This week, it’s a combo of desi South Asian songs tuned to the electric and bass guitars, keyboards, percussions, and drums. Rock music sung in some of the regional languages such as Nepali, Malayalam and Sinhala. And our focus is on three South Asian Bands, namely: Nepal 1974 AD, Avial from India’s Southern state of Kerala and Nemesis from Sri Lanka.
Nepal 1974 AD were of course among the first to sing desi Rock. And their existence dates back to the early 90s when a group of teachers got together and decided to create fusion music. Their first album became an instant hit among Nepalese all over the country and they came to be known as the ‘Beatles of Nepal’.
Avial: Formed in 2003, the band get their get their name from a local South Indian dish made with lots of different vegetables and coconut. And like the dish, the band’s unique music - which they call the alternative Malayali rock- is a musical treat to all its listeners. And their fan club goes beyond not just Kerala and the other Indian states but right into the global South Asian diaspora as its nearly 11,400 followers on Facebook show.
Nemesis: This band from Sri Lanka is fairly new. Formed in 2005, Nemesis sing in both Sinhalese and English. Their songs are a mix of heavy metal, hard rock and blues. Their debut song Chakithaya is not just a musical hit. Its music video has been nominated for the Best Rock Video at Derana Music Video Awards 2010: Sri Lanka’s premiere music award ceremony.
From Nepal in the north to Sri Lanka in the south it’s all about home grown rock from the subcontinent. Click on the link below to listen to this week’s East meets West edition of South Asia Beat.
