Parikrama reach UK for Download Festival `07

New Delhi/London: Parikrama, the Delhi-based Rock ‘n Roll band is all set to become the international face for Indian rock as they are in United Kingdom to take part in the Download Festival 2007. Metal freaks Parikrama will stand besides some of the greatest bands like Iron Maiden and Dream Theatre on the metal stage. In an exclusive interview, Subir Malik, the keyboardist speaks with Abhimanyu Kukreja about the big tour. Q: Congratulations! Parikrama finally broke the Indian rock scene jinx. What would you say about the upcoming Download Festival in Donnington, U.K?

Thanks a lot. Well, we are really looking forward to play at this kick-ass festival and sharing the stage with so many of our idols. Would be absolutely brilliant..!!! Q: Can you elaborate to us the sequence of events that led Parikrama to be selected for the Download Festival? It all started when Mr. Rod Smallwood spotted us during our performance with Iron Maiden at Bangalore. He and the entire band really liked our stuff and promised us gigs in the UK. It started with just two shows, and now we have nine confirmed shows and many television appearances, radio interviews etc, in the middle. Q: Can you elaborate your UK schedule to us? The same is on www.parikrama.com and also on www.myspace.com/parikramaindia. Q: Parikrama’s opening act for Iron Maiden in Bangalore has opened international boundaries for Indian bands. Does it mean that more Indian tours by big bands like Iron Maiden, The Rolling Stones and the more recent Aerosmith show would give more options and opportunities to Indian rock bands? I really don’t know about chances given by other international acts, but Mr. Smallwood has given us the chance of a lifetime. If we are accepted in the West, the doors for other bands would open up. Q: Parikrama would be performing besides the likes of Iron Maiden, Dream Threatre and Linkin Park at the Download Festival. How big is the day for you? The biggest day of our life….!!!! Q: Aerosmith’s guitarist Joe Perry recently linked the Indian economy boom as the reason behind international bands touring India. What are your views on this notion? And how important is money for bands? Well, maybe that could be one of the factors, but besides money it’s also a thrill to play in a new country, not really associated with Rock ‘n Roll. Q: Your single ‘Xerox’ is considered to be the face of Indian rock, what inspired you to write this song? Wow, where did you dig that one out man?? We have not played ‘Xerox’ for the last, say 12 years. Am impressed you know. About the song, the song was first played at Parikrama’s maiden concert on 15th September 1991. The band ‘Rock Machine’(then turned into Indus Creed) inspired us to write that. We still call them the daddys who taught us all. Q: What are your favourite singles? So many, man. Millions of them! Q: European audience is more mature and appreciates originality, what are your plans for the other gigs and recordings? We are playing all original sets all over UK. Q: Can you name a few original tracks that you would perform at the festival? We would do 3 new originals – In the middle, Am I dreaming and Tears of the Wizard. We are also playing 2 old originals. Q: What rock genre does Parikrama belong to? A bit of mixes of all our influences really, from classic Rock to Blues and Metal. Q: From where does Parikrama derive its musical inspiration? From real life instances and whatever comes to our heads. Q: Earlier, in an interview with Zee, Wes Borland, ex-bassist of Limp Bizkit stressed on the need of an Indian band on the big stage. Is the world really waiting for some or the other Indian band to hit the big stage? Maybe, this is the beginning. Q: What kind of response are you getting in India now? As usual, kick-ass and we really want to thank our fans for it, else we would not be doing Rock n Roll for the last 16 years. Q: What kind of musical gains are you looking forward from this entire experience? We would surely learn a lot about the way the bands perform there, their attire, stage presence etc would help us (God-willing) in the next tour tremendously.