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Music is the purpose of my existence: singer-songwriter and guitarist Winit Tikoo

Says singer-songwriter Winit Tikoo who will be performing at the SulaFest 2014

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You've probably seen him seen him on Coke Studio at MTV India season 3 on TV, if not at a gig. Born and brought up in Kashmir, singer-songwriter and guitarist Winit Tikoo has been living in Mumbai since the past 11 years. He performs with his band, the Winit Tikoo Band (formed in mid -2012) alongside Aditya Kadam (bass), Vivaan Kapoor (drums and percussion) and Vinay Kaushal (guitar). Some of their songs have Indian instruments as well, where Shahrukh Khan (sarangi) and Shriram Sampath (flute) step in. He hasn't released any album yet but is working on his first release which should be out in a couple of months.

Tikoo's association with music began very early in life, when he started learning HIndustani classical vocal music in Kashmir, at the age of five and learnt from his teachers until the age of 11, when he moved to Delhi. Classical vocal requires one to learn basic harmonium and tabla, so he did that too. Post that, he continued practising and learning on his own. His early listening years were filled with Hindustani classical and ghazals and Kashmiri folk. Also, Hindi film music of the 60s and 70s. Later, he got introduced the world of rock n roll, blues and melodic jazz.

Some of the musicians he has idolised musically over the years are Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Eddie Vedder, Axl Rose, Zak de la Rocha, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sting, Seal, Bjork, Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Mehdi Hasan, Ghulam Ali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and many more. Some of the albums that have had a huge role in shaping his songwriting are Use your Illusion I and II by Guns N Roses, Ten by Pearl Jam, Throwing Copper by Live, Collective Soul by Collective Soul, Pablo Honey by Radiohead and Evil Empire by RATM, other than the complete discographies of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

But before you mistake his music for 'Sufi' music, Tikoo likes to clairify that it's not so. "There's not much of a Sufi influence on my music. This is a misconception which needs to be clarified. Sufi musicians sing kalams of sufi poets and saints in praise of the almighty. My music is about life and happenings around me. I mostly sing my own writing or selectively, works of a few great poets that I connect with. Some people confuse that as 'Sufi'. My Urdu influence comes from Kashmir. Almost all of my songs take from Urdu," he says.

Some of his songs inlcude: Pagal, an alt rock track that talks about rain and the feeling of fulfillment after longing; Tamasha, a punk-rock track that highlights the messy situation that the common man finds himself in this country; and Chanab, another alt rock track which talks about the love between the common folk of India and Pakistan that the borders have not been able to divide.

When asked, what are his cherished moments so far and any milestones he'd like to achieve, Tikoo says, "My musical journey has just begun. I am not even an album old so I don't think of these as achievements but so far the most cherished moments have been bagging that spot on Coke Studio and playing The Dewarists stage at NH7 Pune and Bangalore. Starting with the release of my first album, I hope there are many many milestones in my musical journey." And what does music mean to him? "Music is the purpose of my existence. It is why I am here," he succintly summarises.

The Winit Tikoo Band is one of the many bands will be performing at the SulFest 2014. So what can the audience expect from them? "We haven't made a setlist yet. We will be playing almost the entire upcoming first album and some other songs. The audience can expect a high energy, poetic, alt rock set, tastefully beautified with some local sounds," says Tikoo, signing off.

So here's calling all music lovers to savour performances by various artists and bands Gypsy All Stars, Dub Pistols, Shpongle; Avial; Susheela Raman, The Dualers, Baycity Lights, Vasuda Sharma, and DJs Gaudi Live DJ Anna, at the SulaFest 2014.

lisa.antao@dnaindia.net

WHEN & WHERE: SulaFest 2014, February 1 to 2, 12.30 to 10.30 pm, Sula Vineyards, Nashik
 

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