70s flower child sings Bob Dylan style

Musician-songwriter Susmit Bose grew up in the glorious retro era replete with man-on-the-moon frenzy, women's liberation, Palestinian war and amid the best rock 'n' roll artists of all time. iTALK chatted him up about the launch of his new album

The "Put on your red shoes baby..." variety of songs was definitely off Bose's list when he started out as a musician in 1971. His first album, Winter Baby released with the help of civil society organisations was centred on child abuse a hush-hush subject for the time.

Just like Dylan, he wanted to use music to send social messages to listeners. Strumming his guitar and playing the harmonica, the same instruments Dylan was famous for, Bose sits in his Delhi residence and tells us how tough Indian musicians have it. "Mainstream distributors don't support alternative music, so, I have been selling my music at concerts," says Susmit.

As son of Sunil Bose, a musicologist and classical musician, he grew up with Indian classical stalwarts like Bhimsen Joshi, Amjad Ali Khan and Ravi Shankar dropping into his living room every other evening. "My father expected me to take up classical music.
u00a0
But, when he sensed my desire to explore Western music, he didn't want me to be a musician; he didn't think I would able to put the kind of hard work Hindustani classical training required," he tells us. Bose grew up at a time influences from Western musicians were inevitable music careers of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and Cliff Richard, and of course Bob Dylan, were at their peak.

"I started listening to Bob Dylan, and I was enamoured. He became my inspiration at 13," gushes Bose. After that, he didn't have an answer when classical virtuosos like Amjad Ali would ask him, "Why aren't you doing classical music?"

Bose trained himself in the unique style of urban folk-meets-Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie and performed extensively in the country and around the world in Cuba, Berlin and Canada. "Over the last year, I have been taken in by the Baul singers of Bengal, so, I try to incorporate that in my act."

His latest album, Song of the Eternal Universe sees experimental work with this style. After a break of 23 years, which were devoted to raising his kids, Bose released his second album in 2006 titled, Public Issue. In 2007, Be the Change rooted in Gandhian idiocracy and rights of women and children was released.

Through the journey of his three albums, his style has remained inspired by Dylan structured while using lyrics pertaining to real life. And even at 58, no single performance is complete without classic Dylan covers.

Catch Susmit Bose perform this Friday, May 29 at 6.30 pm at Oxford bookstore, Apeejay House, 3 Dinshaw Vachcha Road, Churchgate, and at soul fry casa, Fort at 9.30 pm as he releases his albums and performs pieces. For more on him, log onto www.susmitbose.com