'Music is for everyone, why restrict it?'

Twelve months ago, a group of strangers met on social media and decided to make music together. All of them had one thing in common, besides their love for music of course: a hunger to learn more than what they already knew. The Perfect Strangers, a group of six who make music out of stories they see around them, refuse to be defined by genre. Perhaps that's why their music has elements of groovy jazz, progressive rock, with pop beats thrown in for good measure, so to speak! What's more, all of them can sing! Their vocalist Raphael comes from a background of western classical training of almost 18 years, while their bass player Prashanth is a choirmaster at Christ College. “It's a rare thing. It gives us immense control of harmonies and everyone has an ear for mistakes,” laughs Raphael.

There's a flavour they bring to the table, one that has something for everybody. "Which is exactly how it should be," says 38-year-old Jeet, the guitarist and oldest member of the band. "Music shouldn't be restricted to a few. I think you lose out on so much if you keep yourself bound to a certain genre. There is so much to explore out there as an artist."

The journey hasn't always been an easy one. The earlier lineup crumbled after three years of jamming together and five of the six members bid the band goodbye, leaving Jeet to make some difficult decisions. The easiest move at a time like this would have been to join another band, but he decided to "stick it out." Soon after he met the 28-year-old, husky-voiced Raphael, a full time hairdresser at an audition and it all fell right back into place. Then came Pranav, also on vocals, Steve on keyboards, Preran on drums and Prashanth on bass.       

Performing originals at a gig for a moderately popular band may seem like a risk, but the Strangers don't shy away from it. "We have lined up more of our originals for this gig. I feel like we get a better response when it is our own music," says Jeet, before meeting Raphael's eye who nods in response. "It will be a soothing evening. Something that will leave you with more than what you came in with," he adds.

Wild Side, a ballad that tells the tale of a transgender and her fight with identity, Breaking Away, which paints a picture of what it is like to be an artist who is asked only for music that sells and Selfie, a song that talks about projections of oneself, are some of their tracks from their latest playlist. "I met her in Thailand on a vacation and she told me about how the world only sees her on the outside, never knowing the pain of being a woman trapped in a man's body. She inspired me so much," he says nostalgically, telling the story of how Wild Side came to be. On a lighter note, he shares the story behind Selfie. "I was on a flight from Kolkata where this couple bickered all the way till we landed. But then, they realized at the end of the journey that they hadn't taken a selfie!" he laughs animatedly with his hands mimicking a smart phone, "After the selfie the fight seemed to be forgotten!"

The band is headed to the studio after a few more gigs and plans to put together an EP next. "I think its time, its time," says Jeet, barely able to contain his excitement.

What:
The Perfect Strangers, live
When:
march 10, 9 pm
Where:
blue frog, church street