Hilarity and Other Serious Music

Like their first record,the songs on this aren’t comical. Yet,somehow,ToT often manages to get tagged as a ‘comedy band’. “There’s nothing funny about the band,most of the songs are very serious,” the Mumbai-based musician says. “I love humour and comedy. Sometimes we improvise songs live that end up being funny,and audiences seem to remember those.” That,and the fact that much of what the band does has a humourous touch to it.

Take their most recent photoshoot with Mumbai-based photographer Roycin D’souza,for instance. In sepia tones,these photographs show the five members of the band dressed like a regular middle-class family. Or the behind-the-scenes video of this photoshoot,or even the band’s album teaser for Big,Big Joke.

As far as the music is concerned,as with his bands,there’s much meaning in the songs Coutto put out on his debut solo album,Sunny Side Up,in 2011,too. An incredibly likeable,primarily pop record,this album has Coutto on vocals and playing almost every instrument,including guitar,bass,drums,trumpet and tambourine. Yet,with much modesty,he says little about these skills. “Honestly,I can’t really play anything — I’m an equal-level player of everything,” he says. “I still don’t understand keyboards,I look at them and wonder what to do,” he laughs.

Still,making Sunny Side Up was only one of the many projects Coutto was involved in during the time between ToT’s two records. He’s also the drummer for comedy-rock band Vir Das’ Alien Chutney,and plays with bass heavy act,Vice Versa,Ankur and the Ghalat Family. He has a project with Ankur Tewari called ‘Ankur and Sidd’ and is also working on a long-time project with Siddharth Basrur. Between all of this,there’s also a great deal of work going into his second solo album,which he wants to produce using a looper set-up.

The looper set-up uses an application on phones and iPads for making music. For this,too,he’s working with sound engineer Hans Dalal,who has worked very closely with Coutto and his projects in the past. “It’s just him and me,but I can collaborate with anyone,and I want to collaborate with everyone I meet,” he says,in his serious,humorous fashion. So,following the last few dates of the Big,Big Joke album launch tour with ToT,Coutto plans to finish work on his second solo album and release it this year,too. All the while juggling his various responsibilities with other bands,of course.

zaira.arslan@expressindia.com