Western music came to Calcutta ? or rather Park Street ? a long, long time ago. With performers like Usha Uthup (then Iyer), Louiz (then Louis) Banks, Biddu and Gary Lawyer performing at various hotels, the city was on song three decades ago. Then came a long lull, with the city all but robbed of its rhythm.

Some of that has changed with the advent ? and achievements ? of Bangla bands. With the Chandrabindoos and Bhoomis rocking the college stage and the big auditoriums alike, picking up a guitar and getting the gang together for some song and dance seems the easiest thing to do. But before banding together make sure you have what it takes and you can take what it has in store.

Beat basics

There is a lot of sweat (and often blood) that goes into making a band. You must be clear and confident of what part you?re playing in the gig for you?ve got to be completely clued into music from all parts of the world. ?Pick up the nice things from all genres. You might be playing rock, but some knowledge of folk music will always come handy,? says Soumitro Ray of Bhoomi.

Words? worth

A boy-girl band is all about youth and exuberance. So, if you are not talking the language of the youth you might as well press the mute button. A well-written song is as important as a good tune. As a Bangla band, be the voice of the Bengali youth and talk about their joys and sorrows.

Dream on

?Though the foundation of Bhoomi was laid on a joke that somebody cracked, factors like lack of sensible music groups and the social conditions prompted us to form the band. The popularity of our music led us to put in more effort and now we are reaping the benefits,? says Soumitro. The financial rewards and the accolades aside, harbouring the dream of being on the horizon is a major driving force.

Gang up

Harmony should not be in the music alone, but also within the gang. It helps if you have known your band members for a while. If the group lacks coordination, it?s just a matter of time before it all comes unplugged. ?We are a group of seven on stage, so a very high level of coordination is required between the hands and the vocalists,? says Biswa Mitra, lead vocalist of Dhumketu.

Practise hard

Getting a guitar is just the start. Practising hard is the mantra. But be prepared to face resistance. ?We would practise in one of our band member?s house in Hazra but the neighbours would often complain about the din we created. It?s different that they are the first ones to reach at our shows now,? recalls Biswa.

Check the decibel level when you practise, Johnny-come-lately, ?coz you?re sure to strike the wrong chord with your surroundings. So, it?s better to rent a place (after impressing the landlord with your sound, not noise).

Start sputter

Start out assuming that the start-up will be bumpy. Resistance from family, roadblock to stage shows and thorny path to first album are all part of the game. Wanna quit? Don?t play.

Stage clutter

The bottom rung is crowded but there is always space at the top. Every club or college might boast a band, but it requires ?heavy mettle? to belong to the big stage.

Cash colour

Just when you fear you will never see the colour of money can come that break. Once established, a band can command a good market price for stage shows. ?In Calcutta, we charge anything between Rs 45,000 and Rs 50,000 (including equipment and transportation cost). But if we go for shows to the US or the UK, where there are a considerable number of Bengalis, the amount almost doubles,? says Soumitro.

If you are an upcoming band, do not set your sights so high. ?With our own lights, sound and equipment we charge anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 depending on the area and the organisers,? says Abhishek Saha of Dhumketu.

Besides stage performances, road shows are a lucrative option but it sure means a hard day?s night.

Glam grind

A beeline for the ticket counters, fans screaming hysterically and your songs being played in every nook and corner of Calcutta? If and when that happens, one thing you can be sure of ? the slog that has gone into that sweet sound of success is huge. ?This profession will give you anything but leisure time. There have been times when drops of sweat have trickled from my nose to my toes. And when I would look at my shoes I would realise how strenuous a job it is,? recalls Soumitro, who also admits that the applause and the accolades make him forget the fatigue.

Boom dhoom

Puja time is boom time for Bangla bands. But generally, the period from September to February is the peak period. ?The festive season is a factor and moreover nobody wants to sit in a packed auditorium in the month of May,? says Biswa.

Stick around

That one song might give you wind beneath your viewless wings, but staying on top is tougher than getting there. Once you deliver a big hit, the only way up could be down. So, just keep strumming harder.

Top five

Bhoomi

Chandrabindoo

Paras Pathar

Cactus

Dhumketu

(Based on current sales figures at MusicWorld and Crossword)

SOUND SCAM

After a debut with the eponymous set of rock anthems on love, Fossils is set to unleash the power of its “anti-establishment” second offering, pre-Puja.

Musically, the sound of Fossils II is closer to contemporary hard rock than Fossils, with elements culled from diverse genres like alternative, blues, progressive, psychedelic, heavy metal and punk. “We strongly oppose whatever is static and stagnant,” observes singer-lyricist Rupam.

And the angst flows freely through finely chopped rock riffs, from the rhythm-driven opening ballad Keno korle erokom to the vitriolic Acid and the funky Bicycle chor.

Production house Asha Audio ensures “international quality” with recording and mixing at city-based Solaris and mastering done at Sterling Sounds, New York, by Steve Fallone. “Fossils have their own sound, with a great hard rock feel,” writes Fallone, who has mastered the likes of Eric Clapton and Norah Jones.

Fossils: Rupam (vocals), Chandra (bass), Partha (guitar), Deep (guitar), Bubun (drums) and Parikshit (management).

Float along

Shaggy of Oh Carolina and Boombastic fame will perform in New Delhi on October 1 and in Mumbai on October 3. Sixteen lucky youngsters from Calcutta will get a chance to see Shaggy perform live. To get on board, one has to keep a tryst with the Romanov Shaggy float travelling to the hotspots in town. On Saturday, the float will be all over town, starting at Ultadanga at 1.20 pm and ending at Bosepukur at 7.30 pm, via Khanna Cinema, Sovabazar and Swabhumi.