The Hindu : New Delhi News : Rock bands join hands with PETA in their battle

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

Rock bands join hands with PETA in their battle

Madhur Tankha

Exclusive interviews with these top-notch music groups will be featured on petaDishoom.com — the youth division of PETA

“Parikrama” keyboardist Subir Malik looks after street dogs and wishes all were kind to animals
Drummer of PETA’s new friend “Them Clones” feels people who mistreat animals must be jailed

NEW DELHI: To fight atrocities against animals, petaDishoom — the youth division of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (India) — has teamed up with the country’s leading rock bands.

Joining last year’s line-up of animal-friendly bands “Pentagram”, “Indian Ocean”, “Euphoria”, “Parikrama”, “Vayu”, “Demonic Resurrection”, “Sceptre” and “Pin Drop Violence” and petaDishoom’s new friends “Metakix”, “Thermal and a Quarter” and “Them Clones”. Exclusive interviews with these top-notch bands are being featured on petaDishoom.com.

What makes the youth division of PETA proud of the rock bands is that they make no secret of their compassion for animals. In fact, both “Vayu” and “Them Clones” recently unfurled petaDishoom banners right in the middle of their concerts.

And no one can mistake whose side the members of “Parikrama” are on when they perform on stage decked out in PETA T-shirts. Keyboardist Subir Malik says he takes care of 22 street dogs and wishes that everybody in this world would be kind to animals and love them. Lead singer Nitin Malik says: “I am not only against animals being used in circuses but also against the concept of having zoos. It is wrong to have someone caged in a zoo.”

Long-time vegetarian vocalist Vishal Dadlani says if young people like animals they should share their ideas and support the fact that animals should not be killed. “There should be awareness about the slaughter of animals,” he adds.

Formed a decade ago, “Vayu” defines classic rock. But the band is also a leading voice for animal rights and won a Proggy Award from PETA for taking a tough stand in defence of animals. “Vayu” guitarist Ravi Iyer says it is important to speak out for animals for the simple reason that animals have a life.

“And they are expressive – they have feelings, too, but they just cannot speak. But I think animals get hurt, too,” he adds.

“Them Clones” has been making fabulous music since 2000 and has been on a whirlwind tour across the country. Its drummer Surojit Dev jumped at the chance to slow down just long enough to share his views on standing up for animals. “I think people who mistreat animals should be jailed. If there would be any concert, we would actually play it for free. That is how we can contribute from our end.”

According to petaDishom, December is a big month for a lucky visitor who simply has to register to win prizes.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi