Having opened for Jason Derulo at a sporting event in the city a few months ago, Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ) reflects on Bengaluru’s spirit of inclusivity and how it became a hallmark of their music. As a local band performing in English, with ‘guitars’ no less, TAAQ has faced its fair share of brickbats — along with bouquets — over the years.
Post the lockdown, the band was finding its feet like everyone else. “The pandemic changed so many things. We were unable to meet regularly — something we did every day — catch up in the studio and put down ideas for our music,” says Bruce Lee Mani, guitarist, singer-songwriter and founder of the band.
Bruce Lee Mani of Thermal and a Quarter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
All that pent-up creativity resulted in the single ‘What World?’, released in October 2022. “What World?’ was a celebration of leaving the pandemic behind; it was also a rumination on what kind of world we were making for ourselves. ‘What you wanted, was what the world would be,’ was the theme of that song,” says Bruce.
“It was heartbreaking that just as the pandemic was getting over, the war in Ukraine started and people started killing each other again,” adds Rajeev Rajagopal, TAAQ drummer and co-founder.
Still, this year has been productive for the band; it will be releasing a new album in the next few months.
“Every album is a reflection of what was going on with us and in this one, we’re exploring stuff we’ve never done before. It is a more evolved sound that we’re putting together. Since you get complacent if you fall back on what comes naturally to you, we’ve taken a conscious decision to go into territory we usually wouldn’t try,” says Rajeev.
Rajeev Rajagopal of Thermal and a Quarter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“As a drummer, I used to play keeping the song in mind, but this album is different from any of the drumming I’ve done so far. Even in terms of lyrics and song structure, we haven’t followed the regular verse-chorus format. Some of it is free speech and we’re excited about our sound.”
The upcoming album will be the band’s ninth in 26 years.
Then and now
“We’ve been around since 1996, from the pre-internet era when we would use Reynold pens to rewind cassettes; that’s how we got into music,” laughs Rajeev.
Leslie Charles of Thermal and a Quarter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
At a time when most bands stuck with popular covers, TAAQ tapped into the city’s culture of great music and wrote original numbers. “We sang about the city — Brigade Road, rickshaw rides and street food. Yet, polarising elements saw us as aping the West for not singing in Kannada. They didn’t realise we loved this city and this nation; we were taking its stories and its vibe in a language that people the world over could understand and appreciate,” says Rajeev.
“Bangalore is a melting pot of cultures, languages and religions — it’s a true Metro . Whenever we perform abroad, Bangalore Rock — that’s what we call our music — sends out a message of modern contemporary India. Inclusivity is the message of our music too.”
“Bangalore has always welcomed every form of migrant — from the electronics industry boom to the IT sector and everything else in between. That has been the city’s USP and that is what Bangalore Rock is all about. We are a product of the city’s inclusivity and we love it for giving us this opportunity.”
Well, TAAQ should know. Their name Thermal and a Quarter, is a reference to the bandmates comprising ‘three mals (Malayalees) and a quarter,’ with the one-fourth being a nod to Bruce’s diluted Malayalee connection.
One small love
Like their city, the all-inclusive nature of the band extends to its performances too. “It’s great to have gigs and we play everywhere, irrespective of the venue or its size. There’s no such thing as having made it too big. We’ll play in a stadium or a pub as long as we get to play,” says Bruce, adding, “This is life as we know it and it’s amazing to have been able to do this for so long on our own terms.”
Tony Das of Thermal and a Quarter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Recalling their recent gig, Rajeev draws parallels between the unifying force of music and sport. “With any sport, fans drop their differences and adopt its language. Similarly, if two people listen to the same music, they are no longer strangers. Again, inclusivity is the key.”
TAAQ certainly champions inclusivity whether they write songs about it or ask prominent flute players and amateur guitar players to join them during their performances. “Since we perform in English, foreign audiences understand we are singing about life in India. They listen to the lyrics and find them exotic because of our accents. We don’t put on an American accent; it’s a very Bangalore accent and they absolutely love it,” he says.
For more information on upcoming shows, check out the band’s social media handles.
Thermal and a Quarter | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
COMMents
SHARE