Being the online media partners of ‘Rock For A Cause’ comes with its own set of privileges. One of them was to get to talk to the headlining band. Three Germans and an Indian vocalist playing some good music that they hate to put into the limitations of a genre, we got to meet ‘Fire On Dawson’ and have a little chat with them.
‘Fire On Dawson’ are :
- Ankur Batra (Vocals)
- Markus Stricker (Guitar)
- Martin Sonntag (Bass)
- Max Siegmund (Drums)
Finding their Worli pad turned out to be quite a task. We ended up being late by half an hour. A few German smiles and some cold Indian vibes welcomed us in. What followed was a very interesting conversation. Here (click on the questions to see the answers) :
Me : So what’s the story behind your name?
Ankur : It comes form a restaurant in Ireland called ‘Fire’ and it’s on Dawson street.
Me : From what I gather, you were looking for a name for a long time before you hit on this one.
Ankur : We had some really cool ideas.
Me : Can we hear some of them?
Ankur : NO! (everyone bursts into laughter) This is golden stuff. It’ll be a part of my book.
Me : From what I gather, you were looking for a name for a long time before you hit on this one.
Ankur : We had some really cool ideas.
Me : Can we hear some of them?
Ankur : NO! (everyone bursts into laughter) This is golden stuff. It’ll be a part of my book.
Me : So you also have a side project called ‘Dawson’. More on that..
Ankur : It is an acoustic project with 3 members of FOD (all except Markus). We do shows across Germany.
Martin : It is a very basic setting with only acoustic guitars and drums.
Me : Markus, how are you not a part of this project then?
Markus : For me, it’s just too time consuming. They play too many gigs. Though I was helping out during their last gig.
Me : So eventually you will become a part of the project it seems. Which is why they named it ‘Dawson’ in the first place.
*Laughter*
Martin : It is a very basic setting with only acoustic guitars and drums.
Me : Markus, how are you not a part of this project then?
Markus : For me, it’s just too time consuming. They play too many gigs. Though I was helping out during their last gig.
Me : So eventually you will become a part of the project it seems. Which is why they named it ‘Dawson’ in the first place.
*Laughter*
Me : I read that you guys hate to label your music in a genre. I myself am not a big fan of genres as they stereotype music. So, given the freedom to use any words or sentences, how would you describe your music?
Markus : I like to make up words. I recently made up my own genre to describe our music. It’s called ‘Degressive Rock’.
Ankur : That is ‘Degressive Rock’. Patented by Fire on Dawson.
Markus : Since we’re kinda calling our music ‘Alternative/Progressive Rock’, we get reactions like “how can this be progressive, it’s not fast or whatever..It’s not technical”. Alteast I had a feeling that it’s progressive. Pink Floyd is considered progressive and it’s not like metal progressive. It’s like a turnaround from the speedy, fast, technical stuff to melody and easier to the ear stuff.
Ankur : That is ‘Degressive Rock’. Patented by Fire on Dawson.
Markus : Since we’re kinda calling our music ‘Alternative/Progressive Rock’, we get reactions like “how can this be progressive, it’s not fast or whatever..It’s not technical”. Alteast I had a feeling that it’s progressive. Pink Floyd is considered progressive and it’s not like metal progressive. It’s like a turnaround from the speedy, fast, technical stuff to melody and easier to the ear stuff.
Me : You just mentioned that you love making up words. So what does ‘Prognative’ (name of their debut album) mean?
Mahima : Yeah! What IS ‘prognative’. I wanted to ask you guys, but I didn’t want to feel stupid.
Ankur : Have you guys tried to look it up in the dictionary?
Me : I did, I did.
Ankur : *Some random stuff*
Martin : For me it has two meanings. The obvious one is progressive and alternative put together. And the other one is prog and native, y’know like progressive and native again.
Ankur : Have you guys tried to look it up in the dictionary?
Me : I did, I did.
Ankur : *Some random stuff*
Martin : For me it has two meanings. The obvious one is progressive and alternative put together. And the other one is prog and native, y’know like progressive and native again.
Me : You guys have very strong German roots, if I am not wrong.
Markus : We are from Germany, yes. (Everyone sniggers).Me : So why choose English as a language and not German to express your music?
Martin : Because I don’t write the lyrics. I just play the bass. It’s just not my thing. I don’t care, I would also play in a band that sings in Italian or whatever.
