When ‘White Mug’ plays live, it’s guaranteed that you will have a good time. What makes the band special is their good old rock ‘n roll music, in the midst of Bengaluru’s booming music culture. The line up consists of Mathew on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica, Louis on lead guitar and backing vocals, Vivian on drums and percussions and Sachu on bass guitar.
The band came into being in early 2011, at a house named ‘Asylum’, where a bunch of musicians and music lovers gathered almost every day. Among them were a blues guitarist, his sister and a young chap who played some funky riffs on an acoustic guitar (and later picked up the bass guitar and turned into a songwriter).
They are heavily inspired by old school bands like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Creedence Clearwater Revival. “‘Alternative rock ‘n roll’ is how we define our music. Our roots are in blues – mainly electric blues/rock ‘n roll – but we are very alternative and inclined to the new-age contemporary sounds and music. We have known each other for over a decade and our listening shifted from rock to grunge, metal, funk, rock ‘n roll, blues and psychedelic trance. And now we listen to a lot of indie and indie electronic music,” says Louis.
Their music is inspired by everyday things, which add to the beauty of their music. One of their songs is about tapping, says Mathew, “Somebody left the tap running all night. And everyone hummed saying ‘not me’! We made a song on tapping, giving it a different meaning. We are happy people and we love to move with the music, so the songs are happy and groovy. Sometimes there is a twist to everything, just like human emotions. So we also have dark songs.”
Their first EP received wide appreciation and it changed the way the audience comprehend their music. Their music was refreshing and quirky at the same time. Catchy melodies, rock ‘n roll grooves, startling harmonica sections and cowbells and tambourine additions to guitar licks, is what one got from their EP production. “The energy of ‘White Mug’ translates all this into a sound never heard before,” adds a member.
The band faced initial glitches in terms of getting opportunities to perform and an audience to watch and listen to them. That was sorted through their dedication and passion towards music. Now the band is trying to raise funds to record music. On the music scene in the City, Sachu says, “A few years back, we would have said it has been rather disappointing. But what we see now is the huge potential and immense opportunity that exists for musicians. There are a lot of people who enjoy indie music and it’s because of the technology, music festivals and promoters who have helped the music arena.”
Despite stark competition, the band believes in co-existence and unity. “We love the raw human elements in our music but at the same time we swim with the tide to keep our sound very contemporary. ‘White Mug’ is the only grooving mug!” sums up Vivian.