Indian rock
Encyclopedia
Indian rock is a genre of popular music
in India that incorporates elements of Indian music
and mainstream rock
and is often topically India-centric. While India
is known for its northern
and southern
classical music, the Indian rock
scene has produced numerous bands and artists. There are also various non-resident Indians
who have formed bands rooted in Indian culture.
, and 45rpm records were freely available, including those of rock and roll
acts from the USA and Britain, but also of contemporary pioneering Indian rock bands. The president of the firm, Bhaskar Menon
(who later became the President of Capitol Records
in the United States) was the leading promoter of Western pop music in India. Later in 1970, Polydor, the German Label, began an India label distributing rock music.
Of these mid-1960s beat
groups, as they were then termed, the most notable were the Mystiks from Bombay, the Beat-X from Madras and the Flintstone from Calcutta who composed and played both early British Invasion
influenced songs, and post-Sgt. Pepper
hard rock
. These bands had successful EP and LP releases and played regularly on the Indian university and college music circuits. Also notable from this period (1964–1970) was the female R&B singer, Usha Iyer, now Usha Uthup
, who had successful covers of "Jambalaya
" and The Kingston Trio
song, "Greenback Dollar".
The rock n' roll scene was also closely followed by Junior Statesman (or simply JS), a magazine started in 1965 contemporaneously with Rolling Stone
magazine in the USA and NME
in the UK.
In terms of reverse influence, renowned acts such as Led Zeppelin
, The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, The Doors
and The Byrds
were notably influenced by Indian classical music
as a way of reinforcing the psychedelia
in their music. While Jazz musicians, notably John Coltrane
had ventured into Indian music and spiritualism, the influence of Indian classical music on 1960s rock began in earnest with George Harrison
's Ravi Shankar
inspired raga rock
song "Norwegian Wood
" in 1965 and The Beatles' very public sojourn with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
at his ashram
in Rishikesh in 1968, following the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
in 1967.
trend of the 60s and 70s was by the 80s and 90s largely over, India itself continued to produce bands in various styles of rock music, from soft rock and roll
and rock pop, to hard rock
and metal
. With the arrival of MTV
, tastes rapidly changed, encouraging bands to harden their style and focus more on underground styles such as death metal
, alternative metal
, and progressive rock
. The 1990s saw the rise of a much larger following of various harder styles for this reason. Bands that had formed in the 80s, such as Rock Machine (who would later be known as Indus Creed
) - (including Mahesh Tinnaikar, Uday Benegal, etc)...altered their style with the influx of newer techniques and influences from the west. Notable suburban metal-blues bands with 60's and 70's metal influences included IIT Powaii based Axecalibre, fronted by Oliver Pinto, Prashant Nair and covered flamboyant guitar-based blues and hardcore metal including ballads. Contemporaries of the time were Easy Meat from Pune and Bands such as Holocaust, Morgue, Dorian Platonic from Assam, Grassroots Revival and Phoenix/Phynix and Drixian Empire/Dark Crusader from Manipur. Others formed in the 90s with harder styles influenced by the growing split between popular rock, such as Britpop
, alternative styles, such as punk
, and metal styles, such as thrash
. The Indian sub-genre of fusion, which encourages a similar blend of ancient Indian musical traditions with rock music to raga rock
, was also carried forward, and is perhaps the most unusual Indian style of rock.
soundtracks of Bollywood
) and may soon become recognized in the international arena, as various South American and Japanese bands have become. Recent entries into the rock music scene are increasingly becoming comparable in their production quality to Western bands, and have been compared favorably to other internationally recognized acts. Now digital technology is making it easier than ever for these bands to distribute and sell their music. Some British bands of South Asian origin, such as Swami
have, like their hip-hop counterparts, tried to enter the Indian market in addition to maintaining the traditional fanbase of non-resident Indians in United Kingdom
, Canada
and the United States
. Others, such as Rudra
, have emerged from Indian communities in other Asian countries. Progress is certain for the Indian rock scene with the advent of entities that support this genre. Rock Street Journal
and Rolling Stone India are the two major publications that have been promoting Indian rock bands. The scene has also been transformed by the online medium, and the subsequent rise of a number of online portals promoting Indian rock, most notably the indie music website NH7 and Headbangers India.
India has produced many rock bands, some of whom have made it into mainstream Indian music and achieved some international recognition.
. However, Indian fusion also encompasses attempts by Indian pop musicians and film composers to incorporate rock music into their work, starting in the 70s with film scores like those of the Amitabh Bachchan
classics. The Brown Indian Band
features accomplished Indian classical musicians in concert with jazz virtuosos. More recently the multi-cultural British band Botown
have taken elements of Bollywood and fused them with soul and funk to great success. The Kochi-based band Motherjane
typefies bands producing this genre of music. Bangalore based carnatic rock band Agam and fusion rock outfit Divine Raaga are other examples of mature songmakers in the country.
is a loose term describing the style of rock and roll which is sometimes blurred into the realms of pop and other genres. Whereas Indian fusion may only incorporate Indian styles into rock, or rock into Indian forms of music, Indian funk can be broadly defined as what rap-metal is to heavy metal - an infusion of elements from rap, reggae, pop and dance genres that some might consider to not be 'true' rock. Groups originating in South Asian communities in Western countries like Britain are noted for this style, with bands such as Swami
and Asian Dub Foundation
using elements of UK garage
, UK bhangra and hip-hop
, such as synthesizer
s, rap vocals and turntable
s. Also based in the UK, Botown
take an approach inspired by Funkadelic
with a large lineup of live musicians to blend Bollywood music with soul
and funk
. Few rock bands such as Silent Echo (Delhi) and Psycho Frequency (Delhi) use a wide range of samples and mechanically evolved sounds.
initially got their worldwide push from major metal label Sonic Wave International). With their style of 'Vedic metal' based around Hindu themes, the band have gained some fame in South East Asia, fusing metal and traditional music in the vein of Brazil
's Sepultura
, although they do not use avant-garde instruments as in the case of the latter. Many international critics from America, Germany and other countries have given the band's albums rave reviews.
