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PHOTO: H. VIBHU

ROCKING AHEAD Rathan Kumar relies on his own instinctive abilities

Rathan Kumar, has written, composed, handled the rhythm and vocal part in this album of soft, soothing, slow, rock songs. The music reveals how much the social, cultural surroundings, a particular atmosphere in which a person lives, can have a profound impact in developing different tastes and passions. This often tends to stay on with one’s personality for the rest of one’s life, even giving them vital clues about discovering what they really want from their life, what their goal posts in the future life should be.

This composer, who now lives in Koovappadam, Fort Kochi, owes his taste for Western music and his ability to create it to his childhood years and youth. That was when he used to live in Peter Celli Street, near Parade Ground, which like numerous other streets in this place in the past used to be inhabited mainly by Anglo-Indian families.

The Anglo-Indians are well known for their love of music; especially Western and most of the members of these families had the ability play instruments like guitar, drums, violin, piano etc. Rathan used to spend most of his evenings singing and jamming with friends, sitting by the doorsteps, sharing musical knowledge sometimes even learning from the foreigners who came as tourists.

Rathan was introduced to the guitar by his friends and he quickly picked up the basics. Very soon he acquired sufficient mastery over the instrument, practicing guitar patterns of songs by his favourite artists. Accessibility to various albums by world famous artists like England Dan, John Ford Cooley, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, Beatles, etc. exposed Rathan to different styles distinctive to these legends.

At a time when there was no cable television or Internet, the availability of original records and good quality audio equipments, brought back home by Anglo-Indian friends employed abroad, helped Rathan greatly to taste quality music.

“Those days it was usual to hang out with friends at the Elite Hotel, which was just a few yards away on the road where I stayed. Over coffee and biscuits we would talk about music. Most of the tables were occupied by foreigners. Usually we got talking with those who were interested in music. We also jammed with some of them. Music was integral to Fort Kochi then. It was so quiet, the silence only interrupted by the music that wafted from the houses on the antique streets,” Rathan reminisces.

Although Rathan used to speak Kannada at home, it was completely English once he went out. At Fort Kochi, where he did his schooling, it was mandatory that children spoke only English. This helped Rathan to improve his accent and gave him the confidence to speak in English.

It was during his college days that Rathan began learning to play the piano. Almost the same time he, along with some of his friends, organised a band, which used to play at International Hotel. This lasted only for a short while, but this experience made Rathan realise that there was nothing better than creating one’s own songs and playing them.

Rathan got a job in the Gulf where he worked for a while. “There I used to hang out at the hotels where they had live bands, listening to them, but never playing for any one of them.” He returned to help his mother with the restaurant and audio shop that she managed. Running these outlets gave Rathan plenty of time to concentrate and plan the songs for his dream album. “My thoughts were instinctive. When something crossed my mind I took the guitar and tuned it. A song usually took days to complete. The first ever song I wrote was ‘Give me one more day…’ The rest of songs followed.” The lyrics were all simple and straight forward. Rathan then began his search for someone who would produce the album. When none of the audio companies agreed to fund the project his mother decided to help him with the money. They decided to bring out the album under the label of ‘Amrutha,’ the name of their own audio shop.

This album also turned out to be a launch pad for many talented musicians like Justin (keyboard), James (drums), and Dileep (bass guitar). These three artistes of Kalabhavan and Anilkumar (lead guitar) had never before attempted a completely Western music album before. With some help from Rathan, a few practice sessions together and whole creative process of making the album became a great learning experience for these artistes. Rathan Kumar is raring to go. With a new found energy generated from doing what he always believed in, he has already begun preparing for his next album. Till then the music lovers of the city would have to wait to see him perform ‘live.’

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