The old school band Parikrama completed 25 years in June, so we take a look into the journey they’ve had over the years!
Back in 1991, on 15th September, the band Parikrama, comprising of Subir Malik (synthesizer), Nitin MalikΒ (lead vocals) and Sonam Sherpa(lead guitar), played their first gig at Father Agnes School, Delhi. That gig saw the start of a journey of a lifetime! Every rock lover in India is no stranger to the grandiose and history of Parikrama. The legends have connected with a plethora of generations with their music over the years.
Credits: emahomagazine.com
Back in the 90s, considering the fact that rock bands had a difficult time getting in money for themselves as well as for new equipment, they had to do jobs on the side to put some bread and butter on their plates. So that meant 9-5 jobs in the day and rock stars by night. When you see the big picture, the passions among these guys was so high that they actually were ready to do it. But Parikrama found a loop hole to escape the drudgery of the jobs.
Very early on they established the fact that whatever money was being made by the band, would go back into the band. So the money they made at gigs and concerts was again utilised for new equipment, travelling costs etc. “We also decided, that while Parikrama would be food for our souls, so to speak, we would never think of it as a source for paying the bills,”Β says vocalist Nitin Malik. So alternatively Subir became an artist manager, Nitin started running a recording studio and Sonam Sherpa took over the reins of running a music school!
Credits: dailymail.co.uk
During the 90s, anyone who opted for a career in music would be considered daring and as a risk-taker. Because of the fragility of the career option in terms of success and returns, not a lot people ventured into the music scene. Yet Parikrama took the plunge. They denied numerous offers from Bollywood, to saying no to audio cassette deals and CD deals, they’ve seen it all!
They had a clear cut idea of what they wanted their band to be, very early on. Back in 1995, when internet and technology were still new to the Indian scene, Parikrama made sure they were a step ahead of everyone. They set up their very own website back in 1995, which was a totally stand out USP on their endΒ as no one thought of doing that. This forward thinking is what made them prominent in the music world!
The band, with homegrown talent, is said to be India’s biggest ‘rock’ band, which has remained ahead of its time in terms of music as well as vision. They have not released a full-length album yet, and believes in distributing music via digital mediums and giving it out for free.
Credits: dailymail.co.uk
Like a lot of other bands that saw a rise to fame in the 90’s, what makes Parikrama stand out is that they continued on with the journey for all these years. Many bands released a couple of albums and then fizzled out of the music scene very quickly. Although they were famous back then, that fame wasn’t a success that sustained for a long time.
Over the years, tracks like “But It Rained” and “One” have become anthems that the band has produced. There is no question about the talent and artistry the band possesses. They completed 25 years in the Indian rock music scene without ever being sub par or diluting their content and the fans will happily agree with that statement!
They say it doesn’t feel like it has been 25 years. They go on to say that the band is still young at heart and that there’s a lot more in store for their fans!