SASMITH ANANTH
SCORE INDIE CLASSICS
Thermal and a Quarter : Embodying a Diverse city as an Idiosyncratic Band
Bangalore is a melting pot of cultures and traditions ; and as cliched as that sounds it is a melting pot almost to the point of confusion . There ’ s one corner of the city that ’ s steeped in Hindu Traditions and another part of it that solely consists of repurposed colonial buildings ; some of which are important institutions of governance and justice . So it is fair to assume that Bangalore ’ s culture or identity , is confusing . But what if that smorgasbord was its own identity ? And what if the music of the city reflected it ?
Music has always been a catalyst for change . But music is also a reflection of the world around us , and that ’ s a perspective that ’ s often lost due to an over commercialisation of it resulting in the ‘ Music Industry ’ ( emphasis on the industry ). However , certain musicians resist the lure of commercialisation of their music and speak their hearts out . The spirit of resistance and speaking about the city they love ; the good , the bad and the ugly , is what Thermal and a Quarter have managed to infuse into their music . The music they make , is a reflection of the city around them . So maybe queue up their music while reading this article .
The soundscape they have developed over 25 years , is very sophisticated and drenched in deep , often abstract , ideals ( with a side of classic Bangalore Traffic ). It draws inspiration from Steely Dan to modern day Rock ’ n ’ Roll . The phenomenal guitars sprinkled with blues-inspired Guitar Solos of Bruce Lee Mani and Tony J Das , with a rhythm section of Leslie Charles and Rajeev Rajagopal that has groove for days , works really well to highlight and support the band ’ s cultural importance and narrative . It creates a brilliant and accurate ‘ vibe ’; for lack of a better term . The lyrics of songs are well penned words about Bangalore ’ s drinking culture , work culture , weather , the street food , architecture , governance , the people ’ s attitude and how Bangalore is considered a place where people come to realize their ‘ dreams ’. The lyrics also highlight Bangalore ’ s religious side ; important landmarks like Cubbon Park and Bangalore ’ s Coffee . And that ’ s just the spatial side of city .
Music is a large part of Bangalore . Most bands that perform in Bangalore , begin their first jam sessions in a dingy old college basement and they take that to different fests all over the city . And so , the music ‘ scene ’ is one that accommodates musicians of every level . Their aptly titled album ‘ The Scene ’, does an incredible job of taking the listener on the journey through Bangalore ’ s scene . And we can find multiple examples of this throughout their catalogue . Specifically , one song .
Bangalore Blues reflects Bangalore ’ s general attitude . The song reflects the day-to-day workings of the people in the city , which the band manages to thoroughly capture . So the narrative it constructs is one of a person who ’ s just observing the city around them . It ’ s almost like a person is just sitting in MG Road , looking at everything around them and introspecting ( if MG Road was a song , this is how it would sound ); and they ’ re tired and caught up in Bangalore ’ s fast-paced attitude ; because they ’ re ‘ an old city boy , staying fast and loose ’, that they forget to ‘ smell the flowers ( or coffee )’. Hence , they have a bad case of Bangalore Blues .
The band ’ s music has been described as Bangalore Rock ; and a visit to any of their shows will vouch for it . Their music and onstage banter show us how the band embodies the social identity to form a narrative of what we call ‘ Bangalore ’. While their music tackles very relevant socio-political issues , it does so in a distinct way that few other bands can . There is strong imagery of the society in Bangalore and the attitude and identity of its people . So , what makes the band a cultural icon , is the fact that their music is unapologetically true to their identities and holds up a mirror
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