EKA bring their genre defying 'Swatantra rock' to Dubai

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EKA bring their genre defying Swatantra rock to Dubai
Lokesh Madan, Benjamin 'Benny' Pinto, and Hitesh Madan

Benjamin 'Benny' Pinto, Hitesh Madan, formerly of Euphoria, and bass guitarist Lokesh Madan comprise high energy rock outfit

By Enid Parker

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Published: Wed 27 Apr 2016, 11:00 AM

Last updated: Thu 28 Apr 2016, 10:59 PM

When Benjamin 'Benny' Pinto and Hitesh Madan of Indian rock band Euphoria jammed with bass guitarist Lokesh Madan for the first time, the outcome was the formation of EKA, a high-energy Hindi rock outfit that could be described as a 'supergroup' of sorts.
Supergroups - groups whose members have already achieved fame as solo artists or as part of other successful bands - have been appearing on the world music scene since the sixties; Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner credited Cream (Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce) with being the first official supergroup in 1969.
"Benny and Hitesh, after having been integral members of Euphoria for 18 and 14 years respectively, had just parted ways with the band and Lokesh was working as a General Manager at a multinational company. Each member was at a place in life where they were poised to further their musical horizons and realise their potential as individuals. We saw hope and tremendous chemistry in the music that this team could create together. We three are very different individuals with very different skills, it was not an easy decision back then but we guess EKA was meant to happen," the band told City Times in a recent conversation ahead of their performance at The Music Room this Friday, April 29. Tickets are priced at Dhs100 and can be purchased from Platinum List.
BENNY & HITESH ON LIFE WITH EUPHORIA

The journey as members of Euphoria has been absolutely incredible and we feel tremendously blessed to have been able to pursue our passion for music all our lives. From a band that would do gigs in and around Delhi till before 1998 to getting invited to play all across the world including the Beale Street Music festival @Memphis, UN General Assembly Hall, Great Wall of China and many more soon after the release of our first album, we've shared a lot of beautiful experiences and have fond memories to cherish.
The audiences in India have also come a long way since then and we've had the privilege and the pleasure to witness first hand a steadily growing number of people connect with our music and also become aware of the concept of how a band that writes and performs its own music functions vis-a-vis a playback singer.
AN IMPROVED INDIE MUSIC SCENE?
The independent/rock music scene in India is quite niche, it has always been there, but has surely improved over the years. There is incredible talent out there and bands and musicians like in any other part of the world are committed to the music irrespective of commercial and other career opportunities. Bollywood music still rules the scene and movies like Rock On and Rockstar have helped the overall rock scene in India where bands have gained wider and more mainstream acceptance over the years. Interestingly, a lot of rockers are now part of the Bollywood music industry as well and with the Rock On sequel set to release later this year, one could expect a fresh dosage of interest, enthusiasm and wider acceptance for rock as a genre and rock bands in general in India.
SWATANTRA ROCK - DEFYING GENRES
We call our music 'Swatantra Rock' - music beyond genres, time and boundaries. To the band it means music that has a feel of timelessness to it, that knows no boundaries, geographical or that of the mind. While composing and arranging a new song, we believe in going with the flow of music and developing it organically into a direction that the song demands. Our endeavour is to make music that connects with every heart irrespective of their geography, background or age.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Freddie Mercury (Queen), A.R. Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Journey, The Beatles. (enid@khaleejtimes.com)
Check out our print edition where EKA attempt the Proust Questionnaire!


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