GUITAR PLAYER WEEK: SANJU AGUIAR (DEVOID, THC, ETC ETC.,.)

The best part about this interview is that Sanju's real name is Sanjeev! YYYeeeEEEV! On a more serious note, SANJEEV is a great guitar player. I play in a band with one of his students too. Sanju is the guitar player for Devoid as all you metalheads know, and also has bands and projects like The Hoodwink Circle, Far Travel music and The Mihir Joshi band.

Another thing about him is that he can eat a lot. And I mean, A LOT.  It's sad he couldn't be there himself on the Headbanger's Kitchen season 3 premiere episode with Devoid (WATCH IT HERE), because there wouldn't be any pie left for sure! Fun-loving happy guy as he is, let's take a look at some of his favourite things.

Full name and age.
Sanjeev Aguiar, 26


What is your favourite dish/cuisine?
Scrambled eggs with bacon, ham, cheese and Tobasco.


Kindly tell us about all your precious gear! (guitars, processors, etc.,.)
Guitars: Ibanez RGD2127z Prestige and a Fender American Stratocaster.
Processor- Line 6 Pod HD500


How long have you been playing guitar?
I've been playing music for the past 9 years


What got you into playing guitar?
While growing up I was heavily influenced by Bon Jovi so I guess the solo that Richie Sambora played in 'Bed of Roses' on the mountain is the reason why I first picked up the instrument!


Have you learned to read music as well, or do you just play by ear?
I'm primarily self-taught, but I also had a year's training in Western Classical with Ashley Quiney.


Electric vs. acoustic. What do you prefer?
At this point, electric.

Photo credits: Adityaraj Mehta

What thought goes into riff construction/is there any particular pattern you follow to make riffs? 
As far as riff writing is concerned, I find playing over a metronome or keeping a drum pattern is what works for me. The rest happens as it goes over this.


What music projects are you currently a part of?
I'm currently a part of Devoid, The Hoodwink Circle, Mihir Joshi band, Far travel music and I'm also doing some session work here and there.


Do you have a day job? What is it that you do?
I would have to say my day job is guitar classes at this point.


Your favourite musicians (Indian)

Guitar: Floyd Fernandes
Bass: Sheldon D'silva
Drums: Debashish 'Debu' Banerji
Vocals: Gareth Dmello


Your favourite musicians (international)

Guitar: Guthrie Govan
Bass: Victor Wooten
Drums: Marco Minnemann
Vocals: Maynard James Keenan


Can we expect a release from your band(s) any time soon?
As far as releases are concerned for now,
Devoid should be done with an album by the end of 2014
Far travel music will be done with an EP by July
Both The Hoodwink circle and Mihir Joshi band will be done with debut albums by June.


Whom do you look up to, as a musician and a band? 
I look up to many vocalists like Maynard, Ian Kenny, Steven Wilson, Dave Mathews, the Zero 7 chick (Sophie Barker), Myles Kennedy and as for guitar players, there's Guthrie Govan, Tosin Abasi, John Scofield, Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale and my new found favourite Derek Trucks.


A message to all your fans (hello ladies!)
The message is to my male fans as there might be a total of 5 female fans at best obviously: Please come to watch me live with artists that I play for/with and support all of them by buying their merchandise.

Hello ladies!

Devoid on Facebook and Soundcloud
The Hoodwink Circle on Facebook and Reverbnation
Far Travel Music on Facebook and Soundcloud
Mihir Joshi Band

JAI IPL!

NEW SHIT IN MUMBAI! ZYGNEMA, ENTOMBED METAL FEST, MIDHAVEN, HEADBANGER'S KITCHEN

Zygnema has released a new song titled 'Shell Broken Hell Loose'

Cheggit HERE ON REVERBNATION

What I love about this recording is that the live aggression and essence of the band is captured. Even if you're just listening to it without the band in front of you playing the song, you feel like grooving the fuck out! If you like Zygnema, you know what I'm talking about!

Jimmy is easily one of my favourite vocalists!

This is a YouTube video of the song from Metal Nights, December 2012.

Arun Iyer is working on that new Devoid song btw :P

_________________________________________________________________________

While filming of the new season has already begun, there are a few Headbanger's Kitchen tshirts left. You will be delighted to know who the guests are so just shut up and buy a tshirt.

The details are all here:
If you missed the Headbanger's Kitchen crowd funding we have these 2 awesome prints available on pre-order. Only 25 of each are available. Get them asap from www.makemymerch.in

For those in Mumbai I have got 3 places where you can drop off cash directly. Please call though before you go. The persons name and number is there.

105, Paradise 43/B, 1st cross lane,
Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri west,
Mumbai 400053.
Contact person: Rahul (9821543001)

100 Chanakya, 7th Floor,
Dr. M.B. Raut Road,
Shivaji Park, Dadar (W),
Mumbai - 400 028
Contact person: Ameya (9821024562)

1003 Rushabh Tower,
Jakaria Bunder Cross Road,
Sewri- West
Mumbai: 400015
Contact person: Vivek (9821251690)

_________________________________________________________________________

Progressive/sludge metal band called Midhaven are the only rock/metal band in India to have gotten completely signed to Universal Music. Their album 'Spellbound' is going to have a worldwide release.

