Prose and Conflict






Cactus

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Cactus :

Back in early 90's, the average Bengali was not used to the idea of bangla rock. A very small percentage of the mass used to listen to rock music and that was essentially in English, language was the barrier.

Cactus was formed way back in 1992. Inspired by DEEP PURPLE, PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN and IRON MAIDEN- we started the journey with the purpose of making some real good rock music in a language closer to our soil (we are the first ever organized bangla rock act) thereby growing its vista (erasing its existing limitations).The professional debut of the band saw the light of the day on 6th March 1993 at Aban Mahal (CLT) Kolkata. It tasted some success when our first self titled album came out in 1999 released from HMV with the following departments taken care of: VOCALS- SIDDHARTHA, GUITARS- SANJAY, KEYBOARD-KANISKA(PINKY), BASS-SHUBAYAN, DRUMS -SIBAJI (BAJI), VOCALS-RAJESH and AVIJIT (BABI).

Along this journey we had to part ways with many of our friends for different reasons some personal some not.

Like in 2000 RAJESH left and AVIJIT (POTA) joined.

In 2003 for the first time in the history of bangla music, a bangla rock band got associated with a Bengali movie titled NIL NIRJONE and the soundtrack for the movie was released. Cactus (VOCALS- SIDDHARTHA, GUITARS- SANJAY, KEYBOARD-KANISKA, VOCALS-POTA, BASS-SHUBAYAN and DRUMS -SIBAJI) composed and performed all the songs in the movie along with a bit of acting thrown here and there.

In early 2002 SHUBAYAN left the band and SANDIP joined the band to carry on the bass duties.

In early 2004 KANISKA decided to leave Cactus and SUDIPTO stepped into his shoes.

In October 2004 the second album of Cactus titled RAJAR RAJA was released from ASHA AUDIO and this time the line up was VOCALS- SIDDHARTHA, GUITARS- SANJAY, BASS-SANDIP, KEYBOARD-KANISKA and SUDIPTO, VOCALS-POTA and DRUMS -SIBAJI.

In early 2005 we had to part ways with POTA and SAYAK was roped in to carry on the voyage.

And the journey towards the sun is still on… you are welcome to join and be a part of history…………

Influences : Led zep , motor head, floyd , victor wooten , jaco ,
slipknot, korn , nightwish , tbone , bb king -- etc

Albums:
Cactus : self titled
Nil Nirjaney : Ost
Rajar Raja

· Allaince Francaise, Chandigarh
· Fete de la Musique, World Music Day 2001 concert, Delhi
· ETV Anandadhara Sharadotsav
· Indo-UK workshop on Cultural festivals and tourism, Kolkata
· Doordarshan New Year's Eve programme-2000-2001; 1999-2000; 1996-97
· Concert for Kargil
· ABP Barshabaran 2000, 1999
· Hero Honda/ Thums Up Bangla New Year
· Indo-Bangladesh rock concert
· Freedom 50 Concert
· Anandalok-Ujala Awards night
· Millenium Vishwa Banga Sammelan
· ATN World launch show
· Rockbaaji-----Patshala2.com & Britannia
· Bengal Film Journalists Association ( BFJA) Awards Nite
· Anando Award 'for music 2002
· Shalimar ABP 'Additiya Tour' 2003.
· Kalyani Black Label/ Pantaloons/ Pepsi - Cheer India World Cup series of seven concerts 2003.
· Kalyani Black Label's… Bangla Rock 2002 along with MIlLES(Bangladesh)
· ABP Aditiya 2003
· Haldia Utsav 2003 & 2006
· Kalyani Black Label's… Bangla Rock 2003, 2004, 2005…
· Concert …Done that
· Organised a 12 hour show Plug 'n Play, World AIDS Day Concert 2001
· Voted the best musical act of the year and won the Chancellor Anandalok Award for music 2001.
· The only band to hold a stall at the Bangla Sangeet Mela .
· The first Banglaa rock band to be featured on MTV in 1995
· Went live on Zee Music's COMPACT DISC
· featured on STAR TV's "Good Morning India"
· Channel V shot us for their "Campus" show
· Cut our debut album with HMV in May 1999
· The First Banglaa Band to feature and make music for the movie Nil Nirjone in 2002/03.
· AGAIN organized Plug 'n Play, World AIDS Day Concert 2003
· Society Magazine : Interior Exterior Award

CONCERTS with artist from other countries:
· Rock Jugalbandi
· Epar Opar concert
· Concert for Peace 2005
· Republic Rock 2006

Contact :
Please email : lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com for more details






47


47 : This band is one of the few daring bengali bands who have chosen to educate the massess about well pedigreed music through their alternative sound.....