Markus : For me, it’s basically the same since I am not the poet or the lyricist..
Ankur : Hey, c’mon man you are not bad..
Markus : And since most of the stuff I listen to is also in English and since the language is more global. So, English was the right decision since we reach a larger audience.
Me : Are you guys signed with a music label?
Ankur : No, we are not.
Me : I checked out your video, ‘Hit Me’. Are you guys planning to come out with any more videos for this album, Prognative?
Martin : Actually, we were shooting for one today.
Me : So good timing, can you tell me more about that? What song is it? What’s the video about?
Ankur : I think we have to first look at the results before we can..
Me : Not even which song it is?
Ankur : I mean we had a few different ideas. So it just depends on what the result comes out.
Me : Were you guys shooting today?
Martin : Yes, we did shoot today.
Ankur : Yeah, we shot today, but it wasn’t a music video as such. We had certain ideas and let’s just see what the results are.
Me : So, you won’t tell me what song it is...
Me : So good timing, can you tell me more about that? What song is it? What’s the video about?Ankur : I think we have to first look at the results before we can..
Me : Not even which song it is?
Ankur : I mean we had a few different ideas. So it just depends on what the result comes out.
Me : Were you guys shooting today?
Martin : Yes, we did shoot today.
Ankur : Yeah, we shot today, but it wasn’t a music video as such. We had certain ideas and let’s just see what the results are.
Me : So, you won’t tell me what song it is...
Me : Can we get a setlist of your RFAC gig so that people who come can hum along?
Ankur : A lot of the songs are on the CD, so if they have the CD they will know. (Laughs)
Me : Are you playing all the songs on the CD?
Ankur : Some and some from the new album.
Me : Are you playing all the songs on the CD?
Ankur : Some and some from the new album.
Me : When is the new album coming out? What stage is it on?
Markus : Our plan was to release it in April, so right now we have recorded like 3/4th of the songs.
Me: Is Stephen Marsh also working on this album?
Ankur : Maybe. We don’t know.
Me : How did you get Stephen Marsh? How did that happen? That’s pretty big.
Martin : I think we wrote him an e-mail. Very professional fellow.
Ankur : In the business scene you get a lot of people that tell you a lot of shit. But with Stephen Marsh he was like to the point and y’know, he got it done.
Markus : There were some scheduling problems. Cause he was doing a movie and he gave the movie bigger priority.
Me : How did you get Stephen Marsh? How did that happen? That’s pretty big.
Martin : I think we wrote him an e-mail. Very professional fellow.
Ankur : In the business scene you get a lot of people that tell you a lot of shit. But with Stephen Marsh he was like to the point and y’know, he got it done.
Markus : There were some scheduling problems. Cause he was doing a movie and he gave the movie bigger priority.
Me : OK, how did RFAC happen?
Ankur : Erm, we were thinking about an Indian tour, so we were looking for an opportunity to come back. Somewhere around November, we had been working on the album and we decided to play live, because that’s exciting. So we were thinking we should do concerts in Germany, but then we decided, since we were already doing concerts with the acoustic project, that we would like to play in India again. And then RFAC got in touch with the band.
Me : Are you guys supporting any specific cause collectively as a band, financially and/or mentally ?
Ankur : I think we support a lot of causes mentally. Personally, I feel connected to a lot of causes that RFAC stands for and I feel connected to a lot of things and I am involved in initiatives to help a lot of people and I think the band does what they can in whatever situation they can.
Me : You want to say anything about the theme of this year which is child rights, what do you feel about it?
Ankur : Well, the thing is when you grow up in the west, you don’t have to deal with it on such a close basis. Personally, I support the concept of each child having the right to go to school and it being a must. For that reason, I am fully behind it and these guys also have read a lot about the concept and we fully support it and that’s why we are here.
Me : You want to say anything about the theme of this year which is child rights, what do you feel about it?
Ankur : Well, the thing is when you grow up in the west, you don’t have to deal with it on such a close basis. Personally, I support the concept of each child having the right to go to school and it being a must. For that reason, I am fully behind it and these guys also have read a lot about the concept and we fully support it and that’s why we are here.
Me : Martin, you are the bassist right? It’s said that the bassist gets all the girls. Is it true?
Ankur : Who says that?Martin : Uh. Uh.
Ankur : In our band, the manager gets all the girls.
Martin : I haven’t heard of that myth before...
Me : (Chuckles) Start working on it..
