brilliant Evolve album last year. Meanwhile, also in 1985, an event known as the Aid Bhopal Concert — a musical concert that was held to help raise funds for victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy — was organised at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium which, if I remember from my presence there, featured Rock Machine, Voices (featuring Brian Tellis), a band from Sydenham College, Les Boys, that played only originals barring a cover of Dire Straits’ Walk Of Life as their final song, and a guest appearance from Remo Fernandes, another progenitor of original content having already gained popularity with songs such as Pakistani Spy, and Ode to Graham Bell. Independence Rock — an initiative of Farhad Wadia and Rock Machine’s Mark Selwyn, as part of Power Productions — was yet another path breaker, launching the brand back in 1986. Essentially, what these musicians did then was commence the independent music movement as we know of it now.
But with the advent of the digital revolution at the turn of the century, independent music has been taken to another plateau, one that even enables the launch of content without the artiste signing onto a record label. Much credit for building digital platforms to showcase independent music goes to the likes of ArtistAloud.com (a Hungama Digital Media Entertainment initiative), nh7.in, and OKListen.com among others. Meanwhile, in support of the live independent movement, while various venues have arisen across the country, there is no denying the initial support provided by Blue Frog, India Music Week (initiated by the late Amit Saigal, whose absence will remain a permanent vacuum for independent musicians), and the Live At The Console concept initiated by Sony Music’s Day 1 sub-label, where the latter has been most useful in terms of enhancing my awareness of the artistes behind the independent music scene that exists today. Coke Studio, on MTV, is lending much required on-air support to the movement too. Meanwhile, record label Universal Music, in conjunction with Vh1, is launching its very own branded Contrabands with an aim to discover, nurture, and provide a platform for independent artistes.
So while Bollywood still holds 70 per cent of the music market in India, choices beyond have now begun to abound with independent music finally gaining its much-required independence!

The writer has been part of the media and entertainment business for over 23 years, still continues to pursue his hobby, and earns an income out of it!