'We plan to work hard'

Punk style

Bengaluru witnesses the birth of new musical acts every day. While some have roots in the city, others come here to be a part of the blossoming music scene. Pop/punk rock band ‘Neill Braganza Music’ falls in the latter category; started in Hubballi, it represents contemporary musicians who come from different parts of Karnataka to make a career out of music.

In a chat with Ananya Revanna, Neill Braganza, founder of the band, talks about the realities of the industry and his love for music.

Did you always want to be a musician?

Ever since I was a child. I have always loved to sing. And when I was six years old, I saw Bryan Adams perform ‘Summer of ‘69’ on television. That was an empowering moment for me. I was amazed at how he connected, not just with one person but thousands of them. I’ve wanted to be a musician since then. And since I am an extrovert, it’s been a fun  journey.

So, you knew what you wanted to be when you were six?

(Laughs) Yes. I formed my first band when I was in 8th standard. The drummer, Akshay Nagmule, and I still play together. In fact, he’s my flatmate now, which makes it easier to practice.

Was your family supportive of your decision?

Yes. They were and are very supportive.

What made music appealing to you, as a kid?

I didn’t think about it much, actually. I would perform for people, at their homes or for functions, and making them happy made me happy. And doesn’t everyone wish to stay happy forever?

How is the music scene in Hubballi? When did you move to Bengaluru?

It’s growing, slowly. We were one of the first bands there to pursue music seriously. Another band called ‘Mesmerise’ used to jam often and I’d watch them. Eventually, their bassist moved to our band. We moved to Bengaluru a year ago because we had reached the musical high there. There aren’t many bands there and people aren’t used to the idea of paying for concerts. They don’t mind if it’s free. Also, there is only a certain number of times you can play in one place.

What did you expect from Bengaluru?

We had high expectations but when we got here, we received a reality check. In Hubballi, we didn’t have any competition and here, there’s so much. This is why we plan to work hard and make something of ourselves.

What are some of the challenges you face?

It’s difficult to be an independent musician in India. Though the number of musicians is rising, there still aren’t many record labels to help push these people. Without that push, it becomes harder to make a successful career out of music.

Music or lyrics?

Lyrics. But these days, people don’t care about the lyrics; there are some horrible lyrics coming out.

What plans next?

Well, we plan to keep performing. There aren’t many Hindi pop/punk rock bands that I know of and people connect to Hindi better than other languages. I also teach music and plan to get into music direction. We don’t want to restrict ourselves to one genre or label.  

(‘Neill Braganza Music’ will perform on July 10, 7 pm, at Horn Ok Please.)