It is an unheard of feat in the Indian music industry to find a band that has stayed for 22 long years together. Hailing from Delhi, Parikrama, which was formed in 1991, is the oldest hard rock band in the country that has not only stood the test of time but whose music has grown younger with every passing year.
But, Subir Malik, band manager and keyboardist takes an offence every time people refer to them as old. “Someone asked me the other day, 22 years is a long long time, and I said no it is not, come back and interview me when we are 50,” he says with a smile. It is truly heart warming to see the camaraderie they share with one another.
Malik says that it has been a conscious effort on the part of every member to ensure peace and sanctity in the group. According to him, the best part of the band is that each and every member is a good human being, with zero ego, which culminates in the music they make.
“Being a good human being is what matters in the end. It has always been our policy to take members who are genuine. One may be the best guitar player in the world, but if he is a lousy person, then chances are that he will come, destroy the peace and eventually get lost. If one is just 60% of a player and a nice person, he’ll still be able to learn along the way,” he says.
To celebrate the 22 years of togetherness, the six-member band will be performing in the city, at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday. They will be seen performing ‘Xerox’ -- their first original composition, which was never released. “The song is all about rock ‘n’ roll dreams and stuff like that. The last we played it was in 1992 winters and after that we’ll be playing it now,” he says.
In their two-decade long journey the band has had many memorable moments, but the most noteworthy of them is the one where they performed for the great rock legend, Iron Maiden. “It was a dream come true to play for our legends. When we played the very first song, they left their green rooms and stood on the wings, seeing the entire show. When we finished, the organisers came and told us to continue playing as Maiden wanted to hear more. That was an amazing feeling,” he says.
Currently, on the tour, they are gearing up for their performance in Pune. “We’ll, be performing -- Don’t cut me down, which was debuted at I-Rock Mumbai in 1998 and two brand new original compositions,” says Malik, while signing off.
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