Delhi band is in Pune to talk struggle

A rock band from the capital is here to perform numbers from their upcoming album and pay tribute to legends from the 60s and 70s

The turbulent Hippie era of the 60s and 70s was a landmark moment for rock music, and inspired memorable numbers by bands such as Pink Floyd and Metallica. Echoes is a 5-member rock band from the capital here to perform some of these tracks along with songs from their upcoming album, Stitched, based on the theme of struggle. Their music is inspired by classic and contemporary rock, but they refuse to conform to a specific genre. The band members are Abhishek Mhatre (lead guitar / backing vocals), Shawn Pereira Do Carmo (vocals / guitars), Ishaan Krishna (bass guitar / backing vocals), Ramesh Krishnamurthy (drums / percussions) and Saakshi Vyaas (keyboards). THE GUIDE chatted up with Abhishek Mhatre about their upcoming performance.

Delhi-based band Echoes

What is the story behind the name of your band?
When you hear a song you really like, you keep humming it. An echo is also the repetition of a sound, and that's the kind of impact we hope to have on our listeners. You need not play complicated notes to impress listeners. Just a few sweet notes that touch theu00a0 soul of the audience are enough. Echoes also happens to be the name of a Pink Floyd song.

Tell us about the major influences that are reflected in your music.
We have been deeply influenced by classical rock bands of the 60s and 70s including Pink Floyd, Guns 'n' Roses and Metallica. Among Indian bands, it's been Parikrama, Vayu, Pentagram and Agnee that really inspired us.

What can the Pune audience look forward to at tonight's performance?
We will be playing numbers from our upcoming album that's set to release in December, as well as covers such as November Rain by Guns 'n' Roses and Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. We play cover songs in an impromptu style and want the audience to realise there is more to music than just vocals.

How do you guys rate yourself?
The band is almost four years old but the new line-up is just 1.5 years old. For us, music is not a back-up plan or a hobby. I am a full-time guitar teacher and the other band members are undergraduate students.u00a0

What is your new album all about?
Stitched is about a struggler trying to achieve something in life. It's akin to the process of stitching a piece of fabric that represents the ups and downs that a person goes through in life.

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