Isha Moktan

Kathmandu:

Fate has strange ways of making things happen. It was 1995 when Sudip and Sarun first met. “I had failed the eight grade and landed up in his class,” reminisces Sarun. “He took my yearbook and didn’t return it.” Later when Sarun bumped into Sudip and inquired about his precious yearbook, Sudip asked him to come home. The pair went to Sudip’s place but instead of going back with his yearbook Sarun and Sudip started jamming. “Patience” by Guns ’n Roses was the first song they sang together.

It was then that they decided to form a band “because we clicked”. Then started the hunt for a drummer. They met Rockin — and assigned him the job (Rockin isn’t an Uglyz member, though). Rehearsals started because they wanted to get into the school band, but then the school already had a band. However, 1996 proved to be the year for them. “The school band had problems and needed replacement.” And they were the obvious choice. Not a bad choice for they bagged first place at St Xaviers, performed at many other college and school fests…

Now, nine years later the two have released their first album with another friend — Sandesh.

But why Uglyz? “We wanted a name that was unique, something that would stand out,” Sudip reasons. The album has eight songs — two in English, one in Japanese — and is called ‘Rush’, logically so, “We were in a rush to finish making the album as I have to go back to Australia,” explains Sarun who’s currently studying there. The trio talks about the album, themselves and the experience of setting foot in the Nepali music industry.

The album was supposed to have released earlier. What held it up?

Sandesh: We couldn’t find a drummer and a bassist and without them we didn’t know what the music would sound like.

Sarun: Eventhough we’d recorded a few songs, they didn’t sound the way they were supposed to so, we actually wasted about three months and, of course money.

What important lesson(s) has this experience taught you?

Sandesh: Do your homework first.

Sarun: Proper planning!

Sudip: We didn’t listen to some

advices. We wanted to record

everything live, say the drums for

instance. What we didn’t realise is to do that we have to be very prepared.

What genre of music would you say your album belongs to?

(Surprisingly they’re not of the same opinion)

Sandesh: Contemporary Nepali music.

Sarun: Rock, soft rock with a bit of orchestral strains.

Sudip: Melodious slow rock.

Which are your favourite singers/bands/musicians?

Sandesh: I love the Beatles and Goo Goo Dolls. I’m into Western Classical and Beethoven’s my idol.

Sarun: I’ve got a huge list… Collective Soul, Guns n Roses, Pearl Jam, Nirvana… Umm… Bryan Adams, Sabin Rai… no, I’m just kidding. Mukti and Revival, Robin ’n Looza; I don’t like Robin ’n New Revolution all that much. The earlier group was better they were more raw rock. I like the Beatles too.

Sudip: Doors, Pink Floyd, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Slash, Steve Vai. I’m into Western Classical as well.

Which song from the album do you relate to the best?

Sandesh: “Saathi”. My feelings are best expressed through the violin, in this song.

Sarun: I wrote “Ugly” when I was working in Australia because I was really low and frustrated then.

Sudip: “Saathi”. We wrote it for Rockin. I really miss him and he would have made the ideal drummer for Uglyz.

What three words describe you best?

Sandesh: Oh my God! and Yeah! I’m ugly. That’s the lyrics from one of our songs and that’s six words!

Sarun: Lazy, creative and patient.

Sudip: Naughty, sexy, bitchy… yeah! Tata Young and I are the same.

There’s a Japanese song in the album. On that note what would you say is most “Japanese” about you?

Sandesh: My love for Japanese cuisine and the Takamine — the Japanese guitar.

Sudip: I like Japanese girls… their looks. Jai Japan!

If you had to sing a song from your album — ‘Rush’ — to a girl, which one would it be and why?

Sandesh: “Parkhai”. It’s about hope, patience and all the things that go into making a long distance relationship work and I’m into one.

Sarun: I’d sing “To An Angel” because it’s about loving a person despite all his/her shortcomings.

Sudip: It’s “Aaudai Jaadai” for me because girls may come and girls may go but I go on forever.

A song that you would dedicate to each other from the album

All of them: “Sathi”.

A memory made while making the album that you’ll cherish forever

Sandesh: The mad rush for composing the violin solo for “To An Angel”. Had to do it in less than a night.

Sarun: Breaking a wine bottle to generate the sound effect of shattering glass for “Chahanna Ma” and cutting my leg in the process.

Sudip: The day our posters were released I was walking down New Road and everyone was staring at me. I had no clue why until I walked to Tik ’n Tok and saw our poster hanging there.

Let’s hope their popularity soars and even more once their video for “Aaudai Jaadai” is released. “Check out our acting skills,” say the Uglyz.