'Punkh 'up the volume

Deepak Nair aka Dean of Punkh in conversation with Abishai Fernandez

How did Punkh start of?
For me, Punkh starts of where Guru (which was a band I had started earlier) ends.

So, what happened to Guru?
Let me put this way, I had to let it go because the record label at that time told us that if I wanted to promote the album, the guys from the band should fly down, and when I told them this, They were like it’s a major record deal and the record label should fly us down. I was stuck between two worlds. But at the end of it all Guru turned out to be my thesis when I was studying music at Germany.

I believe Guru also released a music video…
Yes, we did release a music video but MTV, India found it to be very dark. However MTV Desi in New York aired the video and we were numero uno (#1) for 4 weeks. So, yes we did have something going on in that part of the world.
 
So what kind of music was Guru into?
Well, though I don't want to talk about Guru, it did mean a lot to me, it was hard rock but in Hindi. It was well received abroad and we did tour a lot.

What happened post Guru?
I was in a complete low phase in my life, an all time low where nothing seemed to be working out… Had no money, got kicked out of my house… And one day it just hit me, I knew what I wanted to do and I knew what kind of my music I wanted to make.

So, this was when Punkh as Idea was born?
Yup, I knew what I wanted at this point as I already had this idea going on, using powerful beats and grooves, but not using stock or ready made beats or grooves. I wanted to make my own beats and grooves and then fuse with guitars and rapping along with singing.

How did you put this whole thing together?
I knew someone who would be interested in this idea of mine in fact he's the same guy who has worked on this album. Like me, He too was going through a bad phase. It took us two years to put things into perspective as we really wanted to give this our best.

Then why the decision to release Punkh in India and not abroad as Guru was well received?
For me it's a step by step move, I would like to conquer this country first and then move on to the rest of the world. I would love to be an ambassador  for the Indian music scene abroad as every one thought I was from South  America or something… they couldn't believe that I was an Indian.

The kind of music we played while in Guru was very very different than what most bands were doing out there. They have seen Indians studying, working and all but not many Indians studying music and playing music out there. For me, I always wanted to make it in my own country. I didn't want to make the same mistake with Punkh as I did with Guru.

It was very clear to me that Punkh would be a minimal band and it would make it easy for us tour and have band members form India.  The only thing in Punkh is the live guitars and vocals, the rest is all electronic .

Fond memories of the one place where you would love to perform again?
Ahh! This was in Germany at a music festival called 'Rock Buster' there were three bands singing in German, one in English, and there was us singing in Hindi. The craziest thing was when we played Ghoom our title track from Guru. The audience started singing! We won the first recording deal.

Coming to the logo of Punkh?
The logo was designed by Carsten Peter who is actually a web designer by profession. It basically it means Wings… I got the idea from reading this book on birds because I am an animal lover. So I basically got the logo idea from the book which was about eagles and how they start to glide when they reach go up high.

Who all are in Punkh?
We have Saibal Basu on guitars; He left the live music scene for a very long time as he did not find anything exciting or new. He was offered and called to play with many top bands but he did not feel up to it. He heard the music and was like you're the most positive person I've met and he loved the music. 

Plus he has done a lot of other stuff like play for bollywood movies and writes stuff for other musicians, Yanger M Lee, he plays Bass and Rhythm guitar I know him from my days in Truecolours. Nikkhil is the most talented DJ who makes the Grooves happen and finally we have Robin Joseph an old friend of mine who raps for us.

 What about Carsten Peter?
Carsten Peter is a feature artist and we could only have him join us when he is town. So, as of now Robin takes his place and is one amazing rapper.

So your first love is Rock which now seems to have faded away?
No, no, no! It's hidden beneath, the problem we face is that the masses don't take to rock music too well and I don't blame them… Once we hit the road and head out on tours we would slowly bring in that rock element with a groove to it.  The main purpose of this album was a commercial viability which seems to be a win-win situation to everyone.

Tell me about the track Punjabi Na Aawe… from your debut album.
It's the first track, I got the idea when I went down to UK and was told about the new generation Punjabi kids who are Punjabi at heart but they don't speak Punjabi. The word Punjabi can be used in so many ways. 

I believe humor and music go and ahead and that's what the track is all about. It talks about the good thing that most of the new generation Punjabi kids are all about. We have DJ Suketu who has also remixed the track.

Is there's any difference in terms of audience participation and music appreciation at gigs or concerts?
Out there, you have these big guys some of them drunk and if they like the music, then you would see them pushing, jumping and stuff and from the stage you can see it transform into a wave and you do feel that energy while performing…. Out here they would be watching and checking you out and then finally they will clap. I think the Indian audience is more intelligent and they know what they want.

There hasn't been any Indian singer other than Freddie mercury to have really made it big in the western world; do you see yourself in that category anytime soon?
It's not easy buts it's not difficult as well. There will be a time when India where Indian musicians will be on top… and by then God willing I will be in that category.

After having studied music in depth, getting a music degree in Jazz and POP and then Majoring in Vocals, do you find that you have learnt everything?
More than what I learnt in Germany from my classes I learnt more living there and instead of attending classes I spent time producing and create stuff in the studio.

Any plans of having Punkh's music in any Bollywood films?
Yea, there's a friend who really like the track from the album and he's negotiating a deal with the record label to use the track in his movie.

What's the craziest thing that has ever happened to you while playing in a band in India?
Honestly, the day I got a gun stuck to my head… it may seem like a joke now but it wasn't funny when it happened. This happened in Nagaland after a gig we were going back and then there were some drunken guys who stopped us. I think they were militants or something. They said that I had made obscene gestures at them while performing and I was like 'no', because I knew for a fact we did no such thing. But after that harrowing experience I was all shaken up.

Where will Punkh be in the coming years?
I see Punkh as a big Indian band as the concept is different we plan to use sight and sound concept. And I think Punkh will break that little barrier and hopefully create a new wave of music out here.