This is a teaser from their upcoming album. Sounds good!


_________________________________________________________________________

This weekend, get ready to witness Entombed Metal Fest Vol. 5. RSVP on that link. There are also some ultimately limited edition passes with Prateek Keni.

Lineup, for people who do not understand logos well enough!

Reptilian Death - Death Metal from Mumbai
SHOCK THERAPY - Brutal/Slamming Death from Hyderabad
GRiMMoRTaL - Deathcore from Mumbai
Wired Anxiety- Groove/Death from Mumbai
Escharified. - Death Metal from Hyderabad
Elemental - Brutal Groove/Death from Indore
Primitiv- Stone Age Metal from Mumbai

For Passes, contact:
Sanjeev Gupta (9967771992) [Kurla-Thane/ Central Line]
Adit Khanzode (9594253935) [Thane-Kalyan]
Paresh Garude (9769820782) [Andheri/ Western Suburbs/ Vashi]
Venkat Iyer (9969767508) [Nerul-Seawoods]
Prateek Keni (9819881088) [Kharghar-Belapur]
Abhishek Gawaande (9029547791) [Panvel]

Call them.

Ya.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRAKHAR: A TALK WITH HALAHKUH'S STUD

I would like to wish Prakhar Soni, vocalist and bass guitar player of four-piece thrash death band Halahkuh from Pune a very very Happy Birthday! He turns 22 today (LADIES!) and is lucky enough to play a gig today at DA-IICT in Gujarat, the dry state, along with Mumbai bosses Devoid, Wired Anxiety and Winter Gate.

Halahkuh would like to say, "We wish our muchchad frontman and Kayden Kross lover Prakhar a very Happy Birthday."

And as guitar player Chinmay Bokil would appropriately call him today:

Halahkuh now has a new booking agent, Mr. Roydon Bangera, Devoid's manager.

I asked Prakhar a few questions about himself and the band. Here's our telecon.

I: Hey dude, Happy Birthday man!
PrakhSoni: Hey! Thank you thank you.

I: So ya, what's your favourite cuisine? (because hey, food's important)
PrakhSoni: Italian

I: How was the Delhi trip, Inferno and the whole Delhi experience for Halahkuh?
PrakhSoni: It was surprising that we got an opportunity to play Inferno Metal festival with a mammoth lineup of international and Indian bands because it was quite unexpected. Subhrajyoti (guitar player) and I just thought we'd register and see what happens, and on checking at one point, we were 200 votes ahead of the other bands, which felt great! We'd all wanted to play in a different city. I'd kept telling these guys about Delhi, which is my home town, and praised the weather which was perfect on our visit. I played a gig in front of my parents for the first time! It was a case of brilliant timing as Megadeth was playing MTV Xtreme the next day too. RSJ (Rock Street Journal) took great care of us and did a good job with the gig as well. We were very happy.

I: What in the world does DA-IICT stand for?
PrakhSoni: Dhirubhai Ambani... Institute of Information and Computer Technology

I: Okaayy.. When did you start playing bass and doing vocals?
PrakhSoni: I started playing bass in the 8th standard (8th grade) which was in 2006 and vocals after our previous vocalist Rahul left, which was in 2011. The band had only played a few competitions back then.

I: What is special about Halahkuh? What keeps you guys together as a band?
PrakhSoni: I think even though we do not listen to the same bands, we somehow manage to come together to make the same music. As members of a band, we have that certain chemistry, a common goal that we want to achieve through our music and try to jam as much as we can. As people, we try to enjoy the simple things in life like watch Hindi movies, drink tapri ka chai and not hide anything from each other. Before I'd met the other three guys, it was good to know that they also had the same mindset as I did.

I: Would you like to make music your career?
PrakhSoni: It depends on how everything goes. I love the thought. Although, when it comes to surviving as a metal band in India as of now, a day job is still a compulsion and it comes with a lot of sacrifices. With Halahkuh, we are sure that even when we do get jobs, we will always set enough time aside for the band.

I: Since you are in Gujarat, the dry state, I must ask... Found any alcohol yet?
PrakhSoni: Ermmhaha..No. But I do hope some arrangements are made for tonight!

I: Do you have any message for ladies (if any) who read my blog, and everyone else?
PrakhSoni: Yes. And you have to quote this. "Pratika is one of the most humble people I have met who goes out of her way to help individuals, and as I mention again, we wouldn't have got our tickets to Inferno if it wasn't for her."
To all our fans, look out for us and a big thank you for believing in us the way you've always done. Please read this blog, or WE WON'T THRASH YOU ANYMORE!

This is a video of Halahkuh live at Inferno Metal Festival:


Halahkuh will be playing in Mumbai at Atharva College's 'Show No Mercy' on the 5th of March 2014 along with Primitiv. The entry is FREE.

Find Halahkuh on Facebook and listen to their music on ReverbNation. For bookings, contact Roydon Bangera.

P.S: Do not miss the dreadlocked hottie in the band. ;)

Cheers!