BENGALURU: Two years ago, city-based lawyers Kishan Hebbar and Austyn Goveas decided to quit their high paying job and pursue music. The duo formed a band KA-19 Music. They named it after their initials. It also represents the registration number of vehicles in Mangaluru from where they belong.
Kishan is the lead guitar player and vocalist and Austyn is on the acoustic and is also a vocalist for the band.
The duo have known each other for nine years since college and have been performing together since then. After completing law in Mangaluru, Kishan decided to join Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai while Austyn worked for one and half years at a firm here in the city. “Once Kishan got back from Chennai, we realised that we needed to be on stage and KA-19 is the outcome of that,” says Austyn.
They always had interest in music. They say switching to another career has been difficult for them. “You have to give 110 per cent and keep at it, you have to make your own deadlines, it’s you against you,” adds Kishan. While money was ‘very nice’ in their previous career, according to Austyn, the effort put into it wasn’t worth it. Any regrets on the career change? Certainly not, they say.
The band has performed over 80 shows last year and are already being lined up with eight performances this month in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Puducherry and is hoping to cross 100 shows this year as a target. Their music revolves around old school retro and pop music. “We love playing old school rock n roll, classic pop, a little funk and contemporary pop here and there,” says Austyn. However, the band also fuses with other musicians in the city which shifts for a 5 to 6-piece setup.
Kishan calls himself a hard rock kind of guy who is inspired by Pink Floyd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Motley Crew, and Van Halen while Austyn is more into in nu-metal and rap. “I don’t think we have considered what makes us different. We just do what we do,” adds Austyn.
Just as many musicians in the city, Kishan and Austyn had to prove to their families their musical passion. After signing up for many shows now, that challenge has died out. They were also not able to find time for their friends as their shows are mostly held on weekends. Now, they join them for their performances.
Austyn says their routine is very simple - eat, sleep, practice and repeat. They practice for several hours together on days when they do not have any gigs. The duo is all set to perform on April 11 at Bootlegger,
Indiranagar, at 8 pm.