Ankur : I thought the singer gets all the girls.
Markus : That’s what we hear (long pause) every night! (Everyone laughs)
Me : Do you guys live the rock n roll lifestyle?
Martin : Do we live the rock n roll lifestyle? What is the rock n roll lifestyle?
Me : Drugs, sex, booze!
Martin : Sex and booze, yeah.
Ankur : And y’know, aspirin and things like that the next day.
Me : Drugs, sex, booze!
Martin : Sex and booze, yeah.
Ankur : And y’know, aspirin and things like that the next day.
Me : You guys started off without Ankur in the band.. The basic idea was to be a funk-metal band?
Martin : That was not the concept behind it. I started this band with a friend of mine who is from Chile and I think that he had this kind of a fancy feeling just in his blood. So that’s what we were doing back then.
Me : So how did you make this transformation when Ankur came along?
Markus : I think Ankur’s interest was more in the metal field. I think that’s where the connection came.
Ankur : I think it was a gradual change.
Me : Did you have to convince the people to change? How involved are you in the song making process or do you just handle the lyrics department?
Ankur : I think a song becomes a song when each of us in the band likes it. I think the progression of the band happens whenever there is a lineup change. There was a shift in the band when Markus came in and there has been a shift when Max came in. I just think that every new musician brings his own style and incorporation of music. I came from a hard rock or metal environment. So the melodies that I would come up with or the style of singing maybe required a bit more distorted guitar, so our sound back then became a little harder. When Markus came in, his sound is very experimental. Personally I think that Markus does not restrict himself, as in he does not say I have to do this, this and this. Back then, I was like, my voice has to sound like this or like that. But, Markus wasn’t like that. So, when he came in all of us had grown as a band and were more open to things, so he really put in his influence of psychedellic/ progressive rock. Then, when Max came in, he was also influenced with many thing. So with every new member that we have, we have, I won’t say a change in direction, but we have a very clear influence on the music of that person.
Me : So how did you make this transformation when Ankur came along?
Markus : I think Ankur’s interest was more in the metal field. I think that’s where the connection came.
Ankur : I think it was a gradual change.
Me : Did you have to convince the people to change? How involved are you in the song making process or do you just handle the lyrics department?
Ankur : I think a song becomes a song when each of us in the band likes it. I think the progression of the band happens whenever there is a lineup change. There was a shift in the band when Markus came in and there has been a shift when Max came in. I just think that every new musician brings his own style and incorporation of music. I came from a hard rock or metal environment. So the melodies that I would come up with or the style of singing maybe required a bit more distorted guitar, so our sound back then became a little harder. When Markus came in, his sound is very experimental. Personally I think that Markus does not restrict himself, as in he does not say I have to do this, this and this. Back then, I was like, my voice has to sound like this or like that. But, Markus wasn’t like that. So, when he came in all of us had grown as a band and were more open to things, so he really put in his influence of psychedellic/ progressive rock. Then, when Max came in, he was also influenced with many thing. So with every new member that we have, we have, I won’t say a change in direction, but we have a very clear influence on the music of that person.
Me : Prognative as an album has multiple songs of multiple sounds. So, in the new album are we going to see the same kind of diversity or is it going to be more niche sound of the band?
Martin : I think it’s going to be more diverse.
Me : What about in terms of language?
Ankur : We only speak three languages and two of them not very well. If the opportunity arises and if the theme of the song is fitting, then maybe.
Me : 3/4th of the album is over right?
Markus : So far all in English.
Me : Is a Hindi song happening?
Markus : We haven’t written the other songs yet, so we cannot tell. Ankur : I don’t think we go into a song thinking it has to be in this language or it has to have a theme. I do get suggestions from the guys, y’know, what about this song, do you want to have it in Hindi and stuff. But, at the end of the day it has to fit the feel, the theme and the mood of the song. The language does not really matter.
Me : What about in terms of language?
Ankur : We only speak three languages and two of them not very well. If the opportunity arises and if the theme of the song is fitting, then maybe.
Me : 3/4th of the album is over right?
Markus : So far all in English.
Me : Is a Hindi song happening?
Markus : We haven’t written the other songs yet, so we cannot tell. Ankur : I don’t think we go into a song thinking it has to be in this language or it has to have a theme. I do get suggestions from the guys, y’know, what about this song, do you want to have it in Hindi and stuff. But, at the end of the day it has to fit the feel, the theme and the mood of the song. The language does not really matter.
