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 NEW DELHI New Delhi isn’t just the capital of the great diverse Indian subcontinent. It’s historical and cultural importance in history, the present and the future stands uncontested. Not just the political flag-bearer of the country, New Delhi also hosts of a thriving metropolitan beat with a stunning milieu of people from across the world adding to its diverse cultural brew. When it comes to art, theatre, music, films, dance, films, the amalgamation of talents and avenues make for a heady concoction for any enthusiast.
MUSIC INTERVIEW Performing this week in the hip new bar in the centre of town was the dynamic and outspoken band, From Galeej to Gurus.  Galeej Gurus Local rock competitions come and go. But it’s only when the pride of the country rests on your shoulders, and when a chance to rub shoulders and play alongside biggies such as Muse and Korn amongst others is at stake, that its time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Or in this case, the Galeej from the Gurus. Bangalore’s popular rock act The Galeej Gurus, did India proud by being the second Indian band to win Shamal – Dubai’s very own international battle of the bands. As winners, the band opened both days of the subsequent Dubai Desert Rock Festival last year, sharing stage with international acts like Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Velvet Revolver, and Slapshock, apart from the headliners.  Galeej Gurus The band performed in Delhi recently, still reeling from their victory in Dubai. Says Nathan Harris, the frontman of the band, “For us it was a huge accomplishment and a huge mental relief. We’d been under a lot of pressure to come back victorious and with an Indian band winning last year (Chennai based Junkyard Groove), the odds were against us this year. We’d been working towards this for the last 6 months and it feels great to have put a lot of things on the line like reputation and money for a shot at a chance to open the festival!” Their performance left a huge mark not only on the audience, but record labels, producers, and various technicians. “The crowd really liked us. We were serious about our intentions and our music and that gained us the respect of all those present at the competition and festival. A lot of people found us ‘down-to-earth’ and said that we should have this bad-ass attitude that most rockers have. Well I think it’s fair to say that we’re better off being who we are than trying to be someone else,” essayed Nathan. Pips in his twin brother and bassist Matthew Harris, “The stage technicians were very impressed and said that they ‘would take care of us anywhere-anytime’ if we were called back in the future to play at DDRF or any other festival…” The youngsters in the city couldn’t get enough of the award-winning band, with the venue packed to the brim and encore requests seeming unending.  Galeej Gurus For guitarist Ananth Menon, it was the charm of Delhi that made him enjoy their performances. “It’s a lot more laid back than Mumbai, and the crowd was a lot more receptive to our music than I had anticipated.” How has life been for the awesome troupe since the competition? The six-stringer Naveen Thomas smiled, “I guess the win meant that we’ve got the international exposure we’ve wanted for so long, opened a lot of doors for us and pushed us further, to go places a lot of Indian bands haven’t been to. After being approached by several record label scouts, the Gurus found their calling nestled in a easy paced life between a little travelling to promote their music and a lot of time spent in the studios, recording their first album. So, did their win symbolize the coming of age for Indian rock? “Hmm…,” ponders Nathan, “If there was one thing that I’ve heard the most in the days that we were in Dubai was that Indian rock is now a major player and force to reckon with. Asia is convinced India has some of the best bands that stand a chance at breaking in to the western markets. We’ve certainly proved that in the last 2 years at one of Asia’s biggest music festivals!” About the band The Galeej Gurus formed in the June 2000 as a college group. At that time Christ College didn’t have a college band we had to compete with other bands to earn the prestigious right to represent the college in intercollegiate competitions. Many drinks and teas later – The Galeej Gurus were formed. We were all new friends at that time and decided to venture into forming a new group. We all played in other groups like ‘Discord’ and ‘The chronic Blues Band’ prior to forming this band. The band’s music has been classified by critics as Indie, along with a host of other genres such as Progressive Rock, Funk, and Blues-Rock. One can see such diverse influences as Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai and Deep Purple in Galeej music. Band Members: Nathan Lee Harris – Vocals Ananth Menon – Guitars Matthew Harris – Bass Guitar Naveen Thomas –Guitars Kishan Balaji – Drums www.galeejgurus.com Bookmark us: 
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