The band itself is pretty recent --it took shape in 2006 just to go in a head on clash with the heavy weights at Kbl-"war of the rockstars"--and it was successful by far and by large--

though this band did not qualify as uno dos ter's elites in the contest it sent out massive sound waves thru the hearts of the crowd which led to a huge acceptance and liking for their sound.

The band remains under ground still -- and down the line it has won a number of underground rock contests thrashing out the opponents participating in them they also have a number of hit singles under their belts like :
Nishi,Dwitio purush,Nirbaan,Juddho,Debi.

47 are : Ronny - guitar
Susovon - bass
Arindam - drums
Apu - vocal

Influences : mark tremonti, chuck schuldiner, zakk wylde, paco de lucia victor wooten, john myung,gabu da (lokkhichhara) disturbed, creed, pota (ex-cactus), paban das baul

Contact info:
Phone number: Please email lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com for details
email : evilred13@gmail.com






Rikterskale

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Rikterskale :

YEAR OF FORMATION : In this time of globalization, changes are constant and such changes have also influenced bangla music. The acceptance of bangla bands to the youth fraternity is growing everyday. Among the present bangla bands "RIKTERSKALE" is the latest inclusion.



RIKTERSKALE is a heavy metal outfit with its base in CALCUTTA. We are the first band in this part of the nation to have produced the kind of sound that we do. Strong revolutionary lyrics and the attitude to fight against all odds are the main driving forces of the band. All the songs of RIKTERSKALE have a strong inner message, which becomes clear from their anti-establishment lyrics.

The band started off in 1999 as “CHARONDAL” when we had a rich repertoire of love ballads and pop rock numbers. Over the last few years we have done a number of live gigs across the city along with it we also had been a part of some interactive sessions in both radio and television. But with time we shifted genre and the band also went through some lineup changes and later changed its name to "RIKTERSKALE" in 2004.
Now as we stand today as RIKTERSKALE not only believe in our own music but has also succeeded in incorporating the whole philosophy behind our music in our own life and that’s where we start sounding different from the rest of the bandwagon.



RIKTERSKALE launched their maiden album named "REINCARNATION" on 16th December 2005. The first song of this album named "Bhoy" deals with the eternal inner conflict of every human being. "Shantibango" draws the picture of a state under political turmoil whereas the song "jaago" gives a wake-up call to the entire humanity. The versatility in lyrics and strong hard rock arrangement of this album has been widely appreciated. So much so that the critics of bangla music in Bangladesh have also given rave reviews about this album. This album released from GENESIS RECORDS is surely a collector’s item for all music lovers.

VOCALS: SAURAV
GUITAR: ABHISHEK
GUITAR: MONTY
BASS: AAKASH
KEYBOARDS: DAVE
DRUMS: ROMIE
MANAGEMENT: AMITABH

ALBUMS RELEASED : REINCARNATION ( EXPERIMENTAL ALBUM)...

INFLUENCES : 80'S ROCK / IRON MAIDEN / APOCALYPTICA / CRADLE OF FILTH / NIGHTWISH /
SONATA ARCTICA / AND MANY MORE........

