Rock machine crumbles before Indi-faff

MUMBAI, October 5: Rock is dead'' they once sang. And with the music industry humming a new, different tune these days, the band that p...

MUMBAI, October 5: 8220;Rock is dead8221; they once sang. And with the music industry humming a new, different tune these days, the band that penned these lyrics has decided to hang up the guitar and drums. India8217;s first legit rock band Rock Machine, later rechristened Indus Creed, has decided to call it a day after a decade of ruling the airwaves.

There has been no last waltz, no grand finale concert, rather, the band has just been 8220;lying dormant for the last few years8221; as lead singer Uday Benegal puts it. 8220;We were big between 1992-94, but after that, things changed. Actually, it8217;s the changing pace of music 8211; it8217;s not a good time for rock bands. All over the world we have a singles oriented market. Very few people buy entire albums or follow what bands are upto,8221; he explains.

For the band that sang Chains n8217; black leather/ all for one and one for all/ we live and die together8230;.., the days of jamming together are over. 8220;The band had its time, but everything is over now,8221; saysguitarist Mahesh Tinaiker, who along with Mark Selwyn first set up Rock Machine in 1984 with a different set of band members. 8220;We didn8217;t want to change the way we did things, the music we played.8221;

The advent of Rock Machine meant that Indian headbangers finally had an desi band they could vibe with. The group members kept changing, but their music too was making waves. In 1993, as a phenomenon called Indipop was beginning to make its presence felt in the music market, Rock Machine had a new name, Indus Creed, six band members and a new hit, Pretty Child.

That single kicked off a whirlwind tour of the country with numerous performances being belted out to countless screaming fans. Indus Creed was being talked about in the same breath as modern American rock biggies like Pearl Jam and Metallica. The band also spawned bands like Pentagram, Agni and Millennium.

Pentagram8217;s Vishal Dadhlani says, 8220;I remember seeing them perform atthe Europe concert held in Mumbai. I felt so proud that our guys were up there playing excellent stuff. Rock Machine was a band people looked up to. They opened a lot of doors for those who wanted to create rock music.8221;

They may have been racing up the charts, but by then, the end was in sight. Guitarist Jayesh 8220;Mussels8221; Gandhi says, 8220;Rock has lost its charm and is not gaining ground world-wide. It8217;s the disposable attitude of artistes and music companies. Today, all it takes to cut an album is two great songs. The other songs are just fillers. Also, recording companies are looking for live performers and path breaking music.8221;

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But Magnasound8217;s vice-president, marketing, Sunil Menghrajani defends recording companies. 8220;Well, I am not sure if there is somebody or some group that really fits into the Indian rock genre today. Rock Machine was all we had and beyond that there has been nothing,8221; he points out.

The six 8220;musically thinking8221; people may have parted ways, but individually,the music still flows. Benegal and Gandhi have just recorded an album together and are off to the US to find somebody to market it. And this one isn8217;t exactly for die-hard rock fans. 8220;It8217;s fused music8221; says Benegal. 8220;It8217;s Indian sound with a western treatment.8221; The untitled album is a mix between alternative and new age music, adds Gandhi, 8220;something radical8221;.

Tinaikar does jingles, and has also scored some television serials. Keyboardist Zubin Balaporia has also become a 8220;busy8221; jingleman, drummer Adrian Fernandes is enjoying the joys of parenthood and bass player Mark Selwyn is keeping tabs on the real estate market.

They may be getting on with their lives, but in true rocker style, don8217;t rule out the possibility of a reunion. 8220;You never know8221; is all they are saying for now. Rock may just survive.