The Guide spoke to Anis Gandhi from Spook about their haunting sound of music

Theu00a0Guide spoke to Anis Gandhi from Spook about their haunting sound of music

Music may give you pleasure or reminds you of painful experiences but has it ever spooked you? Mumbai-based band Spook certainly thinks so. When we chatted to band member Anis Gandhi, we learnt that the name is based on a bad joke.

Pop alternative band Spook

Spook is a five piece pop-rock alternative band formed in October 2009, out of a previous outfit formed by drummer Zain Calcuttawala, violin player Clavell Santiago and guitarist/vocalist Akshay Deodhar. Wanting to complete the band and move past the covers' rut that bands get stuck in, they came across keyboard player Anis Gandhi (of Sledgehammer fame) and bass player Sonam Lama. The five instantly clicked and got together for their first show at Cafe Goa.u00a0

With various influences ranging from Funk, Progressive Metal, Western Classical, Grunge, Classic and Pop-Rock, Sonam and Akshay do most of the songwriting with the entire band jamming together to arrange the songs.u00a0 The music that the five churn out is often an interpretation by four people of a song written by the fifth.
"None of us are fulltime into music," admits Anis. While Akshay is a pilot and was a sailor, Anis is working post his MBA and Lama is going abroad for further studies.

Their USP lies in the fact that they rarely play covers and prefer sticking to originals. "We are one of the few bands who promote originality," adds Anis. It is easy to digest this fact as all of them are musically trained. Zain has finished summer school at Berkley's (on percussion and drums), Clavell plays for Bombay Chamber Orchestra, Anis has cleared the 8th grade in Trinity.

For their upcoming gig, they will play originals and have 2-3 surprise covers. "We don't play covers the way they are; we make our own versions and 'spookify' all that we play," grins Anis. Expect covers by MJ, Pearl Jam and other artists.