Cactus (Indian band)

Cactus
Cactus performing at Kolkata on 2008.
Background information
Origin	Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Genres	Bangla rock
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Sa Re Ga Ma India Limited Sunnyo Media Pvt. Ltd. Asha Audio
Website	www.cactusmusic.com
Members	Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals] Dibyendu Mukherjee: [Vocals] Ritaprabha "Ratul" Ray [guitar] Sudipto "Buti" Banerji [keyboard] Mainak "Bumpy" Nag Choudhury [bass] Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums]
Past members	Sanjay [guitar] Kanishka (Pinky) [keyboard] Shubayan [bass] Rajesh [vox] Sayak [vox] Indra [keyboard] Allan [guitar] Sandip Roy[bass] Abhijit Barman(Pota)[vox]

Cactus (Bengali: ক্যাকটাস) is an Indian Bangla rock band from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Since inception they have recorded four full length studio albums and have performed over 2500 concerts across India.

History

Cactus was formed in 1992. Inspired by the likes of Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and many others, they started the journey with the purpose of doing rock n' roll in a language closer to their soil. The professional debut of the band saw the light of the day on March 6, 1993, at Aban Mahal (CLT), Kolkata. Since their formation their songs have appeared in many radio stations and their music videos, live concerts have appeared in many TV channels.

Early years and self-titled album (1992-1999)

The first self-titled album, released in 1999 from HMV, became a rage with a touch of blues and psychedelic rock. With numbers like Brishti, Icchamati and Oooh! ma this album portrayed psychedelia in Bengali music for the first time. Halud pakhi, on the other hand created a long lasting sensation in the contemporary Bengali music scene with its nostalgic feel being perfectly accompanied by Shudhu Tumi Ele Na and Amra Bhishon Eka complimenting the overall mood of the album.^[1] They tasted some success when their first self-titled album was released in 1999 by HMV.

Line up - Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals], Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums], Sanjay [guitar], Kanishka (Pinky) [keyboard],

Shubayan [bass],  Rajesh [vocal]

Side projects: Nil Nirjane (1999-2002)

In 2002, Cactus composed and performed the score for the Bengali movie Nil Nirjane.^[2] The song "Mon" from the soundtrack became extremely popular and is still a crowd favourite. A Hindi version of the song was used as the intro song for Love Story, a TV series in SAB TV.

Line up - Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals], Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums], Sanjay [guitar], Kanishka (Pinky) [keyboard],

Shubayan [bass], Abhijit Barman(Pota)[vocal]

Rajar Raja (2002–2004)

The band released its second album titled 'Rajar Raja' in 2004. The band with this album moved ahead and incorporated new sounds. Different genres of music were experimented within the album. Buddho Heshechhen and Lash Kata Ghore being examples of classic rock, flirting with folk rock in Bodhu re while Rajar Raja portrays influences from funk rock. Though this album had new sounds, the nostalgic quotient was very much there with songs like Udaaner Gaan, Krishti, Ude Jete Chay and Kamalar Swami representing blues and the psychedelic facet of the band sound.^[3][4]

Line up - Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals], Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums], Sanjay [guitar], Kanishka (Pinky) [keyboard], Sandip Roy [bass], Abhijit Barman(Pota)[vocal]

Tuchho (2004–2008)

The band released its third album, Tuccho, in 2008. The band with this album moved ahead and has incorporated new sounds. Different genres of music were being experimented with in the album. Traces of hard rock was clearly visible. They were then featured in the Rock Street Journal's February 2009 issue. Tuccho contained the hits "Bhalo Theko" and "Rater Pari".

line up - Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals], Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums], Allan Ao [guitar], Sudipto Banrejee [keyboard],

Sandip Roy [bass], Sayak[vocal]

"Blah Blah Blah" (2013)

This is their forth album.This is a very experimental album for them.Asha Audio produced the album and it was published on 3rd of October 2013.

line up - Sidhartha Sankar "Sidhu" Ray [vocals], Sibaji "Baji" Paul [drums], Ritaprabha "Ratul" Ray [guitar], Sudipto Banrejee[keyboard],

Sandip Roy [bass], Dibyendu Mukherjee [vocal]

Musical style and Influences

The self-titled album and the two later albums combine soft rock, adult contemporary, blues and psychedelic rock. But their last album Tuchho which was known to be the best selling album produced by them had the traces of hard rock although two songs Bhalo Theko and Shabdhane Raasta Perio were more like soft rock and adult contemporary.

Band Members

Discography

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
BengaliMusicOnline.com

Tuccho
Studio album by Cactus
Released	2008
Recorded	2008
Genre	Bangla rock
Length	26:00
Label	Asha Audio
Producer	Cactus
Cactus studio album chronology
Rajar Raja Tuccho Unknown

Cactus (1999) (Saregama India Limited)

Tracks

• "Shudhu Tumi Ele Na" (শুধু তুমি এলে না)
• "Amra Bhishon Eka" (আমরা ভীষণ একা)
• "Halogen" (হ্যালোজেন)
• "Tumio Bojho Amio Bujhi" (তুমিও বোঝো আমিও বুঝি)
• "Icchamoti" (ইছামতী)
• "Brishti Oooh Ma" (বৃষ্টি উঃ মা)
• "Bhoy" (ভয়)
• "Chai Shudhu Tomay" (চাই শুধু তোমায়)
• "Holud Pakhi" (হলুদ পাখি)
• "Brishti" (বৃষ্টি)

Nil Nirjane (2002) (Sunnyo Media Pvt. Ltd)

Tracks

• "Nil Nirjane" (নীল নির্জনে)
• "Noah" (নোয়া)
• "Telephone" (টেলিফোন)
• "Mon" (মন)
• "Dukho Medley (1st)" (দুঃখ মেডলি)
• "Medley (2nd)" (মেডলি)
• "Nil Nirjane - Music Track" (নীল নির্জনে - সংগীত)
• "Dialogue - Cactus and Raima" (সংলাপ - ক্যাকটাস ও রাইমা)

Rajar Raja (2004) (Asha Audio Company)

Tracks

• "Buddho Heshechhen" (বুদ্ধ হেসেছেন)
• "Udaaner Gaan" (উড়ানের গান)
• "Bodhu Re" (বধু রে)
• "Ude Jete Chay" (উড়ে যেতে চায়)
• "Lash Kata Ghore" (লাশ কাটা ঘরে)
• "Krishti" (কৃষ্টি)
• "Kamalar Swami" (কমলার স্বামী)
• "Rajar Raja" (রাজার রাজা)

Tuccho (2008) (Asha Audio Company)

Tracks

• "Bhalo Theko" (ভালো থেকো)
• "Kobi Dao - Kobita Hobo" (কবি দাও)
• "Moshiha" (মসীহা)
• "Phire Chawa" (ফিরে চাওয়া)
• "Pokhiraaj" (পক্ষীরাজ)
• "Raater Pori" (রাতের পরী)
• "Tuccho Ami" (তুচ্ছ আমি)
• "Shabdhane Raasta Perio" (সাবধানে রাস্তা পেরিয়ো)

Blah Blah Blah^[5] (Asha Audio Company)

Tracks

• "Blah Blah Blah"
• "Dulchhe"
• "Boro Deri"
• "Mon"
• "Status Update"
• "Noah"
• "Shohoj"
• "Nil Nirjone"

References

Coincidently "Blah Blah Blah" is a song by American recording artist Kesha from her debut album, Animal.....see the below link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blah_Blah_Blah_(song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3taEuL4EHAg

External links

• Official Website
• Official Twitter Page
• Official Myspace Profile
• Official Facebook Page