Since the genre was pioneered by Rudra in the late 1990s, it has grown in popularity. Bands like Aryadeva
(Ukraine
), Symmetry (Indonesia
), Warriors Of Peace (India
), Asura (India
), Advaita (New Zealand
), The Aryan March (India
), Bhairav (India
), Narasimha (Singapore
), Kaliyuga (Malaysia), Azrael
(Australia
) and Blue River (Sri Lanka
) Punarjanma (India
) have done pioneering work in the genre. Often, along with the Vedic lyrics, the music has shades of Indian classical music
. The definitive album of this genre is the Rudra album The Aryan Crusade
released in 2001. In addition, India has produced many metal bands that combine ethnic-folk music
with various forms of metal to create folk metal
bands. Indian rock has been influenced by some notable cultural trends, and has in turn produced influences of its own. Indian musicians have also collaborated with other musicians from across the globe.
, traveled to India and incorporated aspects of Indian music, especially classical instruments such as the sitar
, into their music, often as a way of conjuring psychedelic
'Eastern' feelings. The term for this was raga rock
, and examples of it are The Beatles
"Love You To
", "The Inner Light
","Across the Universe
","Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
", "Tomorrow Never Knows
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
" and "Within You Without You
"; The Rolling Stones
' "Paint it, Black
"; The Kinks
' "Fancy"; The Doors
' "The End
" and The Byrds
' "Eight Miles High
". A number of prolific Indian classical musicians such as Ravi Shankar
aligned themselves with this trend, collaborating with Western artists. Indian bands themselves mainly covered early rock songs by pioneers of rock and roll in the United Kingdom
and America
, and only achieved recognition in popular culture by supporting film scores and Indian pop.
Shillong
, Kolkata
, Mumbai
and Bangalore
has long been one of the principal founts of Indian rock and continues to produce bands regularly. Some of the most notable contemporary rock bands from Mumbai are Pentagram
, Tough on Tobacco, Bhayanak Maut
, Split, Sridhar/Thayil and Scribe
. The recent reunion of Indian rock pioneers Indus Creed
was received with great enthusiasm, especially with regard to their plans to produce a new album in 2011.
Delhi
's music circuit has seen its share of ups and downs, but has held on largely due to the local presence of Rock Street Journal
. Delhi being the operational home of the Allahabad-based magazine, local bands have benefited by the proximity to India's first dedicated to stories and features based around rock and metal. The Great Indian Rock festival was mostly held in Delhi, now foraying into Kolkata
, Mumbai
and Bangalore
, North-East India
and has exposed the upcoming musicians of India to a wider variety of musicians. Notable bands from Delhi include Parikrama, Hundred Octane, Indian Ocean
, Them Clones
, Menwhopause
. Bands from Bangalore include Raghu Dixit Project, Vichitra, Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ), Kryptos
, Abandoned Agony, Inner Sanctum
, Culminant, Slain, Agam, All The Fat Children, Eccentric Pendulum, Swarathma
, Eastern Fare and Galeej Gurus. Bands from Kolkata include Cassini's Division
, Skinny Alley
, Underground Authority
, Pseudonym
, Hobos and Rikterskale. There is also a massive regional rock scene in Kolkata that includes bands like Fossils
, Cactus
, Chandrabindoo
, Krosswindz
and Bhoomi
, having huge international popularity. A relatively recent entry into the Indian Rock circuit is the city of Pune which is the home of bands such as Prosody, Hourglass Inversion, Nemesis, and many more.
Recent restrictions on live music in Bangalore
's bars has affected the rock music culture of the city but is slowly recovering with pubs like Kyra, B Flat and Legends of Rock hosting more live bands. Festivals like Rock 'N India, Rock Ethos, Great Indian Rock and more recently Deccan Rock continue to take place in Bangalore, a popular destination for international acts like Iron Maiden
, Lamb of God
, Bryan Adams
, Scorpions
, Sting, Aerosmith
, Megadeth
, Elton John
, Metallica
and Deep Purple
.
Mumbai's longest-running festival has been the Independence Rock Festival
. 2010 saw I-Rock, as it is popularly known, celebrate its 25th year. Independence Rock XXV paid tribute to the city that has hosted the festival by featuring a spate of local bands. The recently reunited Indus Creed headlined the festival, which included other local favourites like Bhayanak Maut, Scribe, Demonic Resurrection and Pralay, as well as stalwart musicians like Dhruv Ghanekar, Warren Mendonsa, Loy Mendonsa, Ehsaan Noorani, Farhad Wadia (the festival's founder and promoter), Ravi Iyer, Chandresh Kudwa, Shazneen Arethna and Sidd Coutto.
Another major Indian rock festival is the June Rock Out, organised by the Unwind Centre in Adyar, Chennai
.
There are also other smaller rock/metal festivals happening regularly in Bangalore and Chennai, like "Euphony", the "September Underground", "Last Band Standing," and the weekly "Live 101." The Bands Association of Chennai (BAC) is an organisation which actively promotes the cause of original music by Chennai bands. In Calcutta, the underground Metal Bands organise an Event called The Pit at Tapan Theatre in Kalighat. In 2009, 3 editions of The Pit were successfully organised.