29th November, 2000 Production Engineering fresher at Jadavpur
University
16th December, 2000 Bangla Rock Fest at Asutosh Memorial Hall
31st December, 2000 New Year’s Night gig (Tata Consultancy Service)
27th March, 2001 Asutosh College social at Asutosh Memorial Hall
27th October, 2001 Electronics Engineering fresher at Jadavpur
University
28th October, 2001 Mechanical Engineering fresher at Jadavpur
University
1st December, 2001 Aids Day Rock Out at Nazrul Manch
4th November, 2002 Moitree Zonasa at Sibpur B.E college
27th April, 2003 Video shoot for a Bengali channel (Tara Bangla)
4th February, 2004 Interactive session at a Bangla Radio Station
(106.2 FM)
18th August, 2004 Korean Food Festival at I.I.H.M Campus
25th August, 2004 Anniversary Night at Lake Club
18th December, 2004 International Food Fest at Nalban by I.I.H.M
27th August, 2005 Int’o’fresholations at Jadavpur University
28th August, 2005 Annex College of Management social at
Rangmanch (Swabhumi)
12th September, 2005 Vidyasagar college social at Mahajati Sadan
19th September, 2005 DIATM college social at Durgapur
9th October, 2005 at “Kalibari” Bhillai city (bhillai steel plant)
(Chattisgarh)
10th October, 2005 at “Sector 5” Bhillai city (bhillai steel plant)
(Chattisgarh)
10th November, 2005 a cultural pragramme arranged for the small
poor kids living in the streets organized
by a NGO house “HIVE – INDIA”
23rd November, 2005 at " Calcutta University" English dept
24th November, 2005 at " Calcutta University"
16th December, 2005 Album release party at Planet M
24th December, 2005 Ram Mohan College (girls) Social
31st December, 2005 New Year’s Night gig (Lion's club, Siliguri)
26th January, 2006 "Republic Rock Concert" at Rabindra Sarobar
Stadium.
27th January, 2006 at MCKV Engg College (Liluah)
29th January, 2006 Played accoustic live on Radio Mirchi recorded
at Kolkata Book Fair
31st January, 2006 at NIFT (salt lake city campus - kolkata)
5th February, 2006 at B.E Model School (Sibpur)
7th February, 2006 at Coochbehar Polytechnic College
3rd March, 2006 at Netaji Subhas Engg College "Tech Fest"
4th March, 2006 at Durgapur B.C.Roy Engg College
18th March, 2006 at Eastern Academy of Science and Technology
(Bhubaneswar, Orissa)
19th March, 2006 at Institute of Business Management (Jadavpur)
28th March, 2006 at Sanskriti’06 (Engg Dept) at Jadavpur University
Campus
14th April, 2006 at North Eastern Regional Institute of Science
and Technology (Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh)
14th May, 2006 Video shoot for a U.S based bangla channel
(S. TV) for 5 original soundtracks of our latest
album.
4th June, 2006 Times of India Nie Fun Fest at SWABHUMI
(Urban Zone)
7th June, 2006 Launch of Café Coffee Day outlet at Sarat Bose
Road (Kolkata)
9th August, 2006 Corporate event for Eureka forbes at Kala Mandir
30th August, 2006 Shooting for a Tara Bangla programme named
"BANDEMONIUM"
1st October, 2006 at Salt lake Dwigantika

CONTACT DETAILS : PHONE/EMAIL ETC. :
rikterskale@musician.org
For Phone Numbers Email lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com
15. WEBSITE (IF ANY) : N/A










Insomnia

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Insomnia :

Think about sleep and being awake in longing for sleep. Symbolically, they represent the states of ‘rest and unrest’ or ‘peace and disturbance’. In our lives, everyday is an endless disturbing struggle for existence, living, life…this state of unrest that we all live in, is what we call INSOMNIA. It is our search, as a band, to find answers and pave ways out of this unrest to that state of peace and serenity. It is our intention to lead all of us to that Promised Land.

Who are ‘INSOMNIA’?

  1. Vocals – Sayantan
  2. Vocals/Guitars – Dodo
  3. Guitars /Vocals – Bodhi
  4. Keyboards/Vocals – Souvik
  5. Bass – Pom
  6. Drums – Rohit

Public Relations: Rahul Mehra

Genre:

‘Visionary Rock’: Rock music with a vision; music that makes you think; music that makes sense. In our self-composed music, we would not like to place ourselves in any rigid genre, as we work with many kinds of sounds and arrangements but the closest description would be nu-age alternative rave rock . There is an emphasis on lyrical content. We draw inspiration from classic hard rock, art music, psychedelia, electronica, new age, blues, etc.

As we believe ‘music is not only classical but also massical’, we perform our stage shows in vast array of musical genres covering popular songs from pop to rock to dance to psychedelia. We do this in both English and Bangla. However, we are best at our own music.

Along with stage performances and concerts, we also do theatre sound-scaping and background scoring for films and serials.

Insomnia were Eastern Zonal Winners and All – India 2nd Runners up at Castrol Garage Rock, 2003 held in Mumbai

Insomnia were Finalists at the All – India Rock band competition at Springfest 2003, IIT Kharagpur

Insomnia have rocked crowds in schools and colleges on the following occasions:


R G Kar Medical College freshers’ welcome, 2003

South Point High School, Melting Point, 2004

Pailan Institute of Management freshers’ welcome, 2004

Calcutta Medical College, Annual Fest, 2004

District Interact Council, Annual Fest, 2004

St. Xavier’s College, Xavotsav, 2004

etc...


