When they bagged their first show, they were
thrilled. But once they reached the venue, they realised that they would
have to give an audition before they were allowed to get up on stage. The
organisers were just not sure how good an all-girl rock band would be.
“We were finally given 12 minutes to perform,” says
Mamoni Kalita, lead vocalist of ‘Band of Hurricane Gals’, the first
all-girl band from the Northeast. The Bihu show in Guwahati, telecast live
on national television, was a hit. A news channel called the band the next
day to do a feature on them and the response was amazing. “We received 700
calls in one day, all congratulating us,” says Kalita.
That was in 2011. Since then the Hurricane Gals have swept away all
criticism from their path to pursue their passion. “Music is a God-given
talent; and you should never abandon it,” says Kalita. The six-member band
have been vocal in their support of Pragaash, Kashmir’s only all-girl band
who quit performing after a fatwa was issued against them.
“They shouldn’t give up. If they want any help we will extend it to them,”
says Kalita. “We will play with them. And if any storm comes, we will face
it smilingly.”
Female rockers are not very common in India. The
field has generally been a male bastion. But a few adventurous girls are
now making their presence felt on the music scene.
“Initially, it was all about the excitement. We
began for the fun of it,” says Mithy Tatak of The Vinyl Records, a
four-piece Delhi-based girl band. “All of us are from Arunachal Pradesh.
Three of us studied at the same school and we used to jam together. We met
the vocalist at a music school and the band just happened,” says the
drummer. The band, which plays Indie post punk rock, has since performed at
all kinds of venues, including pubs, festivals, college campuses and even
at Tihar jail.
Apparently, it’s also more difficult for girl bands
to get bookings: “You have to work twice as hard to prove yourself,” says
Tatak. Worshon Muivah of Minute of Decay, a Delhi-based classic fusion rock
band says people are still surprised that women can play rock. “It’s
sometimes funny. My sister is a drummer, and when we perform, all the video
cameramen rush towards her.”
However, guitarist Karen Donoghue of Afflatus, a
Shillong-based all-girl outfit, feels that good music will always find an
audience. “It is still a novelty to see women play rock. It takes the first
15 minutes for people to let go of their preconceived notions and become
neutral,” she says. The band hopes to release its own album soon.
Other challenges also crop up. Families may not be
too happy, at least initially. “They felt that while they had sent us far
away to study, but we were instead pursuing music,” says Tatak. “They
didn’t want it to affect our career but we have done a good job of
balancing studies and performances.”
But in most cases families tend to be supportive.
Minute of Decay is a three-member, all-sister band that plays classic
fusion rock. “Our parents introduced us to music, bought us instruments and
asked us to practise and do something worthwhile with it,” says Muivah. The
25-year-old grew up listening to Suzi Quatro, Joan Jett, Mr Big, The
Beatles, CCR, Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin.
Security is always an issue, of course. “Whenever
we get gigs, four men, including me, travel everywhere with the girls. We
take care of the sound, handle the equipment and also ensure there is
adequate security,” says C’sam, Minute of Decay’s tour manager.
Tatak says they don’t have any bodyguards. “We are
always meeting new people and we pray it all goes fine,” she hopes.
Still, making your mark in the world of Indian rock
is difficult. Donoghue feels lack of a platform also discourages women from
taking it up as a career. But there are also other reasons — long,
late-night shows; time spent away from the family; and security issues.
“Being in a band requires a lot of commitment. You have to be together,
work on lyrics and travel. After marriage, it gets more difficult and, for
some, impossible,” rues Tatak.
However, a few determined gal rockers are
determined to brave it out. “We feel music transcends gender, religion and
even age,” says Donoghue. “It all depends on how passionate you are.”
priya.menon@timesgroup.com
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