CHENNAI: Those who were at Phoenix MarketCity on Sunday will know them as the band that rocked the night playing songs of Porcupine and Lazarus. Bengaluru-based, Coma Rossi, a five piece psychedelic progressive rock band was formed by guitarist Gaurav Govilkar in 2014.
The current lineup includes Tom Borah (vocals), Udayan Kashalikar (bass and vocals), Juby Thomas (keyboards), and Bhim Kaul (drums).
Their gig on Sunday was their first in Chennai. Talking about their experience, the vocalist says, “It was an amazing experience for us. The people and the weather were lovely. We’re in love with Chennai and want to perform here often.”
Why the name Coma Rossi? “We were quite intrigued by the mystery surrounding a coma patient, nobody knew what was going on, hence ‘coma’. ’Rossi’ came from an album ‘Starring Rosi’ by a
German band Ash Ra Tempel. There is an element of mystery that we thought suits the music we play and it sounds cool,” says Juby. The band that is quite famous in their hometown is now working on their debut album.
“The collection of songs are a derivative of personal experiences, melancholy, aggression, and each song has multiple dynamics and a mix of emotions melodically,” says the keyboardist. “We have been playing most of these songs from the album in our live shows and they are well received. We hope the album is received well too,” he adds.
Their track covers have been appreciated by many for its mysterious and edgy looks. “Most of the covers are actually phone pictures taken in bad lighting, but the end product seem to match our track. Although these are just tentative covers as we’re working on the album covers and individual track covers, which we guarantee will blow your mind,” says Tom.
The members have varied tastes in music and feel that there is a lot more to explore and learn. They say their musical influences range from Mogwai, Slipknot to Alice in Chains and Pink Floyd. Jamming for almost 14 hours a week, the band has had few funny moments during their sessions. “I once played bass through an entire song without even realising that the bass amp was turned off. I guess it was ear fatigue but none of them noticed until the song was over,” Udayan laughs.
They have undergone lineup changes since their inception. “It was the members’ decision to leave as they had to relocate due to personal reasons,” says Gaurav. Talking about the effects of lineup changes, Udayan says, “We don’t believe the progress stops with a lineup change, but the rate of progress does take a hit. It takes time for a new person to get accustomed to our routine.
On a positive note, new members also bring in new perspectives.” Tom feels it is important that band members should be in sync. “Bands should be selective after a lineup change because it’s not enough to find a person perfect for the job but we need to find a person perfect for the band. There should be a special connect between them that enables them to work together like a well-oiled machine.” So, what do they do to bond? “We generally hang out together at concerts, and on a daily basis we do share ideas. We even have our own WhatsApp group to share lyrics that we come up with randomly on a regular day and others contribute to it,” says Bhim.