Long live the king

Elvis has resurfaced in Pune and this time it is also official.
City based singer NASH was recently cited by the Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of India as ‘one of the foremost Elvis acts in India’.
Nash’s recent performance to commemorate Elvis Presley’s birthday celebrations in the city finds a proud place in the Elvispresley.com, the official website of the King, for millions worldwide.
And before you say All Shook Up, you might want to book a place at the Jazz By the Bay, Mumbai, on Friday, November 7, to catch Nash in the same building, in which the likes of Joe Alvarez, Usha Uthup, Gl Lawyer, Mahesh Tinaikar of Indus Creed and Jazzy Joe have performed.
Nash’s journey into the singer’s life began as a child of three and then, as he says half philosophically, half ironically ‘there was growing up to do’. But while reality was centre-stage, the dream was still hovering in the sidelines, waiting for a cue.
Offers to sing began to come his way, and Nash formed his own band Guardian31 and by 2003, he had 53 performances under his belt -the dream had become a reality.
It was during this period that he was noticed and acknowledged for his renditions of Elvis songs, by many diehard Elvis fans, including city based advertising professional Zahir Chinoy, president of the Official Elvis Fan Club of India.
Which brings us the questions every Elvis impresario, for better or for worse, finds himself facing - do you dress up like Elvis, do you dance like him?
Nash counters, “I realized that if focused on the ‘look’ and all the thrusts and moves, they would inhibit me. Instead, I decided to focus on the quality of sound, vocals and expression. It takes enormous amount of practice and I am merciless with myself when it comes to feedback,� he adds.
Like Elvis, Nash begins his shows with the rousing strains of Thus Spake Zarathushtra, by composer Richard Strauss. As the opening bars of the classical work rise to a crescendo, you realise – the King lives.