Me : How involved are the other guys in the lyrics?
Martin : I think it’s 95% Ankur.
Ankur : But sometimes, like when we were recording this album, I had a complete writers’ block in one aspect of the song and I was like, aahh, what do I do? And we were all there while I was recording this song. Then we brainstormed and we just came up with something really, really good. It just happens.
Me : How did Lakeerein happen?
Ankur : That was completely me, obviously.
Me : So you had it in your mind that you want to do? Was it something you had already written before joining the band?
Ankur : I actually never thought that I would write an Hindi song because I did not think my knowledge of Hindi was that good. For me, lyrics have to be very well written and are very important and that is why I spend a lot of time. To write lyrics you have to have a certain command of a language to say your feelings. I was never confident enough about my command of Hindi to actually write a song. When I was working on the music of Lakeerein I thought that this song could use some Hindi words. Then, it was a gradual process, over a period of months that it happened. So basically, yeah, that’s how Lakeerein happened. It was an idea that took the form of a song.
Ankur : But sometimes, like when we were recording this album, I had a complete writers’ block in one aspect of the song and I was like, aahh, what do I do? And we were all there while I was recording this song. Then we brainstormed and we just came up with something really, really good. It just happens.
Me : How did Lakeerein happen?
Ankur : That was completely me, obviously.
Me : So you had it in your mind that you want to do? Was it something you had already written before joining the band?
Ankur : I actually never thought that I would write an Hindi song because I did not think my knowledge of Hindi was that good. For me, lyrics have to be very well written and are very important and that is why I spend a lot of time. To write lyrics you have to have a certain command of a language to say your feelings. I was never confident enough about my command of Hindi to actually write a song. When I was working on the music of Lakeerein I thought that this song could use some Hindi words. Then, it was a gradual process, over a period of months that it happened. So basically, yeah, that’s how Lakeerein happened. It was an idea that took the form of a song.
Me: How many gigs has Max done with the band, already?
Ankur : (mumbles) A lot!
Me: Max?
Max : (Repiles in german)
Ankur : (Translates what Max says) Approx. 27
Me: Max?
Max : (Repiles in german)
Ankur : (Translates what Max says) Approx. 27
Me : How difficult was the first one? As a drummer, was it difficult or was it very easy for you?
Martin : (Translates question into German)
Max : (Chuckles and replies in German)
Martin : He didn’t have a lot of time to practice before the first. We were in the middle of the tour and he had like eight days to practice the songs, which is not too much.
Max : (Chuckles and replies in German)
Martin : He didn’t have a lot of time to practice before the first. We were in the middle of the tour and he had like eight days to practice the songs, which is not too much.
Me : Did he make any mistakes in the gig? (Everybody laughs) A lot?
Ankur : No, not a lot. I don’t think anybody could have done it better than Max.
Me : You sure have to say that now.
Ankur : No, definitely, otherwise we wouldn’t ask him to join the band you know. Because eight days to learn a complete set for a band..
Martin : And to dive into new music. It was music he hadn’t done before.. He did more pop songs or 70s stuff and you feel for him and also, I feel it took some time for him to understand the music.
Me : You sure have to say that now.
Ankur : No, definitely, otherwise we wouldn’t ask him to join the band you know. Because eight days to learn a complete set for a band..
Martin : And to dive into new music. It was music he hadn’t done before.. He did more pop songs or 70s stuff and you feel for him and also, I feel it took some time for him to understand the music.
Me : So do we consider Max as a permanent feature of the band now?
Everyone (sequentially) : Definitely!Me : Then your Wikipedia page needs to get updated, I guess.
Markus : Haha, you should do that.
Me : I will do that.
Ankur : If you do it, please put out that Dream Theater part. I did not sing any dream theater songs.
Martin : Yeah, who wrote that? We have journalists calling us up asking whats up with the dream theater stuff.
Ankur : Who trusts Wikipedia as a source, I mean, don’t trust Wikipedia as a source!
Me : Uh, for you two (Markus and Martin) how aware are you of the music scene, in India? We are big in Bollywood. Are you aware of Bollywood?
Markus : Yeah.
Me : Of course you are. But, how aware are you of bands in India? Are you aware of any?
Martin : Uh, yeah, I think we are not so much aware of the Bollywood scene cause it’s not our style. But uh, in the last tour we saw a couple of bands opening for us or playing in the same festivals as us. Uh, do you want names or....