As for the rock scene in Goa , SEAROCK is the only national level rock band competition for semi-professional bands in India which is conducted by BITS Pilani K.K.Birla Goa Campus as a flagship event of their cultural festival Waves. Eliminations are held in various cities like Kyra Theatre Banglore, Cafe Morrison Delhi, Seam Edu Pune and many others. Searock, in the past, has witnessed stellar performances from bands like Slain , Axe-Tortion and Noiseware.
is rock and metal music. All sub-genres of rock, varying from classic rock n' roll to extreme metal can be heard in Bangalore
. The underground scenario in Bangalore is highly acclaimed, and hence lead to the city being called Rock/Metal capital of India. Notable bands from Bangalore include Raghu Dixit Project, Thermal and a quarter (TAAQ), Kryptos
, Culminant, Neolithic Silence, Abondoned Agony, Inner Sanctum
, Slain, All The Fat Children, The Bicycle Days, Pralayh, Scratch Card Winners, The Usual Suspects, Crash TV, Eccentric Pendulum, Swaratma, Eastern Fare , Hungry and Galeej Gurus. Rock 'N India, Great Indian Rock and more recently Deccan Rock are the primitive rock festivals in India. Bangalore was also the first city in India where internationally popular rock groups Iron Maiden
, The Rolling Stones
, Bryan Adams
, Scorpions
, Sting, Aerosmith
, Elton John
, Deep Purple
, Metallica
among various other heavy metal groups performed live for the first time in India.
Metal Spree is a metal blog based in Bangalore which works actively for the Indian metal music scene.
List of international rock/metal musicians who performed live in Bangalore :
The future looks encouraging thanks to entities such as Green Ozone, DogmaTone
Records,Divine Raaga (P) Ltd. and Eastern Fare Music Foundation, that are dedicated to promoting and supporting Indian rock.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
in India that incorporates elements of Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
and mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
and is often topically India-centric. While India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is known for its northern
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
and southern
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
classical music, the Indian rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
scene has produced numerous bands and artists. There are also various non-resident Indians
Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin
A Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
who have formed bands rooted in Indian culture.
Early history
India, uniquely then amongst developing markets, had a record industry in the Gramophone Company of India (an RCA/HMV/EMI subsidiary), and LPs, EPsExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, and 45rpm records were freely available, including those of rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
acts from the USA and Britain, but also of contemporary pioneering Indian rock bands. The president of the firm, Bhaskar Menon
Bhaskar Menon
Bhaskar Menon is a music industry executive of Indian origin. He hails from Palaghat, Kerala, India. He initially worked with The Gramophone Company of India Ltd. Dum Dum, Calcutta, India as the Chairman and MD...
(who later became the President of Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in the United States) was the leading promoter of Western pop music in India. Later in 1970, Polydor, the German Label, began an India label distributing rock music.
Of these mid-1960s beat
Beat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
groups, as they were then termed, the most notable were the Mystiks from Bombay, the Beat-X from Madras and the Flintstone from Calcutta who composed and played both early British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
influenced songs, and post-Sgt. Pepper
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
. These bands had successful EP and LP releases and played regularly on the Indian university and college music circuits. Also notable from this period (1964–1970) was the female R&B singer, Usha Iyer, now Usha Uthup
Usha Uthup
Usha Uthup is a popular Indian pop, jazz and playback singer. She is well known for popular hits in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.She started her Bollywood playback career, when she sang an English verse in hit song, "Dum maro dum"" in Hare Rama Hare Krishna, and went on work with music...
, who had successful covers of "Jambalaya
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
"Jambalaya " is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams that was first released in July 1952...
" and The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
song, "Greenback Dollar".
The rock n' roll scene was also closely followed by Junior Statesman (or simply JS), a magazine started in 1965 contemporaneously with Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine in the USA and NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
in the UK.
In terms of reverse influence, renowned acts such as Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
were notably influenced by Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
as a way of reinforcing the psychedelia
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
in their music. While Jazz musicians, notably John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
had ventured into Indian music and spiritualism, the influence of Indian classical music on 1960s rock began in earnest with George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
inspired raga rock
Raga rock
Raga rock is a term used to describe rock or pop music with a heavy Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of instrumentation, such as the sitar and tabla...
song "Norwegian Wood
Norwegian Wood
Norwegian Wood is a 1965 song by The Beatles.Norwegian Wood may also refer to:* Norwegian Wood , an annual music festival in Oslo, Norway* Norwegian Wood , by Haruki Murakami...
" in 1965 and The Beatles' very public sojourn with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious...
at his ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
in Rishikesh in 1968, following the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
in 1967.
1980s and 1990s
While the orientalistOrientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
trend of the 60s and 70s was by the 80s and 90s largely over, India itself continued to produce bands in various styles of rock music, from soft rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and rock pop, to hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
. With the arrival of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, tastes rapidly changed, encouraging bands to harden their style and focus more on underground styles such as death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, alternative metal
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, and progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
. The 1990s saw the rise of a much larger following of various harder styles for this reason. Bands that had formed in the 80s, such as Rock Machine (who would later be known as Indus Creed
Indus Creed
Indus Creed is a rock group from India. It was founded in 1993 by Uday Benegal , Mark Selwyn , Mahesh Tinaikar , Zubin Balaporia and Jayesh Gandhi .-History:...
