Physiotheraphy students Hardy and Akki talk to Shana Maria Verghis about egos and broken hearts
One of them is still in hostel and his friends were screwing around with his mobile phone — or so we thought — so Akash, aka ‘Akki,’ the singer with Fusion Adhesion, did not get a chance to speak.
Instead, his fellow musician Hardik ‘aka’ Hardy took over. Hardy plays the guitar in this four-year-old two piece outfit, which has two physiotherapy students. Akash belongs to Meerut. Hardik is from Himachal.
“like most Dogras, I wanted to join the army. Just as my father and uncle had done before me. But I didn’t get through the National Defence Academy exam. My brother’s a doctor. So I decided to follow in his stead.” His voice sounded a bit mournful at missing out on the army.
The youngsters have just been made part of Sufi Mocha Evenings at the outlet in Defence Colony. They’re not new to public performance and have apparently given lots of shows across town. They recently won a first place at IP University, singing ditties by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Both of them have a thing for Sufi music. Akash, who cut his teeth on the guitar at the capital’s branch of the YMCA, said they do intend to stick around as long as they can.
The reason they kept their band at two, is, “a male thing. It’s about egos, and whom to be man on man with. Other guys don’t want to be with us. And we don’t want to be with them either! But if we get over ourselves we would like to expand.” They both compose music and recently performed for physically handicapped kids who study at a school that is located near their college. It was at the request of their college and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The song is titled Teri Hai Khwaish, Tera Hai Sab.
Akki has been singing from second class, winning solo performances at DPS, but he didn’t get much support from his dad and family who wanted to join medicine.
So he joined the Institute of the Physically handicapped and moved to Delhi, also to study music, and won several competitions. And then a karaoke company, Magic Sing, hired him as chief promoter. His friend described him as a, “Sufi singer,” but truth is he’s not a wandering minstrel. You couldn’t afford that luxury, when you have your exams coming. Both these fellows have a year and a half left to complete. Akki remarked, “People think you need to train to sing Sufi music but I never did.” Both take their riyaaz seriously. Akki’s plan is that once he leaves college, he will probably get someone to run a clinic on his behalf, using his degree, but chase his passion, music.
Akash was more interested in music than medicine from the beginning. Once he started college in Delhi, he defiantly went after the former and didn’t let his family pay for his education. Now they back his music too. “I see my dad’s viewpoint now. It’s every parent’s desire to see their children have security. As for me, some music directors have already approached me and I plan to move to Mumbai soon.”
Where would that leave his guitaristIJ He revealed, “Hardy’s my man. His guitar is connected to breaking up with his girlfriend during first year of college. He wasn’t a good guitarist till then. The break-up made him go psycho. So we all rallied to support him. There was a guitar in the house and I heard him play it rather good after the break-up and told him to get lessons. So he went to the YWCA. It helped.”