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 You
started out in 1979! What made you think of forming a rock
band then?
Forming a rock band wasn't anything outrageous
or new at that time because there were already a number of
such bands in Bangladesh. In the beginning, we used to play
at a club and played Latin jazz, blues and fusion, and also
some dance music. But most of Miles' members were seriously
interested in rock, and at every little opportunity, we would
play some numbers of Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Led Zep and
so on. So, I guess it was always at the back of our minds
to form a rock band and we slowly changed ourselves to do
exactly that. Long live rock!
Rock and Bangla doesn't seem an obvious
combo. Why do you rock in Bangla?
Till 1991, we did covers, and also our
own songs, in English. But, Bangla pop was covering fast ground
all over Bangladesh (thanks to bands like Souls & Feed
Back who were into total Bangla songs). As a top band, with
a huge fan following, the pressure started mounting on us-from
the press, fans, audio companies-to do Bangla pop songs. We
knew that we would definitely reach out to a much larger audience
once we did songs in Bangla. We decided to do it in a slightly
different way and introduced Bangla rock/fusion in our first
Bangla album, Pratisrutti, in December 1991. It was an instant
hit and a huge commercial success. At the end of the day,
the album proved that rock can go with any language, provided
you know what you are doing.
Some of your songs are very heavy while
others are quite slow. Is this mix deliberate?
Yes, it is. Almost all bands keep two
or three ballads in an album and it's no different for us.
We love making them and there's nothing better than feeling
emotions through your songs and sharing it with other people.
Most of them are love songs...
Love is all around and (as you must already
know!) is very powerful. You, us and everybody else experiences
it and never forgets... As a subject for a song, it's huge,
therefore many of our songs are, and will be, love songs.
Every rock band's music is inspired
by some legendary rock artiste before them. Where does your
inspiration come from?
Our inspiration comes from common influences
of many bands. The Beatles, Deep Purple, Santana, Jimi Hendrix,
Led Zep, Doors, Weather Report, Chick Korea, Aerosmith, Van
Halen, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Satriani,
Steve Vai... the list goes on and on and on. Each of them
influenced us enough to create our own sound.
What about competition on the Bangla
rock scene?
Competition is intense but healthy and
there is no room for complacency. The pop/rock scene in Bangladesh
is fantastic. And the best part is that the audience is mature
enough to understand and appreciate each and every instrument
played and the intricate vocal works of a good singer. There
are 50 to 60 bands in the country, including six or seven
very good ones-by any standard-with a huge fan following.
So, things are looking up and looking great!
In India, most music artistes have an
alternate profession, since music is still not a safe career.
Do you guys do anything else?
Most of us are totally into music, though
some of the band members are doing something else on the side.
But, for all of us, when it comes to music, there is no compromise.
In Bangladesh you can be a rock musician and live well.
Have Bangladeshis even heard Indipop?
What is the most popular music there?
Of course we have! Remo Fernandes has
performed there and he was great. Lucky Ali is also well liked.
The most popular music, however, is Bangla and English rock.
What about the scope of Bangla rock
in the international market?
Bangla rock is already gaining ground
and very soon it will burst out in the open. Songs in other
languages are already there and Bangla will also surely reach
there. In fact, that is Miles' biggest ambition at the moment.
With our fans' support, all over the world, we hope to achieve
that soon.
Do you think a concert like 'United
For Gujarat' can go a long way in promoting different kinds
of music?
Yes. No doubt about that. Concerts like
this bring different kinds of music to the people and is an
opportunity for them to see all the bands on one stage-for
a noble cause. We strongly believe that such events should
be organized every year, not only in India but also in Bangladesh,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We appreciate the event management
people, Unity Media Enterprise, for thinking on these lines
already.
You have performed in India before.
How was the experience?
We have performed in Chandigarh and six
times in Kolkata. The experience was great. At that time,
we were a Bangladeshi band without a single released album...
and the response of the audience gave us a much needed shot
in the arm!
Why do you think English rock still
remains the most popular in the subcontinent, inspite of Indirock
and Bangla rock being quite popular?
You see, language is no barrier in today's
world of music. English rock has been there forever and is
popular simply because it is the most honest form of music.
Rock bands are the only ones who actually play their own instruments
(and are damn good at it!), write their own lyrics and compose
their own music. They are totally into music and constantly
looking for innovations.
Do you plan to continue singing in English,
or is that phase over?
Yes, we plan to continue. We have not
discarded English songs. When we perform live, we mix our
Bangla songs with English ones, in almost equal proportions.
What's your next project? Are you planning
a new album?
An unplugged live album is due in June.
We are also planning to release a new English album. Also,
a US tour for two months is on the cards. Then we tour the
UAE in October. Who knows how we do our music next? Maybe
in another language!
Okaaay, finally... Why do you call yourself
Miles?!
Miles represents distance. At the time
of naming the band, we knew that our journey through music
is going to be infinite, a distance that will never end. So,
miles and miles of music. You never stop learning, creating
and never, ever, stop moving.
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