) - (including Mahesh Tinnaikar, Uday Benegal, etc)...altered their style with the influx of newer techniques and influences from the west. Notable suburban metal-blues bands with 60's and 70's metal influences included IIT Powaii based Axecalibre, fronted by Oliver Pinto, Prashant Nair and covered flamboyant guitar-based blues and hardcore metal including ballads. Contemporaries of the time were Easy Meat from Pune and Bands such as Holocaust, Morgue, Dorian Platonic from Assam, Grassroots Revival and Phoenix/Phynix and Drixian Empire/Dark Crusader from Manipur. Others formed in the 90s with harder styles influenced by the growing split between popular rock, such as Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
, alternative styles, such as punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and metal styles, such as thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
. The Indian sub-genre of fusion, which encourages a similar blend of ancient Indian musical traditions with rock music to raga rock
Raga rock
Raga rock is a term used to describe rock or pop music with a heavy Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of instrumentation, such as the sitar and tabla...
, was also carried forward, and is perhaps the most unusual Indian style of rock.
2000s
The current Indian rock scene has a larger following than ever, (although it is still marginalized compared to Indian film music, particularly the filmiFilmi
Filmi is Indian popular music as written and performed for Indian cinema. Music directors make up the main body of composers; the songs are performed by playback singers and it makes up 72% of the music sales in India....
soundtracks of Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
) and may soon become recognized in the international arena, as various South American and Japanese bands have become. Recent entries into the rock music scene are increasingly becoming comparable in their production quality to Western bands, and have been compared favorably to other internationally recognized acts. Now digital technology is making it easier than ever for these bands to distribute and sell their music. Some British bands of South Asian origin, such as Swami
Swami (band)
Swami are a critically acclaimed British Indian pop/alt/bhangra band from Birmingham, England. It is also the pseudonym of the band's lead performer, producer, DJ and guitarist Diamond Duggal , who founded the band with his brother Simon Duggal...
have, like their hip-hop counterparts, tried to enter the Indian market in addition to maintaining the traditional fanbase of non-resident Indians in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Canada
Indo-Canadians
Indo-Canadians are Canadians whose origins trace back to India. The terms East Indian and South Asian are used to distinguish people of ancestral origin from India, from the First Nations peoples of Canada who are often referred to as Indian, and from the people of the Caribbean, who are sometimes...
and the United States
Indian American
Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...
. Others, such as Rudra
Rudra (band)
Rudra is a Singaporean band which was formed in 1992, and plays a style of black metal-influenced death metal with interpolations and extended passages of traditional Carnatic music. Additionally, the lyrical content is derived from Sanskrit Vedic literature and philosophy with some songs...
, have emerged from Indian communities in other Asian countries. Progress is certain for the Indian rock scene with the advent of entities that support this genre. Rock Street Journal
Rock Street Journal
Rock Street Journal or RSJ is a monthly magazine covering the rock scene in India and South Asia. It was started in January 1993 in Allahabad by Amit Saigal and Shena Gamat Saigal after they realized the lack of support system for Indian rock musicians. The magazine has grown in popularity ever...
and Rolling Stone India are the two major publications that have been promoting Indian rock bands. The scene has also been transformed by the online medium, and the subsequent rise of a number of online portals promoting Indian rock, most notably the indie music website NH7 and Headbangers India.
Rock and roll
Indian fusion
An Indian sub-genre of rock exists that focuses on blending traditional Indian styles of music with rock music. The term for non-Indian bands using Indian instrumentals and vocal in rock is raga rockRaga rock
Raga rock is a term used to describe rock or pop music with a heavy Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of instrumentation, such as the sitar and tabla...
. However, Indian fusion also encompasses attempts by Indian pop musicians and film composers to incorporate rock music into their work, starting in the 70s with film scores like those of the Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
classics. The Brown Indian Band
Brown Indian Band
The Brown Indian Band was formed by bass player Colin D'Cruz and features accomplished Indian classical musicians, in concert with jazz musicians.- Overview :Indian classical is similar to jazz as they are both forms of improvised music...
features accomplished Indian classical musicians in concert with jazz virtuosos. More recently the multi-cultural British band Botown
Botown
Botown: The Soul Band Of Bollywood is a London based multicultural Soul band formed by musician, songwriter and producer Ajay Srivastav. It takes its name from the short form of 'Bollywood Town', itself a tribute to the classic Soul music record label Motown which is short for Motor Town.-Music:The...
have taken elements of Bollywood and fused them with soul and funk to great success. The Kochi-based band Motherjane
Motherjane
Motherjane is an Indian rock band from Kochi, India, formed in 1996. The band consists of Suraj Mani , John Thomas , Clyde Rozario , Deepu Sasidharan and Santosh Chandran . They have released a total of two studio albums, and three singles...
typefies bands producing this genre of music. Bangalore based carnatic rock band Agam and fusion rock outfit Divine Raaga are other examples of mature songmakers in the country.
Indian funk
Indian funkFunk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
is a loose term describing the style of rock and roll which is sometimes blurred into the realms of pop and other genres. Whereas Indian fusion may only incorporate Indian styles into rock, or rock into Indian forms of music, Indian funk can be broadly defined as what rap-metal is to heavy metal - an infusion of elements from rap, reggae, pop and dance genres that some might consider to not be 'true' rock. Groups originating in South Asian communities in Western countries like Britain are noted for this style, with bands such as Swami
Swami (band)
Swami are a critically acclaimed British Indian pop/alt/bhangra band from Birmingham, England. It is also the pseudonym of the band's lead performer, producer, DJ and guitarist Diamond Duggal , who founded the band with his brother Simon Duggal...
and Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation
Asian Dub Foundation are a British electronica band that plays a mix of rapcore, dub, dancehall and ragga, also using rock instruments, acknowledging a punk influence...
using elements of UK garage
UK garage
UK garage is a genre of electronic dance music originating from the United Kingdom in the early-1990s. UK garage is a descendant of house music which originated in Chicago and New York, United States. UK garage usually features a distinctive syncopated 4/4 percussive rhythm with 'shuffling'...
