Music

Anirudh Ravi – The best of Indian indie

Digital

August 11, 2017

Get to know Bangalore-based singer/songwriter, Anirudh Ravi.

Bangalore has been one of the most prolific cities in terms of its contribution to the indie music scene. From bands like Thermal and a Quarter, Inner Sanctum and Parvaaz, the city has seen it all. Perhaps what’s most spectacular about the city is its ability to replenish its musical talent every few years. Anirudh Ravi is a testament to that fact and represents a newer generation of musicians to emerge from the city. A newer generation that isn’t about theatrics or making a statement. Instead, Anirudh Ravi is all about the song. Through his solo endeavors as well as those with the Indie-Pop band inthenow, Anirudh is bringing back the craft of writing good, simple songs with the sort lyricism that gives us a glimpse into the songwriter’s heart and soul.

Besides playing for the band, inthenow, Anirudh is currently working on his first album called ‘Bring Back the Sound’ with guitar player Bharath Kashyap and bass player Abheet Anand. Not only does he contribute his own unique musical voice to the world, Anirudh also helps younger, budding musicians to hone their talent. When he’s not busy working on new songs, he teaches music, giving lessons in guitar playing and singing. In doing so, he’s enabling the next generation of musicians to begin their musical journey as well. However, Anirudh’s own musical journey didn’t begin a very long time ago either.

My musical journey started about 7 years ago. I had always been a fan of music and loved to sing, but sometime around then, I got my hands on Led Zeppelin IV, and all I wanted to do a few hours after listening to it was play guitar. After that, I guess I kept rediscovering music and got into composition, theory etc.

While Anirudh describes his own music as ‘mellow and intimate’, Anirudh’s musical palette is far more diverse. When speaking of influences, Anirudh Ravi picked from a range of artists who also display the same emphasis on songwriting.

Well, my influences change from time to time, but currently, I’d say John Mayer, The Milk Carton Kids, Glen Hansard, Eddie Vedder, Damien Rice, Iron and Wine, Jack Johnson and a whole bunch of other indie music.

Anirudh was kind enough to list out 5 of his favourite albums of all time as well.

Well, the choices keep changing, but right now I’d say:-

‘Boing, We’ll do it live!’ – The Aristocrats

‘Our endless numbered days’ – Iron and Wine

LedZeppelinn IV

The Milk Carton Kids – Live at the Lincoln Theatre

‘Where the light is’ – John Mayer

Since this series is all about the best of Indian indie music, we asked Anirudh to pick out one local band which he loves. No surprises here, Anirudh chose Mad Orange Fireworks. With their own unique sound that they term as ‘Orange’ Rock, MOF combines the best of the blues, funk, and grunge to make some killer tunes.

The future holds immense potential for Anirudh Ravi. With a brand new album slated to release soon and an ever-increasing number of gigs, Anirudh is making his presence felt in the independent scene. However, when Ani talks about the future, all that’s on his mind is growth and journey as a musician.

My plans for the future are to understand music theory better than I do, and to become a better improviser.

He’s got his priorities, amongst other things, bang-on. It’s safe to say that with songwriters like Anirudh around, Bangalore’s musical legacy isn’t something that’s going to change anytime soon. If you feel inclined to enable such talent, then it’s simply a matter of supporting these artists. So, the next time you hear of an inthenow or Anirudh Ravi performance, make sure to drop by and see for yourself what the fuss is all about. Make sure to check out the album too, once it’s out.