MUMBAI: In a scenario when independent bands are struggling to sustain themselves, Onstage foundation, an organisation formed by Radio VeRVe co-founder Gaurav Vaz and Counter Culture Records co founder Vijay Nair, provides interest free loans to independent bands for their financial needs.
Says Vaz, Bands have to strive to record their songs by performing at small gigs and fests to garner funds. We wish to step during these initial stages and provide the bands with finance which they can pay back when they earn it back….
The website now has 15 band applications through their website onstagefoundation.org and the foundation looks forward to helping atleast 20 bands by 2009. The organisation has already managed to collect 10 lakh and the bands can use the money for creating an album, organising a foreign tour etc.
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The foundation has planned to offer Rs 50,000/- to each band but would make exceptions when required. It is perceived that the making of an album costs lakhs, but today due to digital recording and home recording devices, an album can be made under Rs 50,000…. Vaz, who is also a part of Raghu Dixit project and even plays for other bands mentions that he recorded three audio demos in less than Rs. 2500/-.
The association of Onstage foundation with Radio VeRVe and Myspace would help the artist with promotion. Radio VeRVe was formed to aid independent musicians across the country promote themselves as such the online radio would hammer tracks of the artists….
Onstage foundation director and MySpace India marketing and content director Tarun Tripathi says, MySpace is a social networking site formed for the purpose of promoting underground independent musical talents. We would help the onstage foundation decide whom to give out the funds and once the bands are signed, Myspace would promote the artists through our websites. Myspace would help the bands signed to get international exposure and the necessary publicity….
Music veterans like composers Ehsaan Noorani, Vishal-Shekhar, Raghu Dixit, Sandeep Chowta, Percussionist Ranjit Barot are backing this foundation.
Raghu Dixit says, It is a very novel idea and I am in the advisory position where I would advice the bands about performance from my experiences. I would also be involved in arranging the songs, production and guide them regarding sound check and other tips….
Vaz is happy with the independent music labels that have sprung promoting non-film music. This is a good sign when the music labels know their niches and are trying to promote the independent music category. Music labels need to get smarter and realise that they need to put the same effort in promoting the non-film as the Bollywood ones which already has a market….
The music scene has completely changed in the past four to five years, stresses Vaz. Earlier the bands used to play only covers popular among the audiences; today they are experimenting with originals and audiences are opening up. Today it is possible to break even the cost at shows, this is the evolution of independent music and the music scene is going to explode in three years time….