, UK bhangra and hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, such as synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, rap vocals and turntable
Turntable
A turntable is generally a rotating platform, and may refer to:-Music:* Turntable, a motor-driven platform that normally rotates a gramophone record at a constant rotational velocity as part of a phonograph....
s. Also based in the UK, Botown
Botown
Botown: The Soul Band Of Bollywood is a London based multicultural Soul band formed by musician, songwriter and producer Ajay Srivastav. It takes its name from the short form of 'Bollywood Town', itself a tribute to the classic Soul music record label Motown which is short for Motor Town.-Music:The...
take an approach inspired by Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
with a large lineup of live musicians to blend Bollywood music with soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
. Few rock bands such as Silent Echo (Delhi) and Psycho Frequency (Delhi) use a wide range of samples and mechanically evolved sounds.
Vedic metal
The Indian Metal Band M.A.I.D.S (Metal Aliens In Devil's Soul) laid the foundation of Heavy Metal/Rock in South India, Madras in the early 90's. Singaporean band RudraRudra (band)
Rudra is a Singaporean band which was formed in 1992, and plays a style of black metal-influenced death metal with interpolations and extended passages of traditional Carnatic music. Additionally, the lyrical content is derived from Sanskrit Vedic literature and philosophy with some songs...
initially got their worldwide push from major metal label Sonic Wave International). With their style of 'Vedic metal' based around Hindu themes, the band have gained some fame in South East Asia, fusing metal and traditional music in the vein of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
's Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
, although they do not use avant-garde instruments as in the case of the latter. Many international critics from America, Germany and other countries have given the band's albums rave reviews.
Since the genre was pioneered by Rudra in the late 1990s, it has grown in popularity. Bands like Aryadeva
Aryadeva
Aryadeva , was a disciple of Nagarjuna and author of several important Mahayana Madhyamaka Buddhist texts. He is also known as Kanadeva the 15th patriarch in the Zen tradition and Bodhisattva Deva in Sri Lanka where he was born as the son of a king. Some Chinese sources however, suggest he was...
(Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), Symmetry (Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
), Warriors Of Peace (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Asura (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Advaita (New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
), The Aryan March (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Bhairav (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Narasimha (Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
), Kaliyuga (Malaysia), Azrael
Azrael (band)
Azrael is a black metal band from Minnesota, USA, formed by Lord Samaiza and Algol in 1999. In 2000, their first demo tape entitled "Virulent Darkness" was self-released by the band. In 2001, their second demo tape "Unto Death" was self-released. In early 2002 Azrael released an extremely limited...
(Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) and Blue River (Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
) Punarjanma (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) have done pioneering work in the genre. Often, along with the Vedic lyrics, the music has shades of Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
. The definitive album of this genre is the Rudra album The Aryan Crusade
The Aryan Crusade
The Aryan Crusade is the second album of Rudra released in 2001.-Track listing:# "Aryaputra"# "Hymns to Thee"# "Anantarupa"# "Malevolent Creed"# "Burnt at the Stakes"# "Rudrapatni"# "Amen"# "Homage to the Seers"# "Manifesto of the Demented"...
released in 2001. In addition, India has produced many metal bands that combine ethnic-folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
with various forms of metal to create folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
bands. Indian rock has been influenced by some notable cultural trends, and has in turn produced influences of its own. Indian musicians have also collaborated with other musicians from across the globe.
Raga rock
In the West, some groups, such as The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, traveled to India and incorporated aspects of Indian music, especially classical instruments such as the sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, into their music, often as a way of conjuring psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
'Eastern' feelings. The term for this was raga rock
Raga rock
Raga rock is a term used to describe rock or pop music with a heavy Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of instrumentation, such as the sitar and tabla...
, and examples of it are The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
"Love You To
Love You To
"Love You To" is a song by The Beatles from the album Revolver. It is sung and written by George Harrison and features North Indian classical instrumentation; tabla, a pair of hand-drums, sitar and a tambura providing a drone...
", "The Inner Light
The Inner Light (song)
"The Inner Light" is a song written by George Harrison that was first released by The Beatles as a B-side to "Lady Madonna". It was the first Harrison composition to be featured on a Beatles single. The lyrics are a rendering of the 47th chapter of the Taoist Tao Te Ching...
","Across the Universe
Across the Universe
"Across the Universe" is a song by the English group The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists charity compilation album No One's Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be,...
","Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
"Norwegian Wood " is a song by The Beatles, first released on the 1965 album Rubber Soul....
", "Tomorrow Never Knows
Tomorrow Never Knows
"Tomorrow Never Knows" is the final track of The Beatles' 1966 studio album Revolver but the first to be recorded. Credited as a Lennon–McCartney song, it was written primarily by John Lennon...
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of a Salvation Army house named "Strawberry Field" near his childhood home."Strawberry Fields...
" and "Within You Without You
Within You Without You
"Within You Without You" is a song written by George Harrison, released on The Beatles' 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.-Composition:...
