Showing posts with label Ehsaan Noorani interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ehsaan Noorani interview. Show all posts
I’ve always suggested that musicians do something on the side to build their income-Ehsaan Noorani
8:31 AM
Week after the conclusion of the Big Blues Band Hunt event, mentor Ehsaan Noorani explores why the genre deserves the spotlight
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; February 3, 2025)
Unintended though it may be, a conversation with Ehsaan Noorani sheds light on the dichotomy between making a career as a blues musician and being financially independent while at it. Never one to tackle a question lackadaisically—be it relating to his work as part of the revered Bollywood trio, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, or as an independent musician—Noorani permits bias when discussing matters relating to the genre that originated among African-Americans.
“The one thing that people should know about this genre is that rock, jazz, and metal come from blues music. They are all derivatives of that. It’s a genre that’s popular across the globe. Even though there aren’t many festivals promoting it, it is still celebrated. So, why should we not promote such a beautiful genre that everyone can enjoy?” asks the ace guitarist while discussing mentoring the Big Blues Band Hunt along with Zubin Balaporia.
In encouraging aspiring musicians to chase the style that has long held his admiration, Noorani, however, will not lead them astray. Well aware of the internal negotiation a musician must be part of when deciding to venture into the industry whilst seeking financial security, Noorani may be reminded of his own personal battles when turning mentor to the next generation. “I don’t know if you can support yourself as part of a blues band,” he says matter-of-factly.
“There are a couple of bands that did that, like Soulmate, which unfortunately is not together anymore. It doesn’t pay the kind of income that you would need to live properly in a big city. So, I’ve always suggested that musicians do something on the side to build their income until the time arrives when they can earn a favourable income stream from music.”
The musician, however, doesn’t leave the conversation at that. Asserting that a variety of factors now come into play when determining an artiste’s success, he points to the multiple avenues available at their disposal when they decide to chart their careers.
“I’m not very unhappy with my progress over the years, in spite of not having the facilities and access to media. I’m sure that if we had access to YouTube, and all the kinds of music that are available online, things could have been different. In America, one can listen to whatever they want on radio stations. So, [music becomes part of] their DNA. Unfortunately, that was not the case when we were starting our journey. Now, there’s access to so much content. You can watch concerts and instructional videos as well. Availability of good equipment is also useful.”
The shift has been evident as the latest edition of the festival saw the participation of musicians who could indeed stay true to the genre. It was a welcome change for Noorani, who had, until the previous years, noticed that participants were aiming to use the platform to showcase their skills as rock artistes, or those fluent in other genres. “But, this year, 80 per cent of the entries were of those who played blues alone. That was a pleasant surprise.”
The festival will take place this week and will feature an act by the winning band, John Blue Ensemble.
We’ve been told people skipped Bandish Bandits's talkie portions to hear the music - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
8:34 AM
While agreeing that a song’s visual appeal keeps a web-film watcher from hitting the forward button, The Archies composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy say its sonic quality keeps them coming back on audio streaming platforms
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; December 4, 2023)
Having created six of the 17 songs that form the backbone of The Archies musical, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy say they felt they could “smell sponge cake in the room”, when they watched the final edit. “It’s such a sweet film,” they promise, as they discuss recording with Suhana Khan, and working with Javed Akhtar.
Edited excerpts of the interview.
There’s always something special about the music you’ll make for a Zoya Akhtar-film. Why is that so?
Ehsaan: [We are given] the freedom to create. She never blocks an idea and says, ‘No, let’s try something else.’ Her attitude is respectful to the creative person.
Shankar: There are certain directors whose presence in the studio [enables] the music to flow easily. There may be parts of the music that we use or don’t use, or mould at a later stage. For example, the song Va Va Vroom came out to be as it is because he [Ehsaan] randomly played one line, and we decided to record it. Only later did we recall we had this recording. It was a founder’s ball, and we realized this would fit the scene because it has an element of rock. So, when music flows easily, it feels fresh to the listener.
Many cast members, like Dot, are also singers. Suhana has also lent her voice to a song. Did you’ll sit with them to discuss the music?
Shankar: For Suhana’s part, we wanted someone who had the required voice, age, and innocence. The singers we recorded sounded too professional. When she sang it, we said, this is it. She was nervous but practiced a lot.
Ehsaan: The song that she sang has a conversational quality. Another song has been sung by Kelly Dlima. These young singers are all unheard of. They’ve been singing in the studio, but now they’ll get this excellent break.
Shankar: There is one song that is completely picturized on skates. The kids had to learn skating for it.
Ehsaan: There’s another that has been rendered by Arijit [Singh]. People will be surprised when they hear it. It’s unlike anything you’ve heard from Arijit. He was also thrilled with it.
When creating music for the web, where it’s easier for someone to hit fast-forward when a song plays, do you believe the emphasis on the visuals of the song has increased in a bid to lure the viewer to watch it?
Shankar: I would agree that that it is valid. But, 80 per cent of the music that is consumed in the country is non-visual. It is consumed on streaming platforms, where you aren’t seeing it. So, the perception that Bollywood is the only thing [that matters in the music industry] is not true. Bollywood is a small part of the whole game. Monetarily it’s a big part. But there’s a lot happening otherwise. We did a web series called Bandish Bandits. [We’ve been told that] people skipped the talkie portions to hear the music.
Loy: Our job is to write a great song. What is done with the visuals is on the director. But, we have to create a song that sounds amazing even without the visuals.
Shankar: You know, Senorita [Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara] was not supposed to be a song. It was a situation in which they were meant to jam with some Spanish musicians, and leave. When we created that [motif] we realized it was an amazing song. So, visuals were created for it, thereafter. That was also the case with Havan Kund in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. It was supposed to be a scene in the hostel. But Prasoon [Joshi] ji wrote a big paragraph, and that led to the making of a full song.
