Old Brigade is a band from Dhaka, formed in 2010. Team MuSophia had little chit-chat with the band. This interview reveals about the band’s journey, works, upcoming album and more.

1. What are you guys mostly doing in Quarantine? Is anything being cooked for the audience?

Riasat: This quarantine has come as a blessing in disguise. There were times when I used to practice 4 hours a day. But due to professional commitments now a day I don’t get enough time to practice. I consider myself lucky if I manage to get 4-hour time to practice in a week. So, I’m fully utilizing this quarantine period. I’m trying to practice at least 2 hours a day. Working on some basic exercise. Trying to start to it form the scratch. Trying to pick up some mighty, of course legendary songs. Mostly focusing on personal development.

Ishmam: Mostly spending time with family and trying to keep in contact with friends.

Saptak: Playing hard, writing songs, exploring music, cooking foods and spending time with family. Hanging out with friends on online has become a daily routine of life. In one word, living quarantine life and doing rock n’ roll.

Actually, we are enjoying our life individually. As a band, right now we are not cooking anything for the audience. The songs are ready for our upcoming album which will be named GHORI
Looking forward to releasing it after getting rid of this pestilence.

Aynus: Making tutorials, cooking er bepar ta bakider upor depend kore.

Members of Old Brigade. Riasat, Ishmam, Aynus, Saptak (from the left).
Members of Old Brigade. Riasat, Ishmam, Aynus, Saptak (from the left). © Sudeepto Salam

2. When and how did you guys get to form the band?

Aynus: It’s a long story. Every band has its own past. It’s December, 2010. I formed a band with friends. That time we were just jamming random songs. But that time we all were kids, so had no constructive plan. As a result, members were not fixed. I met Ishmam at a random metal show performing with his band in 2012. Then by the end of the 2013 we met Riasat. After joining of Riasat, we were doing regular shows! By the end of 2014 we all decided to get higher education and jobs. For that reason, the band was on a break. But again, a band can never have a break. In 2014, I met Saptak, I met him performing at university cultural show. He had just joined the university. It was my last year of honours but still Saptak became my friend and already started working with me. Officially the band was on a break but unofficially Saptak was working with me. Finally, in 2018, we decided to start working together officially. So that’s it …After that it’s all about today’s Old brigade.

Old lineup of the band.
Old lineup of the band; Source: Old Brigade

Riasat: I joined Old Brigade back in 2013. That time I was playing with my other band CharKoal. Which was an old school thrash metal band. I got to know Aynus through my buddy Amid who used to be the guitarist of Old Brigade back then. We did a casual jam as their regular drummer was sick. Couple of months later they asked me to join the band.

Ishmam: Aynus bhai originally formed the band with other band mates, back in 2010.

Saptak: From 2014, Aynus Bhai and I started jamming together. We were not doing it as a band but we used to hang out together and loved to gossip about music and our philosophy. Eventually we didn’t know that we were working like band members. By the end of 2018 I did a gig with the band co-incidentally. It was outside of the Dhaka city. After the gig we had a hang out at a tea stall. The night was deep, we were chanting, I decided to join the band officially.

3. Why is the band called Old Brigade, what’s the story behind the title?

Saptak: Actually, the name was given by Aynus Bhai and his friends back in 2010. They had a show and they had to come up with a name as the name was not fixed that time. One of his friends came up with the name ‘Brigade’. Aynus Bhai added ‘Old’ as the they were about to cover Old Rock Songs.

In 2018, we decided to keep the name same. As all the experienced musicians joined together to form the team so we kept the name, ‘Old Brigade’.

4. Recently one of the band’s single called ‘Biday’ got released. Tell us the story behind the song.

Saptak: I wrote the lyric and tuned it back in 2017. I wrote it while sitting before my study table. No fancy stories! The theme came from the self-realization of my life. Some memories should be kept personal. So, I prefer to not go into it more. Anyway, never thought of doing the song with Old Brigade. However, Aynus bhai got to hear the song before other members, as we used to hang out together at that time. Days passed, after the band was formed. One day suddenly, I came up with singing the song at our studio. Everyone was listening and after finishing the song all of a sudden Riasat Bhai got excited. He insisted to do the song with the band and we all agreed. The most interesting part is that it took less than two hours for us to arrange the song in a jam session. Then we went for recording. Our every recording has unique stories and it has too! Like Riasat Bhai came to give his drums take after playing football, Aynus Bhai always got cold during his vocal recording, I always had to walk around whole Puran Dhaka before delivering my guitar solo, Ishmam bhai had to make thousands of excuses to his family before showing up in recordings, we all have to have Boti kabab before listening the final mix etc. In one word, it was fun!

Old Brigade performing at The Big Guns gig.
Old Brigade performing at The Big Guns gig. © Reaz Hakkani

5. Most renowned bands around the world has its signature sound. What things does Old Brigade focus on, to get its signature sound? How important is it for a band to have a signature sound?

Saptak: Well, each and every member has his own unique style of playing and the preference of sound. OB’s sound is the combination of our playing style and preference.

Signature sound is as important as the identity.

6. When are listener going to get an album from Old Brigade?

Old Brigade: Stay tuned, you’ll find out soon enough 😉 We are hopeful to release it in this year.

7. What is the band’s plan after Quarantine?

Old Brigade: Release the album, perform in gigs and party!

Featured Image: ©Sudeepto Salam
This interview of the band Old Brigade is done during the quarantine period.
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