"; The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' "Paint it, Black
Paint It, Black
"Paint It, Black" is a song released by The Rolling Stones on 13 May 1966 as the first single from their fourth album Aftermath. It was originally titled "Paint It Black" without a comma. Keith Richards has stated that the comma was added by the record label, Decca.The song was written by Mick...
"; The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
' "Fancy"; The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
' "The End
The End (The Doors song)
"The End" is a song by The Doors. Originally written by Jim Morrison as a song about breaking up with girlfriend Mary Werbelow, it evolved through months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on their self-titled album. The band would perform the song to close...
" and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
' "Eight Miles High
Eight Miles High
"Eight Miles High" is a song by the American rock band The Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, and David Crosby and first released as a single on March 14, 1966 . The single managed to reach the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 30 of the UK Singles Chart...
". A number of prolific Indian classical musicians such as Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
aligned themselves with this trend, collaborating with Western artists. Indian bands themselves mainly covered early rock songs by pioneers of rock and roll in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and only achieved recognition in popular culture by supporting film scores and Indian pop.
Rock scenes
Many cities and regions have produced collections of bands large enough to be classified as a scene within Indian rock.Shillong
Shillong
-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
has long been one of the principal founts of Indian rock and continues to produce bands regularly. Some of the most notable contemporary rock bands from Mumbai are Pentagram
Pentagram (Indian band)
Pentagram is a four piece Indian rock/electronica band started in 1994 in Mumbai, India. Regarded as one of the pioneers of original Indian independent music, the band has received much recognition and has played in venues around the world including the Glastonbury festival in the UK in...
, Tough on Tobacco, Bhayanak Maut
Bhayanak Maut
Bhayanak Maut an Indian metal band from Mumbai. The band's name was inspired by a Ramsay Brothers’ Hindi horror movie of the same name, which it translates to "Terrible Death". Their music is an eclectric mix of metal, death metal and hardcore.-History:...
, Split, Sridhar/Thayil and Scribe
Scribe (band)
Scribe is a hardcore/experimental/post-Hardcore/metal band from Mumbai, India. Active since 2005, the band has built up a reputation for itself as one of the most technically proficient bands on the Indian underground metal scene.- History :...
. The recent reunion of Indian rock pioneers Indus Creed
Indus Creed
Indus Creed is a rock group from India. It was founded in 1993 by Uday Benegal , Mark Selwyn , Mahesh Tinaikar , Zubin Balaporia and Jayesh Gandhi .-History:...
was received with great enthusiasm, especially with regard to their plans to produce a new album in 2011.
Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
's music circuit has seen its share of ups and downs, but has held on largely due to the local presence of Rock Street Journal
Rock Street Journal
Rock Street Journal or RSJ is a monthly magazine covering the rock scene in India and South Asia. It was started in January 1993 in Allahabad by Amit Saigal and Shena Gamat Saigal after they realized the lack of support system for Indian rock musicians. The magazine has grown in popularity ever...
. Delhi being the operational home of the Allahabad-based magazine, local bands have benefited by the proximity to India's first dedicated to stories and features based around rock and metal. The Great Indian Rock festival was mostly held in Delhi, now foraying into Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, North-East India
North-East India
Northeast India refers to the easternmost region of India consisting of the contiguous Seven Sister States, Sikkim, and parts of North Bengal...
and has exposed the upcoming musicians of India to a wider variety of musicians. Notable bands from Delhi include Parikrama, Hundred Octane, Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean (band)
Indian Ocean are an Indian rock band formed in New Delhi in 1990. They are considered to be the pioneers of fusion rock genre in India. Susmit Sen, Asheem Chakravarty, Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam formed the most stable and successful line-up in the band's timeline. This line-up lasted till Asheem's...
, Them Clones
Them Clones
Them Clones is an Indian rock band. Them Clones was created sometime in 2000.Inspired by the dramatic world of rock n' roll and of course themselves, their tryst with songwriting has directed them across the course of the thoughtful to confessional, from the assertive to the provocative; but has...
, Menwhopause
Menwhopause
-Early career:The band was formed in 2001 by guitarist Anup Kutty with an original lineup of singer/songwriter Sarabjit Chadha and acoustic guitarist Inder Pal Singh . The trio became a full fledged band after recruiting bassist Randeep Singh and drummer Rahul Chatterjee...
. Bands from Bangalore include Raghu Dixit Project, Vichitra, Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ), Kryptos
Kryptos (band)
Kryptos is a heavy metal band from Bangalore, India, formed in 1998 by Nolan Lewis and Ganesh K . Since their inception, the band has released two albums. The first album Spiral Ascent released in 2004 did exceedingly well and made an impact in the underground...
, Abandoned Agony, Inner Sanctum
Inner Sanctum (band)
Inner Sanctum is a Death/Thrash metal band from Bangalore, India. They were formed in 2007.Inner Sanctum has over the years earned critical and commercial acclaim and has received awards including the Band of the Year 2007 , Indian Band of the year 2009 and Best Emerging Band of the year...
, Culminant, Slain, Agam, All The Fat Children, Eccentric Pendulum, Swarathma
Swarathma
Swarathma is a Bangalore based Indian Folk/fusion band. The current line up features Vasu Dixit , Pavan Kumar KJ , Montry Manuel , Varun , Sanjeev Nayak and Jishnu Dasgupta .They released their debut album on Virgin Records on 5 January 2009, supporting it with a...
, Eastern Fare and Galeej Gurus. Bands from Kolkata include Cassini's Division
Cassini's Division
Cassini's Division are an alternative rock band from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Formed in 2001, they are named after the Cassini Division, the largest gap in the Rings of Saturn.- Testing Times and Change :...