Insomnia organised the concert, Reach Out and played in it along with the leadingEnglish bands of Calcutta. The concert also featured Usha Uthup, Amyt Datta and Nandan Bagchi and raised funds for the children of Reach.

Insomnia in 2002 paid tribute to Pink Floyd & Jimmy Hendrix at the Srijan Rooftop

Albums:
Cry Of The Spirit self Produced english album

Proloyer Somoi First ever Bengali Alternative Album Released By Asha Audio

Telephone : Email lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com for details

Address : 281, Jodhpur Park. Kolkata-700 068. West Bengal. India

Email : insomnia1999@sify.com







Prithibi


Prithibi :

Originally what started out as a college band back in 14th august 2001 has indeed come a long way. The line up has seen changes over the years and it has been a chemical reaction which has been permutated And combined like crazy but finally got ready to take centre stage with six groovy musicians….

Prithibi first came into lime light at Band-E-Mataram – an all state Rock competition organized by Sangeet bangla an acclaimed music channel. They were the runners up of that event but they sent out their vibrations All throught the state……

Wat started out as an experiment in the college staircase and the regular evening addas of coffee house and Nandan now finally Hit the Calcutta Bengali Music Circuit head on with a big bang. Till date they have done at least more than 150 live stage shows a considerable number of jingle work And innumerable college fests….

This band boasts of musicians of a very high pedigree Prithibi is
Kaushik – Lead vocals
Ameen - Key boards\backing vox
Proshanto- Bassist \backing vox
Samarpan – guitars\backing vox
Bubun- Lead Guitars
Tabla- Drums/Pad

The sound of prithibi is very groovy with a sharp edge of Classic rock – The band has their first album all ready and set for mastering and it is To be released in early January A heavy influence of revolutionary tendencies and antiestablishment Can be found in their lyrics

Members also attached with the Likes of Crystal Grass -- Kheya
-- and the likes

Contact Details: prithibimusic@rediffmail.com
Phone: Email lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com for number
Website: Under construction






Orient Express


ORIENT EXPRESS :

They love to salsa. And that Bossa Nova beat always gets them going. Meet Monojit Datta and his wife of eight years, Sreya, both of who are an intrinsic part of Calcutta’s only Latin band, The Orient Express. Every Monday night in the smoky environs of The Park™s popular watering hole, Someplace Else, you âll find the two, along with the remaining eight members of the band, seducing the crowd with Samba and Salsa or jamming to the heady beats of Latin Jazz.

Monojit is a gifted percussionist, composer and lyricist who has since the very beginning, steered The Orient Express on the right track. For the past eight years now, the band has been doing the rounds of the local music circuit, taking their unique blend of music everywhere from college campuses and nightclubs to television shows and even Ramoji Film City for a New Year’s Eve bash about three years ago. Monojit and The Orient Express have released four albums thus far including The Night is Young, Sizzling, Colores and Bondhu Shunte Pacho, their maiden attempt to infuse some Latin magic into the Bangla market. The endeavour obviously worked for the band is now hard at work on another Bangla album which is slated for release later this year or early next year.

Adding a good measure of woman power to the band is trained classical pianist, Sreya, whose forte is the accordion.

Catch Orient express live every monday at usual 9 pm slot
at Some Place Else (the Park) Kolkata







Krosswinds


KROSSWINDS :

Primarily a progressive world/fusion band, now focusing on world music and soulful songs, lyric oriented. Professionally performing concerts all over india for the last fourteen years. Krosswindz is a crosspollinatiom of rural folk music of india with the sounds of folk traditions from around the world. The result, a potpouri of sounds deeply rooted in the soil that touches the heart and speaks the common language of humankind.

Music Style- world, folk, ambient progressive fusion Musical Influences Pat Metheny, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Joni Mitchell, Basudev Baul, Ghulam Ali, Eric Johnson, Sting, Brian Eno, etc.

Similar Artists- Suzanne Vega, Protima Barua(folk singer), yossou n dour, u2, sting, cranberries, santana.

Artist History- Band was formed in 1990, has toured all over india and playing at all major college festivals and stadium concerts. The band is still busy gigging all over the country.