Since the songs are conversational, did you’ll spend more time with Javed Akhtar?
Shankar: We always do. I remember, when we were sitting with Javed saab for this film, he would tell us, ‘I have to [not consider] 80 per cent of the words in my vocabulary, because these kids are Anglo-Indians.’ Sometimes, Farhan [Akhtar] and I would playfully argue about some lyrics, and he’d say, ‘With your vocabulary, all I can do is send a telegram’. The kids in the film have limited vocabulary. So, he couldn’t write intricate poetry. He had to write simple words that still conveyed the message—whether that message was about politics or [love]. It had to be musical and the rhymes needed to fit the tune. Only he could have done this.
Farhan Akhtar is highly enthusiastic and amusing. Aamir Khan makes the process easier for us-Ehsaan Noorani
8:30 AM
Juggling a bunch of projects in Bollywood, Ehsaan of Shankar-Eshaan-Loy says script, director’s working style contribute to a soundtrack’s novelty
Parth Srivastava (MID-DAY; June 5, 2023)
Their names may not have hit the headlines for a while, but their reticence need not be mistaken for their absence from music-making. On the contrary, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have been neck-deep in work, bringing life to several big-budget Bollywood offerings that will be unveiled in the upcoming months.
Apart from the much-discussed Farhan Akhtar-directed venture Jee Le Zaraa, the trio also has Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur, Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies, and Avnish Barjatya’s Dono, in the pipeline. In an exclusive interview with mid-day, Ehsaan Noorani gives us a glimpse of how they have been juggling the multiple offerings.
“We’ve completed the compositions, and will soon start working on the background score,” he says of Vicky Kaushal-starrer Sam Bahadur. “While composing the soundtrack, we wanted to encapsulate the glory of Sir Manekshaw. [The music] needed to replicate how majestically he worked for the country during the Indo-Pak war in 1971. We’ve tackled another film based on the army, which was Lakshya. We had to be careful while working on these movies, because we can’t use random elements in them. Because his [Manekshaw] story is based in the early ’60s, we’ve used sounds [that belong to the era].”
Meanwhile, fans of the trio have their eyes set on their work in Jee Le Zaraa, Akhtar’s next outing, which is being touted as the female version of his 2011 film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. However, it will be a while before fans can get a dekko of the music given that “even the writing sessions have not commenced”.
“Only after that is done will we work on the music. The team intends to kick off the sessions in a couple of weeks,” he promises. “However, for [Zoya’s] The Archies, we have commenced working on the background score. The songs have been completed and shot, but they have yet to be fine-tuned.”
Apart from the decades of experience that they rely on while composing music, the trio would also, perhaps, employ tropes to retain novelty across multiple projects. Noorani agrees. “When the script is being narrated to us, we try to be vigilant and attentive. Each time that we sit to compose, we think about the scenario and the script so that each and every thing aligns with the scene that we are dealing with. The music needs to match the scene. In each album, some experimentation is involved. SEL is all about experimenting with new sounds, and music. We try to avoid repetition of any kind. We are also attentive to the needs of the audience for whom we are creating the music.”
Apart from adapting their styles to fit the scene, Noorani says the trio also benefits from the wealth of information that a director brings to the table. “We have had a terrific time working with all our directors. Each of them is distinct in his own way. When we work with Farhan, we find him to be highly enthusiastic, and amusing. Aamir Khan would constantly work towards making the process easier for us while we collaborated for Taare Zameen Par. So, each director has a working style that’s unique.”
There's no way we'll compromise on quality - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
7:52 AM
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on Rock On!! 2 and the current situation with indie music in India
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; October 18, 2016)
They are celebrated music composers in Bollywood, but Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (SEL) have an identity beyond Hindi film music. They are solo musicians, who also support the country’s non-film music scene. Shankar Mahadevan runs an online music academy while Ehsaan Noorani performs with ensemble bands like Fender & Friends and String Society. Loy Mendonsa is a familiar face in live jazz sets and has reformed his electronica group Instant Karma with Ehsaan. In a bid to promote indie music, the trio has come on board as content co-curators for an initiative by Hungama and Tata Sky. Titled Music +, the service will feature music videos across genres. “The fact that they focus a lot on indie music was exciting. In a way, we have a responsibility to bring good music to the listeners,” says Ehsaan. Excerpts from an interview with the guys behind the soundtrack of Rock On!! 2.
All three of you started out as indie artistes. What’s your take on the current indie scene?
Shankar: The Internet has given a major boost to it. People don’t need a record company to put their music out there. Of course, there’s a dearth of indie labels in India. Some years ago, record companies here released works by artistes like Alisha Chinai and Lucky Ali, but that, unfortunately, has fizzled out.
The number of film soundtracks from SEL has reduced over the years. Is this a conscious decision?
Ehsaan: There is just so much we can do. We tour, record for films and commercials, for corporate gigs. We also have individual commitments that make our musical existence more wholesome. We are doing the same amount of work. It’s just that new music releases every week, so the impression is that we are not working much. We’ve always stood for quality songwriting, and there’s no way we will compromise.
SEL is nearly two decades old. Have you thought of dissolving the group and going independent?
Loy: We are doing independent things too, while keeping the integrity of SEL intact. It has given us so much; why would we want to let go?
Since Rock On!! (2008) was a landmark album, was the soundtrack of its sequel more challenging?
Shankar: It’s a completely different soundtrack, and the challenging part was letting go of the basic three- chord garage band’ sound we achieved with Rock On!! It’s coming eight years later. All the members of the band (in the movie) have grown intellectually and musically. The songs are a lot more varied now.
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