, Skinny Alley
Skinny Alley
Skinny Alley is a Kolkata-based Indian rock band. As a name and concept, Skinny Alley was formed in the late nineties, though the musicians have been playing together in various bands since the 1970s.-The band:*Jayashree Singh: Vocals, programmes...
, Underground Authority
Underground Authority
Underground Authority , [abbreviated as UA] is an alternative rock/rap rock band from Kolkata, India formed in 2010. Their music is flavoured by a blend of protest poetry, reggae, alternative rock, rap, and hard rock...
, Pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
, Hobos and Rikterskale. There is also a massive regional rock scene in Kolkata that includes bands like Fossils
Fossils (band)
Fossils is a Bangla Rock band formed in Kolkata, West Bengal, India in 1998.The group is considered one of the pioneering rock acts in Kolkata's Bangla music scene....
, Cactus
Cactus (Indian band)
Cactus is an Indian Bangla rock band from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Since inception they have played on over 2500 stages.-History:Cactus was formed in 1992...
, Chandrabindoo
Chandrabindoo (band)
Chandrabindoo , based in Kolkata, is a bangla band. Their name refers both to the last character in the Bengali alphabet and to a dialogue from the nonsense work HaJaBaRaLa by Sukumar Ray....
, Krosswindz
Krosswindz
Krosswindz is a Classic Rock/folk-fusion band, based in Kolkata, India. They have played all over India and abroad, and have helped urbanize the folk music of Bengal and have tried to make it popular...
and Bhoomi
Bhoomi (band)
Bhoomi is a music group based in Kolkata, India. They are a Bangla language band. In July 2006 they became the first Indian band to play at the United Nations.-Beginnings:...
, having huge international popularity. A relatively recent entry into the Indian Rock circuit is the city of Pune which is the home of bands such as Prosody, Hourglass Inversion, Nemesis, and many more.
Recent restrictions on live music in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
's bars has affected the rock music culture of the city but is slowly recovering with pubs like Kyra, B Flat and Legends of Rock hosting more live bands. Festivals like Rock 'N India, Rock Ethos, Great Indian Rock and more recently Deccan Rock continue to take place in Bangalore, a popular destination for international acts like Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Lamb of God
Lamb of God
The title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
, Sting, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
.
Mumbai's longest-running festival has been the Independence Rock Festival
Independence Rock Festival
The Independence Rock Festival is a two day music festival held annually at Chitrakoot Grounds, Mumbai. It usually takes place during the Indian Independence Day and is organised by E18, A division of the Network 18 Media...
. 2010 saw I-Rock, as it is popularly known, celebrate its 25th year. Independence Rock XXV paid tribute to the city that has hosted the festival by featuring a spate of local bands. The recently reunited Indus Creed headlined the festival, which included other local favourites like Bhayanak Maut, Scribe, Demonic Resurrection and Pralay, as well as stalwart musicians like Dhruv Ghanekar, Warren Mendonsa, Loy Mendonsa, Ehsaan Noorani, Farhad Wadia (the festival's founder and promoter), Ravi Iyer, Chandresh Kudwa, Shazneen Arethna and Sidd Coutto.
Another major Indian rock festival is the June Rock Out, organised by the Unwind Centre in Adyar, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
.
There are also other smaller rock/metal festivals happening regularly in Bangalore and Chennai, like "Euphony", the "September Underground", "Last Band Standing," and the weekly "Live 101." The Bands Association of Chennai (BAC) is an organisation which actively promotes the cause of original music by Chennai bands. In Calcutta, the underground Metal Bands organise an Event called The Pit at Tapan Theatre in Kalighat. In 2009, 3 editions of The Pit were successfully organised.
As for the rock scene in Goa , SEAROCK is the only national level rock band competition for semi-professional bands in India which is conducted by BITS Pilani K.K.Birla Goa Campus as a flagship event of their cultural festival Waves. Eliminations are held in various cities like Kyra Theatre Banglore, Cafe Morrison Delhi, Seam Edu Pune and many others. Searock, in the past, has witnessed stellar performances from bands like Slain , Axe-Tortion and Noiseware.
Bangalore Scene
The dominant music genres in urban BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
is rock and metal music. All sub-genres of rock, varying from classic rock n' roll to extreme metal can be heard in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. The underground scenario in Bangalore is highly acclaimed, and hence lead to the city being called Rock/Metal capital of India. Notable bands from Bangalore include Raghu Dixit Project, Thermal and a quarter (TAAQ), Kryptos
Kryptos (band)
Kryptos is a heavy metal band from Bangalore, India, formed in 1998 by Nolan Lewis and Ganesh K . Since their inception, the band has released two albums. The first album Spiral Ascent released in 2004 did exceedingly well and made an impact in the underground...
, Culminant, Neolithic Silence, Abondoned Agony, Inner Sanctum
Inner Sanctum (band)
Inner Sanctum is a Death/Thrash metal band from Bangalore, India. They were formed in 2007.Inner Sanctum has over the years earned critical and commercial acclaim and has received awards including the Band of the Year 2007 , Indian Band of the year 2009 and Best Emerging Band of the year...
, Slain, All The Fat Children, The Bicycle Days, Pralayh, Scratch Card Winners, The Usual Suspects, Crash TV, Eccentric Pendulum, Swaratma, Eastern Fare , Hungry and Galeej Gurus. Rock 'N India, Great Indian Rock and more recently Deccan Rock are the primitive rock festivals in India. Bangalore was also the first city in India where internationally popular rock groups Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
, Sting, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
among various other heavy metal groups performed live for the first time in India.
