SEPTEMBER 2016
Vanakkam . Vaazhga Vaiyagam . Vazhga Valamudan .
- Drums Sivamani
Hi Sir , a few words about yourself and your family …
I am grateful that my parents Lakshmi and Nesam Anandan introduced me to music and made me known to this world as a musician .
Your Gurus over the years …
My father Nesam Anandan was my first guru . Then as the years passed I found my other teachers in Noel Grant , Billy Cobham and Louis Prakasam . I didn ’ t actually start out as a conventional drummer with drumsticks and all the other paraphernalia . I started my journey simply , using only my hands , a Snare drum and a Conga . I didn ’ t have a Bass Drum . I had developed my hand techniques first and so was comfortable playing them .
Your first recording for the film industry …
My first recording was dedicated to my father as he had met with an accident at that time . I used to go as a substitute from the age of 11 and had played for great music composers K . V . Mahadevan Sir and Pugazhendhi Sir under whom my father was a percussionist . They flagged off my career and then S . P . Balasubramaniam , my Godfather , recognized my talent . He gave me a stage to showcase my talents when he started calling me for his road shows . Everybody gets to know you when you are playing for a legend like him . People seemingly liked me and that message eventually reached the film industry hub at Kodambakkam . I consider Kodambakkam to be my university from where I got opportunities to work with M . S . V sir , Ilayaraja sir , Shankar Ganesh anna , T . Rajender sir , Raja Nagendra , Sam Joseph ….. and then Devarajan Master , A . T . Ummer sir , Raghu sir , K . J . Joy uncle from the Malayalam film industry and then for A . R . Rahman when he hit off as a composer for Roja . I have played in a lot of concerts for A . R Rahman and I am blessed to have played under such a person who is not only a genius as you all know him to be , but also a great human .
I do a lot of world music and was noticed by Zakhir Bhai ( Hussain ) who took me for road shows all over the world with his band “ Rhythm experience ”. Louis Banks and I started a band called ‘ Shanthi ’. We also had different bands called Silk and Asia Electrik . I have also been a part of bands like Siraha with U . Rajesh and Harmith . I was also a part of
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