I had a rather long but enjoyable conversation with Prash
Mistry of Engine-Earz Experiment recently.
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| Engine-Earz Experiment |
Here’s how shit went down:
How pumped are you about returning to India?
It’s always a great feeling coming back to India
and seeing how the music is moving forward. It’s a tantalizing experience
because the love I receive is more every time. It’s also interesting to see the
rapidly changing music scene here.
What changes have you seen here?
Musicians and producers are definitely more confident about
their own abilities, creativity and musical product. They have to find
inspiration in places where others aren’t finding it and I’m seeing that a lot
in India.
There’s also no as much fear as before and there’s even a healthy amount of
competition.
How different is the new album from what you’ve done before?
Symbol’s very different and it might even surprise some
people. A lot of the earlier stuff was for the dance floor and live shows but
this one’s more for the listener. There are a lot of messages incorporated and
a running theme of asking questions and finding solutions. It’s hopefully not
too preachy.
Best festival experience so far:
I’ve played a lot of festivals and attended even more. But
it was Glastonbury in 2007 that
made me start my band. I’ve played there six times now on seven different
stages and it’s genuinely the most brandless festival that focuses on the music
and experience.
I want to see more people not caring about reactions and
just getting lost in the music. I love people who act like idiots! In the UK,
dance music is a sign of rebellion and like a ‘f*** you’ to the system. All
good music comes from a struggle. But that hasn’t manifested itself violently
in India,
probably for lack of something to fight against.
Live versus studio experience:
The two are very linked for us. You can start something in
the studio, take it live to see the emotional response and then go back to
finish it. I love writing at home because nobody sees me or judges me. But when
you perform live, there’s a rush because something can go wrong anytime and a
band adding to the sound. Nothing beats that spontaneity.
What made you decide to make it into a live dubstep band?
The band guys are some of my best friends and it’s great to
tour and work with people that you love. My experience teaches me things and
then their experiences get added to it. And that’s what’s great about music
regardless of how cheesy it sounds. Touring is a very high pressure thing but
it’s a pleasure with such people. It’s also humbling because when you’re around
friends who’ve known you for years, you get put down in two seconds if you try
and act too cool.
Touring in UK
verses other countries:
That’s actually a really good question and no one’s ever
asked that. In UK,
there’s just so much electronic music everywhere in every club and bar and even
more in a metropolis like London.
But that also implies an equally short attention span. Something can be
respected one day and falls apart the other. Right now, UK’s
at the end of its deep house phase and it’s too fast and ridiculous how it’s
getting into techno and there are all these stupid words being used to describe
genres that don’t mean anything. If the song resonates, it resonates. That’s
how it works in most other places. But I still love it because it’s home and
makes you work hard. As performers, it makes us try our best to be the best.
With the internet and communication being so fast these days, you can be based
anywhere and still do great things. I’ve seen that happen everywhere.
What’s the general songwriting process like?
It’s all very different. Sometimes, I just wake up one night
and write a song or it happens more organically during a jam. In more
collaborative tracks, we work together with the vocalist a lot.
The interview was published on May 28 in Deccan Herald.
Check it out here.
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