Split Wide Open
Messiah: The Antidote
Having just recently released their debut album ‘The Antidote’, Delhi-based punk rock outfit Messiah is one band who firmly believes in writing and performing its own music. Split Magazine caught up with the band for an exclusive interview.
Who? When? Where? Why?
Kush: Kush Mohan (guitars), Sumit Sharma (drums) and Mickey (bass) make music for Messiah. We came together to form Messiah in the summer of 1998, in my house after school. Why? Well, that is because we wanted to play something that wasn’t happening in the scene. Y’ know, there were no other bands that were even close to playing new wave alternative music. All that was happening at the time was metal in the name of some satanic image, which sounded quite phoney in its inception. We were the only band that provided an alternative to the phoney music being played all around — believe me; we had a bad music scene.
Why the name ‘Messiah’?
Kush: We collectively agreed on this name as it seemed eloquent, and had a certain sense of majesty about it.
What was it like to jam together as a band for the first time?
Kush: At the time, we didn’t even know if we had to play in sync with each other — we just let it go. I guess the Indian-ised word for a band playing music in sync is ‘tightness’ — and we had none.
What was your first gig like?
Kush: Our first gig was in a girls’ college called Lady Irwin College in New Delhi, near ITO. It was the first paid gig and we put in a collective effort to play well.
Did you get lucky?
Kush: (Laughs) We didn’t get lucky in terms of you-know-what, but believe me, we were hoping we would.
Can you share any anecdotes with readers about your early days?
Sumit: When we used to play in rock competitions, it was mandatory for a band to play at least one self-composition. But we were a band that played four compositions in 15 minutes. (Laughs) So, in one of these competitions we were asked to play “King Nothing” by Metallica as Judges’ choice, but we went on to play our own song since we hadn’t even prepared that song — and because of this, the very next moment we were disqualified. And it was very funny, for us at least. In those days, [most] Indian bands didn’t even have their own songs, and here you had a band [that was] raw and full of energy, who played their own songs but still didn’t qualify.
You’ve been around for close to eight years now. I guess that makes y’all Indian rock veterans.
Sumit: Yup. In all these years of being together, we have evolved as a band — we didn’t copy anyone, we made original music, we created our own sound. And we’re still not done. This band is a family, and that’s why it outlives the convention.
For the amount of time that you have been a part of the rock scene in India, why do you think you haven’t become more popular than you are? Do you think it’s because you choose to play your own music?
Sumit: See, the kind of music we play is something that is still catching up with the masses. What the people really like about this kind of music, and Messiah, is the energy that emanates from it. When we think of playing music, we think of how honestly and intensely we can portray our feelings to listeners through our music — and we think we are pretty good at this.
Moving on, why ‘The Antidote’? The antidote to what?
Mickey: It’s an antidote to the current scene, to the all the dishonest music that is happening all around us. ‘The Antidote’ is an album for the person who wants a way out.
I believe there are seven songs in the album?
Mickey: Yup, seven studio songs and a couple of rough home recordings.
What are your (individual) favourite songs from the album, and why?
Mickey: Song number five, “Season Hurts”, because that’s the song that I can relate to the most. The song is about phases in one’s life.
Sumit: “Then We Go Out”, the last studio recorded song on the CD — because the life which we live in does not escape restlessness and chaos, and this song motivates me to go out, to live and not think much. It reminds of various things, such as career opportunities, exhaustion, restlessness, frustration, parental guidance, endless growth, etc., and then we go out, and play it LOUD.
Kush: “Hey Johnny”. This is the song that is supposed to be a pun on all the news channel probing that happens pointlessly all around the clock. The song is most popular with people who like messages with punch.
Finally, why, according to you, should people buy ‘The Antidote’?
Kush: ‘The Antidote’ is an ideology, heavy with thoughts and sincere in its efforts. It is a way of life, at least for us and people like us. ‘The Antidote’ stands for all that isn’t happening in India as of now. We have put in a lot of energy to compose and compile these seven songs. We have finally come out with the album after waiting for all these years, and we would like people to listen to it, and respond to the songs.
i am proud to of you all…….soo much and so much that cant even give words to my feelingsss……….the smallest expresion of my feelings for you all is…you guys are just awesome in all the ways known to man kind………and i still miss you!!!!…after so many years…..and such a long time……………………….no matter if you guys are ever going to read it…or even read it after ages ,i have writtenn it… i am sure my felings would be the samee and my ….emptiness..and my pain of…… missing you all would be no less….cheerss…..loads of love… n my best wishes to you all…………..vibha..