Of cloning and crooning

Amarjot Kaur

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Let’s talk of predicaments that often end up getting the best of us, amounting to nothing better than tales that are later bandied around in drawing rooms, having no significant consequence whatsoever. For instance, it is your first prom night party and your “once upon a time best friend” wears the same dress as yours! Well, on a second thought, that’s quite pardonable, going by the assembly line production offered by the brands; but how would you take to two different sets of musicians coming up with a song, having same lyrics, almost similar sounding basic melody and are released at just about the same time? Well, while most music enthusiasts have graduated from aiming poignant sarcasm and obloquy at Swastik the Band and Mahadev Vibes for their song titled Jogi, to drawing comparisons between the two; we speak with the artistes to find out what caused the controversy—unbiased, uncut and absolutely upfront!

Background check

So, Swastik the Band, which is one of the city’s leading bands, and has been featured on MTV Indies, was a one big happy family comprising five members—Rohit Joshi (lead guitarist), Rishabh Kesar (electric guitarist), Karan Verma (vocalist), Paarth Koser (Drummer), and Pankaj Verma (bass guitarist). However, the band split in 2014, with Rishabh, Karan, and Pankaj going their seemingly separate ways. Now, that brings us to the obvious question—whose song is Jogi anyway? So, here’s passing the mike to Rohit Joshi of Swastik the Band and Rishab Kesar of Mahadev Vibes, which is a studio project.

“As a part of Swastik, Rohit bhai and I would jam together. I just randomly started playing the guitar and this tune came up way back in 2012. While I incepted the initial bit of the song, Rohit and I framed it as a composition together with a little help from Karan Kapil, the lyricist of the song,” shares Rishabh.

Narrating the same, Rohit adds, “I threw a tune at Rishabh and started singing Main toh Jogi ho gai while Rishabh strummed the guitar, but we still did not have all the lyrics in place. So, I asked Karan Kapil, who is also a dear friend, to work on the lyrics of the song.”

As Rohit states that he, along with Karan slated the main structure of the song, most of which was also done in Rishabh’s presence, he shares that the song was essentially the product of Swastik the Band.

“I also discussed the song with Paarth asking him to compose the basic structure of the song,” says Rohit. Rishabh shares that the original drum base structure of the song was created by Paarth, who is still the member of Swastik the Band.

Meanwhile, Karan Verma shares, “I was to sing the song originally, but then I had to leave Swastik and join KM Music Conservatory. I sang for Mahadev Vibes because Swastik already had two vocalists and I had more scope for experimentation with Mahadev Vibes.”

Off with the frills

Both Rishabh, the founder member of Mahadev Vibes and Rohit, the founder member of Swastik the Band, swear that there is no bad blood between them and respect each other’s artistic calibre. However, the two feel quite strongly attached with the song Jogi, which is why they have shared the credits of the song. “I only wanted to play up this song with a different sound. Had I told Rohit about it, he wouldn’t let me get rid of the acoustic basic feel, which is why I did not keep him in the loop,” says Rishabh.

Both Rohit and Rishabh share that they, as a band have performed the song together at The Blue Frog Coke Studio in Delhi. “I was not aware that Rohit was recording this song,” shares Rishabh. Rohit says, “When I thought of recording the song and releasing it, I considered calling up the band members I originally composed the song with but then they had left the band.” Rohit shares. He was quite miffed with Rishabh at first when he heard the song of the band and even sent him a legal notice. Mahadev Vibes was the first to release the audio of the song in March and the video on June 21. “I didn’t pursue the case because at the end of the day, it is just a song and it is not mightier than our friendship,” says Rohit.

Echoing the same sentiments, Rishabh shares, “As a musician, I have learnt a lot while I was in Swastik and a song cannot come in the way of our personal relations.”

Well, seems like this story has its happy ending while you get to experience the same song in two different genres. Whoever said, more the merrier!

amarjot@tribunemail.com