Band with weird name to sing about idiotic boyfriends

Former Viva pop girl Anushka Manchanda says she's ready to kick some a** with her new band Shkabang, that debuts with a live gig tonight

How was Shkabang formed?
At the start of this year, Sameer Malhotra, who we call Daddy, started these evenings where singers, songwriters and bands would come and play live. He had heard some of my stuff at the jams he had on his terrace, and asked me to play. After a lot of hesitation, since I'd never played my own songs to an audience I didn't know before, I agreed and asked my friends to play with me. What followed was two more gigs, and the realisation that we were having a blast on stage. So we decided to get together as band, write fresh material and start gigging.

What is the Shkabang sound?
There's a lot of rock n roll, electro, and a lot of pop. If it's not a banging track, then it'll be groovy. We're trying new stuff every time we work on a track. So as a genre, it's pretty elastic. The subject matter ranges from crazy people to saving ourselves, to idiot boyfriends, to strange people you come across in the industry on a regular basis. There are songs called Powertripper, I Like Crazy, Fight. The one that's online is called A**hole.

What does "Shkabang" mean?
We wanted a name that bounced, something that didn't classify the band into a genre, something that wasn't too serious. We're playing fun music, so when a friend suggested Shkabang, it fit. Honestly, Shkabang is the action that the boys will get after we get offstage!

Any butterflies in the tummy for the debut performance today?
We've all played stage before, so there's no crazy stress. Personally, I've wanted to do this for a while. I couldn't have asked for more perfect musicians to play as a band with than these guys.u00a0

How many original tracks have you guys written till now?
We're only playing originals. As of now, we have about 11 songs down. We're writing every day. So the album should be ready by the end of the year.

What can you give the audience that nobody else can?
We're not saying we want to sound different or change the world. We want to have fun, and we want people who come to see us play to have fun. We don't need to prove anything to anyone. We're doing this to get on stage and kick a**! Since we've all been in the industry for a while now, we probably wont make as many mistakes as a brand new band, but it's a process. When we get on stage, it has to be awesome.

How does each member's distinct music background add to the Shkabang sound/experience?
Pozy and Johan have played reggae, all kinds of rock, pop and indie. Shiraz has amazing energy and brings some crazy beats to the band. Abhijit has played jazz and funk, besides working on filmi music. I sing in Hindi, and have been part of a pop act. A little bit of this always comes in somewhere when a track is being worked on. So you'll see a rock element coming from somewhere, poppy vocals on some songs, jazz undertone to the keys and pads in some places, and slam dunking percussion that makes sure you can't sit still.

How does a track usually get created?
If I write something, or have an idea, I'll call the boys and see what they think. If they like it, I'll put down the scratch for the song and Abhi will start producing the track. Then everyone will put down their parts. It's a process.

What have you planned for the debut gig at Blue Frog?
I wish I could say that we'll be auctioning off Johan, and that Shiraz will play topless, but no such luck! We don't have extreme gimmicks, but we have a few things planned that should be fun to watch.

On: Today at Blue Frog, Todi Mills and Co., Lower Parel.
Call: 40332300.
Entry: Rs 300 per head

Who makes up Shkabang?
Shkabang includes five musicians. Abhijit Nalani plays keys and produces the songs and the sounds. He has worked on tracks for Dostana and Bachna Ae Haseeno. Johan Pais and Pozy Dhar can switch vibes between bands without looking like they're getting scr*wed. They play bass and guitar with bands like Tough on Tobacco. Shiraz Bhattacharya a drummer. He has shot some of the best music videos in the industry. Anushka Manchanda is a Bollywood playback singer.

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