A real treat for Bob Marley fans. That would sum up the debut album of The Grasshoppers6, the first reggae Malayalam band in the country. The Grasshoppers6 is a tribute band formed by die-hard Marley fans who believe reggae music, especially reggae master Marley’s, can make it big in the state. The Thiruvananthapuram-based band wants to be related to Bob and Bob only and, not to say, their album is in Malayalam.
The tribute the band plans for the best reggae artist ever is not just about music. It emphasises on the reggae culture and also links people following that unique musical style. In effect, the band explores the reggae vibes and reintroduces the style in the modern times with authenticity intact.
The six-member band was formed three years ago by a pack of pals, who often did innovative originals of Marley. “We had been lucky enough to do many shows in different parts of the state. Initially, it was only covers of Bob Marley. After learning that the state has a good number of Marley fans, we started writing and composing our own songs to promote reggae music,” says Binoy, band manager.
The band had gone through several changes since its formation and metamorphosed into what it is today. In fact, in the last one year, it had turned more serious about creating music that transcends age barriers, thus making it enjoyable to a wide spectrum of listeners.
The band comprises Jobin Joseph, who plays lead guitar and vocals. Harikrishnan Raghavan (vocals), Jijoy (guitar), Rakesh Anand (bass guitar) Biju Karthik (drums) and Danny Philip (keyboard) are the other members. All the members are from Thiruvananthapuram except Biju, who is from Ernakulam.
It is no surprise that they talk more about Bob rather than themselves. “His music is something that is simple with repetitive chord structures which create an almost hypnotic effect to the listeners,” says Jobin, who is also a music teacher.
“Four songs have already been completed. Creating Malayalam songs in reggae style is completely a different experience since reggae is entirely different from other genres of music,” says another vocalist Harikrishnan.
“We are all excited to open the doors to reggae music to a whole new group of people. There were difficulties we have faced through our journey. Lack of support to make music as profession is one of the main difficulties we have faced. The important part is there is no place for jamming. Still the neighbours are our number one enemies in this matter,” laughs Harikrishnan. In future, they plan to continue to bring more innovations in this genre.