MUMBAI: Mizoram band Boomerang, formed in 2005, is now having its first baby! That is right. After the two EPs that thrust them toward success, the band is now releasing its first major album, Om, in eight years.
Speaking about their experience up till this album, band guitarist Booma said, “We are happy and proud to launch our first major album, especially the inlays, artworks, and designs and songs. We had made two EPs, one in 2006-called ‘Rhythm of a Revolution’ and the other in 2009, which had three songs and videos which were distributed for free with every ticket sold during our tours. Apparently last year, the Indian ambassador of Vietnam released our demos as an album because it was part of the program which we were put under at our gig in Hanoi (Vietnam). It was a lousy one and we were still burning the CD’s minutes before the release (laughs).
Parents do not have favorites when it comes to their children but the band members do have their favorite songs. “Atea (Vocalist) loves our track Stellar, Rsa (Drummer) like The Trip, Joshua (Bassist) is crazy about Leaving Babylon and my favorites are a tie, Sober & Leaving Babylon.
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Opening up about the hurdles faced by indie bands and the receptivity of the Indian audience to their music, Booma elaborates, “It is really hard for an indie band and many other bands like us to really make an impact in the Indian Music Scene as we all know that the real music realm does not really exist because of ‘Film Music’ or in other words like what Pentagram would say “Bloodywood”. However we are really grateful that we have a good team at “Contra-Bands” which looks forward to catering and promoting and giving an ideal platform for an indie band like us to a wider audience on a national level so that the Indian audience could turn more receptive to not only indie bands and musicians but towards Indian Bands and Musicians as a whole.
But the band sure knows why their music has such fan following. “Everyone needs good Rock and Roll everywhere and we are here to deliver just that. What we do is make good music for everyone to enjoy. What everyone enjoys is what makes a great music.”
Music is personal. But what makes Boomerang’s music even more personal is surprising. “Our rehearsal room is hand built by me (the guitarist) and buddy Rsa (Drummer) or in other words I was the helper and Rsa was the Mistri/ Designer/ Scientist – so it is almost sound proof,” smiles Booma.
Ardent devotees of American Rap/Metal band Rage Against the Machine, Booma explains how their music has grown from doing RATM covers to Om. “Yes, we still love RATM, as they are a band that stands and lives up to their music and lyrics.
They played a great role in sculpting our band ideas and ethnic as we found our music and matured musically through them. But, we have our own ‘Junk Rock’ and identity now & if you listen to our album it is entirely different from RATM and nothing much to trace it from as the most important thing for an artiste or a band is to have its own originality and sound.”
Just like most indie bands that thrive off live performances, Boomerang is looks at EDM with some skepticism. “I think it is like Dub Step in my opinion, I don’t know if it will last, but I don’t have anything against it either.”
Maintaining a mysterious tone, Booma revealed some of the band’s upcoming projects. “We still have a Delhi / Pune/ Bangalore / Mumbai / Hyderabad Hard Rock Café tours for this month and December. We are also trying to scoop in Imphal where we are still in talks with the organisers.”
