After playing countless festivals and live music venues, city-based funk outfit Clown WiTh a Frown has finally made it to the playlist of music fans across India. Plus, these ‘nine lives’ draw huge inspirations from funk groups like Jamiroquai, Earth, Wind & Fire and various local bands like Lagori and Thermal and a Quarter. In a nutshell, they are a pop/funk power house - with serenading vocals mixed with groovy bass and drum lines - the trumpet and saxophone join in too, which give the songs a sassy feel - the kind you might like to listen on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Most of their numbers are etched with eclectic themes that encompass life. Caesar, a song written by vocalist Abby Attavar, talks about believing in yourself and not letting circumstances change who you are. On the other hand, their first single Hot Panic is all about bringing the disco era back, and get people grooving.
We also found out that the idea behind the name stems from the irony of a clown’s life. “Although sadness may be inevitable, the point is to laugh, sing and dance the sadness away,” enthuses Jonathan Reuben, the outfit’s guitar player. According to Reuben, Clown WiTH a Frown is an intense ball of energy and fun.
The band’s ultimate drive is music, and the interesting part is that they don’t treat it as a ‘job’; the idea is to push hard as long as they are together. They also tell us that they love to dance and watch other people dance to their music too. “Once you feel the beat, let your instincts take control,” states Reuben.
With nine members on-board there is always room for some fun. “The funniest moment was when we played at the NH7 Weekender in 2012,” recalls Reuben. Further, “While we were rocking out on stage, Abheet Anand our bass-player, tried to jump onto the drum riser, but he misjudged the height and landed flat on his back! We all laughed hard on stage, Abby could barely sing. I will never forget that moment… Anand will definitely not!” laughs Jonathan.
This year the band has its eye peeled on lots of gigs and jams. They also have plans on playing in more cities and touring might also be in the cards. As of now, they are working in the studio, cooking up some music for their fans. Catch them at facebook.com/ClownWiThaFrown.