Ever imagined Jon as a journalist, Zubair a carrom champion, Bart a corporate guy and Farhan a wicket-keeper? Well, they’d probably be so if they weren’t musicians.
Find such interesting facts and thoughts of the Indalomen in this evening chitchat with MuSophia.
Indalo busy with
Though pandemic impacted Indalo’s work schedules, the band is now back in pace and the horses are running wild. Followers often get sneak peeks of these works on the band’s social media pages. But many still wonder, what surprise the is band coming up with?
Band is busy with figuring out the new sound and trying to write stuff.
“We are basically figuring out the sound for the upcoming album”, said Zubair.
10 years of Indalo
Formed in 2012, youths’ favourite band Indalo is going to complete its first decade in the scene, this year.
Though it has been almost 10 years, it didn’t feel like that. It feels young like that day. Playing together they have lost keeping track of time, said Bart.
“I feel good about it because we’re enjoying the music. Ten years have gone we haven’t thought that way as we still feel young; but definitely the second album,” he said.
Updates on Indalo’s second album Uttor Khujchi Dokkhine
The whole world has gone through the tough pandemic days. Recently the band started regularly rehearsing and they have come up with new things that make them feel different, that they haven’t done before. Now they are trying out things to get the suitable one.
Also Read: Interview in Quarantine: Messianic Era
The band is now chasing sound. Uttor Khujchi Dokkhine is currently in that phase of figuring out the sound — which direction to go, which feels most natural and suitable for them, said Jon.
Indalo’s gig plans
Indalo have plans to do solo gigs a bit differently this year, experimenting with the sound. Zubair said, “We want to give a totally new experience to the audience.”
Changes throughout the journey
Indalomen don’t have Titu and Dio with them. That’s the biggest change, Jon feels.
“I miss their sound, their inputs and being with them,” Jon said during the chit-chat with MuSophia.
The scene
Zubair says, “There’s always good music and bad music.”
However, with technological advancement people are now able to do things sitting in their bedrooms. Unlike going to recording labels in the past, he said.
Also Read: Interview in Quarantine: Dads In The Park
According to Jon, there hasn’t been any significant progress in the scene. But the technology has provided people with more freedom.
Memorable fan moment
Recently Indalo played at a gig in the University of Dhaka where a guy came all the way from Feni district just to experience Indalo live. He held a placard in his hands that read “Love from Feni”.
Jon said, “For me it was really special because at his age I was not allowed to go out or do fun things. And he came all the way to experience a band that shows his love for music and Indalo.”
Awkward stage moments of Indalo
Loud laughs of Indalomen! “We have lots of awkward moments on stage,” they said.
For Jon, after a show, leaving the audience and packing up things seemed the most awkward moment.
And for Farhan smashing the snare drum head on the second song was quite awkward.
“I didn’t know what to do but the show must go on. And we finished 12 other songs. We had a similar experience in Khulna. But The crowd was so good and it resonated really well. So, the smashed head really didn’t matter,” said Farhan.
Souvenirs and collectibles
Like everyone Indalo members have inspirations too, Bart said.
“Souvenirs reminds me of the good times, the memories. When I look at a souvenir, I can recall things happened in my life,” he said.
Jon cuts a joke saying, “and to me it’s bragging that I have and you don’t.”
According to Jon, the practice of collecting souvenirs is much needed. Otherwise, it’s just cloud-based things we have.
“If you have something to hold on to, it makes you a part of that band or artist or the particular culture. And you contribute — that is a whole different kind of love. I remember when I bought my first CD, Aerosmith’s Nine Lives was the album. They gave me a goody bag, a dog tag and a poster. And I was like, what!”
So, that feels special, said Jon
If you really love some kind of art form you should collect something that is special to you, he added.
Earning through music
Most upcoming bands and musicians often find it hard to earn through music. Also, some musicians and bands who have been in the scene for decades, hardly consider music as an earning source in this era of digitalisation.
Also Read: Interview in Quarantine: KAAL
But Indalo views earning through music in a completely different manner.
Jon said, “Anything is possible but if you wanna do it at this time with the proper intention you have to be really good at it. The competition is now at a very different level. If you think you can just make a song sitting home, uploading it on Facebook and YouTube — you think you can make it this way? No, there are lot more things to do. So, if you have that kind of patience, you can make it.”
According to him, in 90s, the kind of monetary support artists received for an entire album, one can get it now with just one song if he/she is competitively good at it. And that’s why there is an opportunity to make money with music.
The other members of Indalo agreed to his points.
If Indalo members were not musicians
Zubair said, “Umm, I have never thought about it; maybe I would be jobless.”
“I think I’d be a photographer. Another thing, I used to play carrom a lot; later I thought there is no career with it. Then one day, I saw on TV that the Carrom World Championship has been arranged in India. Dude! I just left a whole career that could have been mine,” he said
Farhan, who joined Indalo last year as a drummer, said, “I used to love playing cricket and perhaps I’d be a wicket-keeper.”
If not a musician, Bart imagines himself engaged in a 9 am-5 pm job, like most other men, wearing a suit and a tie.
Jon would probably be a journalist as he loves asking questions and knowing the answers.
What music means to Indalomen
Music is a universal language. People conceive music in their own way and have their own meaning. MuSophia wanted to know what music meant to the members of Indalo.
To Bart, music is refuge. It’s a place where he takes refuge from rest of the world.
“When I’m doing music what’s happening around me doesn’t matter. It’s my refuge, my Zen place,” he said.
Zubair nodded and said that he feels the same as Bart.
Farhan said, “When I do music, I can be completely be myself. It’s like love, the comfort zone. It’s when you can truly be yourself.”
Jon concluded saying, “When we’re into the music we are ourselves and whatever we do apart from music we are just faking.”
About Indalo
Indalo, a rock band from Dhaka was formed in 2012. The band initially had
Rafiqul Ahsan Titu on bass; Jon Kabir on vocals and guitar; Zubair Hasan on guitar and vocals; and Dio Haque on drums.
The Latin word, ‘Indalo’ is regarded a magical symbol that resembles a man holding rainbow with his arms wide open. It was first found at a mountain-cave of northern Almeria in Spain.
In 2013, Bart Nandit Areng joined as the bassist after Titu left his musical career over personal reasons.
On September 5, 2015, Kokhon Kibhabe Ekhane Ke Jane, Indalo’s debut album, was released.
Dio, Indalo’s founding drummer suffered a sudden stroke and due his physical condition he took break from drumming when Mubarak Hossain Milon played with the band for a few months.
In 2021, Quazi Farhan Ahmed joined Indalo as a drummer.
Albums and singles of Indalo
- 2015 – Debut Album – Kokhon Kibhabe Ekhane Ke Jane
- 2017 – Single – Chhobi
- 2018 – Single – Hobeki
- 2019 – Single – 1996
- 2019 – Single – Miththa
- 2020 – Single – Nei Proyojon
- 2021 – EP – Notun Khaame Purono Chithi
- 2021 – Single – Kokhon Kibhabe Ekhane Ke Jane
