Motherjane
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Motherjane is a Cochin based five piece progressive rock band which started in 1996. The band consists of Suraj (Vocalist), Baiju ( lead guitarist), John ( Drummer), Clyde ( Bass Guitarist) and Deepu (Rhythm Guitarist). Motherjane is the only Indian rock band to have their music played in American, Japanese and Mexican radio stations and has a cult following all around India.
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[edit] The Early Days
The band was put together on 16th March 1996 by John who was a very famous figure in Cochin's music scene. To start with, the group had Laji George as the vocalist who continued to be with motherjane till year 2000. The lead guitarist was Mithun who continued till year 2000. Guitarist Rex worked with the band till 2002.Suraj Mani, who is a mechanical engineer by profession joined Motherjane in the year 2000.
Like most Indian rock bands, Motherjane traces its origins to one particular day when a bunch of talented college going friends found their calling in rock.
What’s peculiar about this start was that it was hastily put together by John Thomas (the college arts club secretary) to avert a potential disaster. Motherjane was formed to fill in for the Professional act which had suddenly opted out of the Rock show. The first stroke of luck for Motherjane had sounded !
In 1996, featuring the combined talents of John Thomas(Drums), Clyde Rozario (Bass), Mithun (Guitars) and Laji (Vocals), the band went on to make an explosive debut wowing their peers within a week of their formation.
In 1997, Motherjane released a 3 song EP that got lost amongst the wilderness of Kerala, where many a poterntaily great rock bands got lost in the 80s and 90s.
Motherjane then went through the agonizing process of losing the talents of 2 of its founding members who went in pursuit of their individual dreams. By 1999 the mercurial and talented Baiju took over duties as axeman &, Motherjane entered a partial state of limbo becoming a 3 member team with John & Clyde still holding on.
For over a year the band played metal songs (without a vocalist!) at The Ancient Mariner” a floating restaurant in Kochi to an unsuspecting & astounded audience that walked into the quaint pier like structure built in the backwaters.
In 2000, then a young businessman by the name of Suraj Mani, chanced into “The ancient mariner” and egged on by his friend, jammed with the band. Almost coincidentally at the same time a talented young guitarist called Rex also moved into this loosely bound group.
Within a week of juggling his time between work and music, Suraj was already trying to move on. Attempting to excuse himself with an observation on the lack of future that confronts cover bands, his proposed exit lines were, “If we were making our own music, it would mean something. At least then 10 years down the line, we can’t be just replaced by the next band of talented young musicians who would play these covers with more energy.” Baiju looked up and said, “lets make a song”
[edit] The Albums
Till date motherjane has come up two original compilations, first edition being insane biography which was released in 2001-2002. The song mind street was popular with the rock lovers in the country as well as radio listeners’ world wide. The album was noted for extremely high quality lyrics and wild performances in stage by the band. Insane biography is awarded as the best Indian rock album in the year 2002-2003. DNA network rates motherjane as one of the top 3 live acts in India. The newest album in the pipeline is maktub which is already getting rave reviews due to the high quality works. The album is expected to be released by late 2007.
[edit] Insane Biography
That moment for any band heralds its real beginning. By 2001-02 the band had composed, performed and recorded 9 songs in an album that they called “Insane Biography”. During this period, the band was already coping with the logistical horrors of practice & recording, since Suraj had shifted base to Bangalore. Overcoming its difficulties, the band went on to perform all over the Indian sub continent gaining from strength to strength and winning numerous competitions and awards. Most notable amongst them in the first half of band’s career was the award for best Indian rock album in the year 2002-03.
Insane Biography consists of the following tracks:
1. Disllusioned
2. Questions
3. Mindstreet
4. Maya
5. Soul Corporation
6. Prison Chains
7. An Ode to Life
8. Walk On
9. Shh..Listen
Motherjane, (the band’s guardian angel- named in homage to the bands belief that music is by far the best and purest drug in the world) was making her presence felt and her sons heard!
Then Rex left in 2002. It was the day before the Great Indian Rock concert, where for the first time a band from the serene and lost state of Kerala had managed to break into. The band was lost again.
For 2 years the band went through stand in guitarists for their rhythm section, all the while performing, learning and growing in stature. Amidst all the turmoil, Insane Biography was creating ripples in the rock circuit. The band’s album became the first Indian rock album to be featured in international radio stations across 3 continents. The song Soul Corporations was bought for an international compilation album “Geki Teki Metal” released in Japan in 2004. Motherjane’s live acts were getting rave reviews across the country. DNA networks rated the band as one of the top 3 live acts in the country. Always working for the inevitable success that they craved, Motherjane welcomed Deepu in late 2004. Once again the vibe was back and within 6 months the band was composing new material.
[edit] Maktub
The band will be bringing out their new album titled “Maktub” in March 2008. They have been playing songs from the album in the concerts. A unique Motherjane sound is shaping up and has attracted a cult following amongst the thinking rockers. The songs from the latest recordings got the boys laurels with Baiju winning the award for the guitarist of the year 2007 at the JD Tennessee Annual Rock awards and Suraj being nominated for the vocalist of the year. What most bands from the so-called rock hubs of India could not achieve in years in the Indian rock circuit was achieved by Motherjane - a band hailing from the remotest islands of Kerala.
Motherjane’s musical style flows with the melody of rural India, seethes with the raw aggression of rock and is inlaid with insightful lyrics of exquisite insight. The band is going to re-record a track from “insane biography” along with “Maktub” as a special tribute to its fans.
[edit] The Gigs
The live acts by motherjane gained a cult status among the rock fans in India. Motherjane has performed all around the country and few of their gigs have been featured in channel V[1]. The stage histrionics of Suraj & Baiju [2] gained a lot of fans all round the Indian subcontinent. Baiju has also performed in the local channel Asianet on the programme big band [3]
Motherjane performed at the Durbar hall grounds in Cochin on 11th August 2007 follows by a gig at Trivandrum on 18th August. The gigs were part of the home coming tour of Motherjane sponsored by a local TV channel Rosebowl.
- In March 2005, Motherjane performed at Ragam 05 in NIT, Calicut.