The band has performed and collaborated with internationally reputed names like HERBIE HANCOCK(USA), SKY HIGH(SWEDEN), TIZIAN JOST(GERMANY), PANDIT RAMESH MISHRA(INDIAN SARENGI PLAYER OF INTERNATIONAL REPUTE), THE JAZZ AMBASSADORS(USA), the music of krosswindz has been featured in numerous documentary films and commercials. Presently the award winning film THE WAY BACK HOME by film maker SUPRIYO SEN featured the vocals of CHANDRANI(KROSSWINDZ) prominently as a background score for the film. Supriyo Sen has received a grant from the prestigious Jan Vrijman Fund (of the The International Documentary Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) on the basis of a worldwide competition of scripts for the production of his fourth film “Way Back Home”.

Group Members- Vikramjit(tuki)lead guitar backing vocals/songwriter producer, chandrani-lead vocals/songwriter, ratanjit-keyboards. Instruments guitar, nylon string guitar, mandolin, khamak, dotara(indian folk instruments), dhol, djembe, khol, drums, congas, timbales, cabasa, guiros, triangles, shakers, bass guitar, keyboards, computer based sequencers, samplers etc.

t,keys sound engineer
debuda-urband reflections,sessions
nigel-wise

chirodeep lahiri-satdanitin=bassist spuersonics,21 grams
avinash-ex soundcheck drumer present supersonics
neel mukherjee-acclaimed flamenco guiatrist &documentaries
boney-vocals, first performer of ghore ferar gaan and telefone--documentaries musik director

robin-bhoomi violinsy nite blues,span,4wd
rajiv-shiva,cognac,plan B
dwaipayon-orient xpress,ganga grooves,krosswindz, -----drums,percussion,voclals
osi-plan B
neel-wise,span,class apart(fusion project)ads ,musical theate etc

Albums(discography)- Singles - BMG Crescendo(India), Poth Geche Benke - Sagarika, One World - Kosmic Music, Bhebe Dekhecho ki - Kosmic Music. Compilations - Aabar Bochor Kooree porey - Mohiner Ghoraguli, Khyapar Gaan - Mohiner Ghoraguli, Moni Chara Shunno Laagey various artists, THE MUSIC OF THE GLOBE-JOE ANTHONY PRODUCTIONS(USA).

For More Info About Visit:
(web page expired/underconstruction)
For contact details : Please email lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com






Cassinis Division

Monday, November 27, 2006

Cassinis Division : For five years Cassini's Division have been taking their brand of emotionally charged modern rock to an ever growing audience with whom the band seems to share an uncanny, almost spiritual connection.Based in Calcutta, India, the band weaves a sonic tapestry that combines the whiplash distortion of nu-metal and the melodic heart of emo with the ambient darkness of Goth pop. With major Indian rock festivals and a limited edition EP under its belt, the band is set to enter the studio in August to begin recording their first full length album The Ringside View. Musical Influences:

Rahul: Singer-songwriters Bob Dylan, Eddie Vedder, Michael Stipe, jazz-fusion guitar greats from Jeff Beck to Larry Carlton, progressive groups like Yes and King Crimson, African and Indian music.

John: Dilip 'Nutun' Dutt - acoustic guitar guru, who got me really listening and my sister, Lena, for hiding the chords. Phil Keaggy, Michael O'Martian, Pat Metheny, Eric Johnson, Nathan East, Stefan Lessard, Nightwish, Rhapsody, Nirvana, Radiohead, Incubus, Staind, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit.

Sukanti: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, Tesla, AC/DC, Jethro Tull, Poison, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Linkin Park, Eminem, Crazytown, 311, Alien Ant Farm, Disturbed, REM, Pet Shop Boys.

Ludo: Santana, Sting, Mongo Santa Maria, Tito Puente, Pink Floyd, Carlos 'Patato' Valdez, Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, The Police, DMB, Richie Gajate-Garcia, Al Di Meola, Giovanni Hidalgo, Amyt Dutta, Monojit Dutta.

Earlier members : Arka das aka Dodo (drums) presently playing at Ganga Groove
Shoumik aka bangon (bassist) presently working somewhere out of Kolkata

Albums :
Living in the Loop (ep-released--)
The Ring side View (comming in jan\feb)
Band Contact info :
Email : Omega@Cassinisdivision.com
Phone number:email at lettersandtomatoes@gmail.com (for ph numbers)
Postal Address: FD 243, SectorIII, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700-091



For more info log on to : www.cassinisdivision.com






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