Permeation of Indian music getting better abroad: AGAM

Picture this: Two young students get together to jam during their days at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science. They stay in touch and indulge in music even after passing out from the Pilani-based educational institution. Over time, it leads to the formation of a band – Studio F6 — from a studio apartment. Soon, they begin experimentation with various compositions of music. The name of the band later gets changed to AGAM with Harish Sivaramakrishnan, Yadhunandan, Swamy Seetharaman, T Praveen Kumar, Sivakumar Nagarajan, Jagadish Natarajan and Aditya Kashyap making music. Three members– Suraj Satheesh, Vignesh Laxminarayanan and Ganesh Ram Nagarajan – choose to part ways during this period.

The Bengaluru-based contemporary Carnatic progressive Rock band, formed in 2003, will be performing at Red FM’s South Side Story on August 23, 2020. The band spoke with Saurabh Tankha…

What do you enjoy most about being a music group?
Everything. Right from us meeting together for a jam to recording it to taking it to a live audience, especially the live scenes — that’s something we miss a lot.

Are there creative differences when you make music and how do you sort?
There will be multiple ideas that will come up for any song that we work on. Unless everyone in the band like the idea and agree on it, it never gets onto the final output.

The biggest problem you have encountered in this journey of music…
Initially, it was about finding an audience and a venue to host our music. Once we got over the initial barriers, it was been pretty good for us so far.

How do you rate the acceptability of Indian music abroad?
It is definitely getting better, although we would love for it to be more. But with the Indian diaspora abroad growing, so is the acceptance and permeation of Indian music getting better abroad.

If you were to rate the music lovers of Indian cities in terms of understanding music during a show, which will be the top three and why?
All cities we play in are special. Each offers a lot of love and it would be a crime to name favourites.

Top three Indian bands around today…
Thaikudam Bridge, The Down Troddence and Motherjane (not in any particular order)

What is the band doing when it is not making music?
We are either working our full time jobs, or making music.

How has the lockdown period treated the band?
We have taken this time to explore our individual music and develop on it. Learn new stuff.

What’s next?
More music.