I'll have a ball and break it too: Mir

Bandage isn’t a funny act. It is serious business. But it wasn’t easy to break the comic mould, what with people asking him to crack jokes at a funeral, says vocalist Mir.
How did Bandage happen?
We all got hurt, emotionally! Jokes apart, Nitin Mani and I go back a long way. I was always into music. I remember the agony I would cause my mom as my room would invariably be dark, inside the cozy confines of which I would play endless ghazals.In 1994, when I joined radio, I was busy doing serious music. In 1998, I made my first attempt in television. I remember having performed with our band, Xpresso, at a city college in 2001. But that was it. Xpresso was a failed attempt.
But five years down the line, when “Mirakkel” happened, we needed a band that would be a foil to the possé of stand-up comic acts. That’s how, in 2006, Bandage took shape. In every episode, we would come bandaged all over to show how our band was a failed attempt. It was to make one understand how we wanted to do music but one was willing to take us seriously. Initially, it was formed as a funny band. It was all ha-ha-ha. But after the fifth season of “Mirakkel”, I took a break and told my bandmates that we pick up the pieces now.
So, did people take you seriously?
It wasn’t easy to break the comic mould. If people caught hold of Nitin in a bazar, they would say, ‘dada, ekta joke bolben?’ (Please share a joke). Dwaipayan was denied his stock by a grocery owner as he didn’t crack a funny line. I remember having attended my uncle’s funeral, where a man came up to me to say, ‘Ek joke bolo, mahol ko thoda halka karo’! I know people think of me as a comedian. But trust me, there’s a serious side to me as well. Tears do roll down my cheeks whenever I see my bank passbook. So, basically we needed a fresh coat of paint. After I signed off from “Mirakkel” in 2009, we got engrossed in endless jamming sessions.
Has it been a smooth ride ever since?
After 2009, I decided on cutting down on non-fiction work on television. I decided to dedicate my time and
energy to Bandage. Because of my anchoring stint, I had gathered a lot of corporate contacts. But everytime I would approach someone, I would be told, “Apka band toh funny hai’. It needed a lot of convincing to be allowed to perform on stage. With Bandage, I set out on a mission. In fact, many come up to me to say, ‘Dada, apni etao paren?’ (You can sing as well?). I tell them in return, ‘Haan ebar Ranji o khelbo’ (Yes, I’ll play Ranji now). Bandage is not a funny act, it’s serious music. Only the interactions between songs might sound funny. Our songs seamlessly flow from one to another. There’s nothing like we’ll go on to Song A after Song B. I go on stage and interact with the audience and through it, a script develops. I’ve anchored for bands like Cactus, Fossils and Chandrabindoo, among others. That has come to my aid. Just that, I don’t charge extra money. I only get paid as a singer.
But don’t you feel you need more than covers to make it big?
So far, we’ve sung popular covers by KK, Rahat Fatel Ali Khan and Mohit Chauhan, among others. But we blend the songs into one solid number. As an RJ, I’ve noticed that people switch from one song to another in the blink of an eye. I’ve put that experience to good use while packaging the songs. Dwaipayan also has a repertoire of English classics. We are mingling our musical experiences for wholesome entertainment. All the songs are connected. Also, I’ve seen when it comes to Chandrabindoo, Cactus or Fossils people mention Anindya and Upal, Sidhu and Pota or Rupam. I want every member, who’s equally contributing, to become the face of the band. I’ve personally requested my photographer friends not to click my picture alone. No matter how saturated the band scene is in Kolkata, I’m optimistc that we’ll make it big. The past six months have been very satisfying. We’ve three originals ready and we are working on more. When you enter a restaurant on Park Street, you might order a cello kebab or a Russian salad, but then comes the chef’s recommendation — ‘Apni ota toh khelen, ebar etao kheye dekhun’ (You’ve tasted that, now taste this). The same holds true for our music.
Is cutting an album on the cards?
I want people to sample our music first. Then we’ll release our songs on the Net, one by one. No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop people from downloading music. So, why not
legally make the songs available on a website? Originals are on the cards and we are in no hurry.
Did jamming with Brett Lee for a Team Kolkata promotional event give the band an edge?
It did grab eyeballs, but still we have to go about doing our music. On the day of the performance, Brett told us that he’ll not be singing as he’s contract-bound with his band, Six & Out. Dwaipayan was ready with his English classics and that’s how we managed to pull off the show, with Brett jamming with us. After the gig, someone said, ‘Khub bhalo chhilo apnader “Summers of 69”’ (I loved your “Summers of 69”. I couldn’t help but retort, ‘Kota summer chhilo dada 69 e?’ (How many summers were there in 69?). So, a performance with Brett might have enhanced our prospects for a day, but we were back to square one, the next morning.
Did you invite Swastika Mukherjee to any of your shows, considering that your chemistry with her on the sets of “Nondinee” set tongues wagging?
Yes, I had, but she couldn’t make it. About our chemistry, tell me, who wouldn’t like Swastika? We’ve acted together, we’ve anchored together, we like each other. but the relationship that we share is strictly professional.
In “Nondinee”, you play a husband, whose wife (Swastika) ends up having a roaring affair with a photographer (Dibyendu). What would you do if such a thing happened in real life?
I’ll have a ball and break it too.
Lineup of Bandage
Mir (lead vocals)
Nitin (bass)
Dwaipayan (vocals & drums)
Saurav (vocals & lead guitar)
Suman (keyboards)
Kaushik (dhol & percussions)
Chiku (tabla)