A Cheery din'gus!

For Bengaluru-based Dingus Cheer, music was always on the cards. The two members – Danesh Gardin and Apanna Mp, chanced upon each other at a gig, realised they had similar tastes and music and decided to perform together. The band which turned one this year, has already performed at a number of popular venues across the city including The Humming Tree, Big Pitcher, Take 5 and most recently, Easy Tiger. In conversation with the rock and roll duo, we learn the story behind their name, passion for music, and more…

First things first, we ask the question on everybody’s mind – what’s with the name? “I know it sounds vulgar but it really isn’t. Apanna came up with the name Dingus which actually means an emotion that you can’t pinpoint, and I added cheer to it. So it kind of means a kind of happiness that you don’t understand but can feel,” laughs Danesh, the lead singer and guitarist.

“It was initially supposed to be called Scrambled Eggs, but we realised that another band already had the name. So after cursing them for the longest time, we came up with this one,” quips in Apanna, who also doubles as a corporate employee!

Danesh’s family was musically inclined, which is what got into the space too. “As a kid, I was forced to play the piano by my parents. My grandmother was a pianist and though I wanted to learn the guitar, she insisted I learn the piano first. Now I get why,” says the 21-year-old who “breathes the Arctic Monkeys and Beatles.”

The duo who is self-taught and credit Youtube tutorials and guide books, for their amazing guitar skills. “Both of us learnt the guitar on our own in college, so we understand the need to constantly practice. And now because of only our practice, we have gotten this far. I’m not being cocky, but we have gigs lined up till January and the feeling is amazing,” says Danesh, who is pursuing his final year of Law at Christ University.

How did their families react, we ask? “My dad actually got to know through a Facebook post and thought I was playing at dingy nightclubs and was quite scandalised. But when I sat him down and explained that they were performance venues, he kind of calmed down,” reveals the 21-year-old laughing. And do they plan on expanding as a band, we quiz.

“In the beginning, we didn’t really need anybody else as we mainly performed covers ad managed with songs that don’t require drums. But Danesh has penned a few original compositions that require more instruments than the guitar, so we are on the lookout to expand,” adds Apanna in conclusion.