'I'll give Coldplay a miss'

Blackstratblues' Warren Mendonsa to hit studio for new album; says he will not attend the most talked-about gig in Mumbai

Guitar player Warren Mendonsa will play a set at Bonobo in Bandra (W) on Wednesday

Not all guitar players raise volumes during solos. There are a few who control their sound and believe in painting a song with signature brush strokes in the silent spaces.

Also read: All you need to know about Coldplay concert in Mumbai on November 19

Warren Mendonsa is one such guitarist; from the inimitable chord selection in the bass-slap heavy PSP 12 to the pulls of Bombay Rain, the 36-year-old is a mood player. Warren — also a sound engineer, session musician in Bollywood, songwriter — is now set to record Blackstratblues' (his solo project with collaborations) fourth album.

Warren started his career as the guitar player for the Indian rock group Zero before moving to Auckland. On his return to India, he formed Blackstratblues — a guitar instrumental endeavour. The first three albums — Nights In Shining Karma (2007), The New Album (2009) and The Universe has a Strange Sense of Humour (2015) found its niche listeners with immaculate responses.

"There are nine songs (all untitled) in various stages of completion and we should be getting into the studio later this month. We have been playing a couple of new tracks at gigs lately," says Warren, who also happens to be the nephew of Loy Mendonsa of the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio.

Also read: Coldplay's Mumbai gig ticket prices make Twitterati scream 'Coldplayed'

The Mumbai-based musician is in no hurry for the album. Being a perfectionist, he prefers taking time to think, write and then, record and mix. "I would rather wait than churn out stuff in factory mode that is less than my 100 per cent. I am sure my listeners would agree on this. The only way you can gain fresh perspective in your music is by taking time off between the dubbing and mixing processes," adds Warren, who recently worked with Vishal-Shekhar in the Salman Khan-starrer Sultan.

On asking about the effort to fit into different sounds (depending on the script), he says, "Maintaining a signature sound on sessions is not exactly the objective, but coming up with the best parts for the song is. Having said that, music directors know that each musician has their own sensibility and sound. It's why that particular musician would be called to the session in the first place."

Warren's music focuses more on storytelling since the tunes are all instrumentals. "I gain inspiration from multiple things — from the climate and weather to the antics of a pet cocker spaniel. Since most of my music is instrumental, I have to ensure that it is open to interpretation. I never thought of a crowded station with people in slo mo while listening to Bombay Rain, but the music had a vibe that connected a listener to that visual," he adds.

Warren's guitar invites thousands during music festivals. He has been associated with NH7 Weekender as well as the local Mahindra Blues Festival in Mumbai. But the man won't attend the most talked-about gig of the year, Coldplay in Mumbai on November 19 with a host of other bigwigs. "I am engaged with something else on that date so I'll have to give it a miss," says Warren, who is currently listening to a lot of Dire Straits (On Every Street), Dungen (Festival), Vulfpeck (Back Pocket) to derive positive energy ahead of the Blackstratblues gig in the suburbs tomorrow.

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