Metal Spree is a metal blog based in Bangalore which works actively for the Indian metal music scene.
List of international rock/metal musicians who performed live in Bangalore :
- ScorpionsScorpions (band)Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
in 2001 - Bryan AdamsBryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
in 1994, 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2011 - Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
in 2001 - Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
in 2002 - Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
in 2002 - The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in 2003 - Mark KnopflerMark KnopflerMark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
in 2005 - Joe SatrianiJoe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
in 2005 - Sting in 2005
- Uriah HeepUriah Heep (band)Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
in 2006 - Jethro tullJethro Tull (band)Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
in 2006 and 2008 - Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
in 2007 and 2009 - AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
in 2007 - SepulturaSepulturaSepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
in 2007 - MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
in 2008 - Machine HeadMachine Head (band)Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
in 2008 - SatyriconSatyriconSatyricon is a Latin work of fiction in a mixture of prose and poetry. It is believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as a certain Titus Petronius...
in 2008 - Mr. BigMr. Big (band)Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...
in 2009 - Amon AmarthAmon AmarthAmon Amarth is a Swedish viking metal band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992, and takes its name from the Sindarin translation of Mount Doom, a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The band comprises vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström...
in 2009 - TexturesTextures (band)Textures is a metal band from the Netherlands, formed in 2001. Textures' lineup revolves around founding members Jochem Jacobs, Stef Broks, Bart Hennephof, and bassist Remko Tielemans who joined in 2007...
in 2009 and 2010 - Lamb Of GodLamb of GodThe title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
in 2010 - Nervecell in 2010
- Lacuna CoilLacuna CoilLacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
in 2010 - De ProfundisDe ProfundisDe Profundis refers to Psalm 130, traditionally known as the De profundis from its opening words in Latin.It may also refer to:* De Profundis , a ballet by J...
in 2010 - Purified in BloodPurified in BloodPurified in Blood is a Norwegian metalcore band from Hommersåk, near Sandnes. They started up in the winter of 2003, and dissolved in January 2007. April 25, 2008, PiB though announced that they now are back...
in 2010 - MeshuggahMeshuggahMeshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
in 2010 - EnslavedEnslaved (band)Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
in 2010 - TesseractTesseractIn geometry, the tesseract, also called an 8-cell or regular octachoron or cubic prism, is the four-dimensional analog of the cube. The tesseract is to the cube as the cube is to the square. Just as the surface of the cube consists of 6 square faces, the hypersurface of the tesseract consists of 8...
in 2010 - The ProdigyThe ProdigyThe Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
in 2011 - Putrid Pile in 2011
- Orphaned LandOrphaned LandOrphaned Land is an Israeli progressive metal band, formed in 1991, that combines Death/doom, Jewish and Arabic influences.- History :In 1992, the band changed its name from the original Resurrection to Orphaned Land....
in 2011 - ForeignerForeigner (band)Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
in 2011 - Cradle of FilthCradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
in 2011 - MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
in 2011 - Biffy ClyroBiffy ClyroBiffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
in 2011 - Poets of the FallPoets of the FallPoets of the Fall is a rock band from Finland. It consists of Marko Saaresto , Olli Tukiainen and Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen...
in 2011
Independent record labels
Mainstream record labels in India often ignore rock, with a few exceptions. Album sales range between a few hundred copies to a few thousand. They are rarely, if at all, affiliated to the Indian music industry, and sales are not usually monitored. Songs of bollywood usually gain more popularity as compared to the songs of bands. This is a huge set back. Bands also fail to sell their songs throughout the country even after making it available to major music stores, this is only due to lack of interest of people in rock bands. There are only a few bands that have become successful in selling their songs throughout the country. People who enjoy rock get the songs of their favorite bands, just by a click form any music website (sometimes their songs are uploaded by website administrators just after the day of release, this is illegal as per copyright law, but even then no action is taken). Hence, overall sales become less than expected. Bands in India mostly perform live shows with low priced tickets (as low as Rs.100 or even less). Probably, the growing and the upcoming generation will have interest in Indian Rock and Metal. But care has to be taken to retain the copyright of the music.The future looks encouraging thanks to entities such as Green Ozone, DogmaTone
DogmaTone
DogmaTone Records is a registered Indian record label, formed with the objective of promoting and encouraging Indian rock music. DogmaTone Records has released an album titled The First Mutiny : Dogmas of Indian Rock...
Records,Divine Raaga (P) Ltd. and Eastern Fare Music Foundation, that are dedicated to promoting and supporting Indian rock.
See also
- Rock On!!
- List of rock genres
- Blues-rockBlues-rockBlues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
- Death metalDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
- Folk rockFolk rockFolk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
- Hard rockHard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
- Heavy metal musicHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
- Nu metalNu metalNu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
- Raga rockRaga rockRaga rock is a term used to describe rock or pop music with a heavy Indian influence, either in its construction, its timbre, or its use of instrumentation, such as the sitar and tabla...
- Rock and rollRock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
- Rock musicRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
- Alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
- Rap RockRap rockRap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....
External links
- SEAROCK 2011 - India’s biggest semi-pro band competition
- Indian Rock Bands
- Indian Rock Forums
- Music and Bangalore
- Indian rock music is superficial: Javed Akhtar, Yahoo! MoviesYahoo! MoviesYahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
. Published September 4, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2008. - Rodgers, Jeffrey Pepper. Indian Rock from Thermal and a Quarter, NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. Retrieved October 3, 2008. - Mehar, Rakesh. Indian rock's all good, The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
. Retrieved October 3, 2008.