Me : Yeah, I don’t think you would remember them. Do you remember them?
Martin : Yeah, I remember a few.
Me : But those are just bands that are opening for you, you guys haven’t actually heard a band like play solo, I mean y’know...
Ankur : Like a big band?
Me : Like a big band..
Martin : Thermal and a Quarter, I think they are quite big.
Me : Thermal and a Quarter, that’s a nice, that’s a nice band. Ankur? As for you? Do you have any favourites? Do you follow the rock scene?
Ankur : No.
Me : Of course you are. But, how aware are you of bands in India? Are you aware of any?
Martin : Uh, yeah, I think we are not so much aware of the Bollywood scene cause it’s not our style. But uh, in the last tour we saw a couple of bands opening for us or playing in the same festivals as us. Uh, do you want names or....
Me : Yeah, I don’t think you would remember them. Do you remember them?
Martin : Yeah, I remember a few.
Me : But those are just bands that are opening for you, you guys haven’t actually heard a band like play solo, I mean y’know...
Ankur : Like a big band?
Me : Like a big band..
Martin : Thermal and a Quarter, I think they are quite big.
Me : Thermal and a Quarter, that’s a nice, that’s a nice band. Ankur? As for you? Do you have any favourites? Do you follow the rock scene?
Ankur : No.
Me : One last question. Will we get to see you guys again in India anytime soon?
Markus : What is soon? Like next month? Next year?
Ankur : (To Markus) When does your Visa expire?
Me : So nothing concrete in the offing right now?
Ankur : Y’know how it works in India..
Me : How does it work in India?
Ankur : Well, you know it better than I do.
Martin : You can get a gig four days before or you can have contracts for months and nothing happens.
Me : So you have had some bad experiences with management in India?
Everybody : (Laughs).
Markus : I think it’s on both sides. You also benefit from the chaos, because you can obviously get gigs in short time and good gigs.
Martin : But, it’s impossible to do it in a normal tour planning or plan your whole year and put India in the plan.
Ankur : I think India is an off season project and I personally think that it needs changing.
Martin : Yeah, the planning part...
Ankur : Y’know the thing is.. The thing I have noticed in India, even though I am not active in the “scene” as such, but what you notice is that there are a lot of musicians, a lot of gifted musicians and a lot of crowd turning up. So, you have the producers and the buyers and but not a lot of people buying the product. So you know, for me people like event organisers, labels, producers, band coaches - everything that needs to be done at different levels - the infrastructure needs to be there.
Ankur : (To Markus) When does your Visa expire?
Me : So nothing concrete in the offing right now?
Ankur : Y’know how it works in India..
Me : How does it work in India?
Ankur : Well, you know it better than I do.
Martin : You can get a gig four days before or you can have contracts for months and nothing happens.
Me : So you have had some bad experiences with management in India?
Everybody : (Laughs).
Markus : I think it’s on both sides. You also benefit from the chaos, because you can obviously get gigs in short time and good gigs.
Martin : But, it’s impossible to do it in a normal tour planning or plan your whole year and put India in the plan.
Ankur : I think India is an off season project and I personally think that it needs changing.
Martin : Yeah, the planning part...
Ankur : Y’know the thing is.. The thing I have noticed in India, even though I am not active in the “scene” as such, but what you notice is that there are a lot of musicians, a lot of gifted musicians and a lot of crowd turning up. So, you have the producers and the buyers and but not a lot of people buying the product. So you know, for me people like event organisers, labels, producers, band coaches - everything that needs to be done at different levels - the infrastructure needs to be there.
And from there on we moved on to some animated discussions. From the concept of ‘selling out’ of a band to the changing music scene in India to Rihanna featuring in Coldplay’s new album and yada yada. Some agreements and many more disagreements made for a spicy conversation where every band member came up with their own strong opinions. Surely, the ‘interview’ had become much more than just that and no one seemed to be complaining. Except for Max perhaps who couldn’t understand much of what was being said so he started clicking a few pictures of us.( Oh By the way Max, if you’re reading this, Mahima finds you very cute!) And when it was time to leave, Martin made my day by saying “It’s nice to talk to some journalists who don’t just ask you the same old stupid questions”. Yes, we’re THAT good. :D
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Rock and Roll Interview
really awesome post. Thanks for posting. I like this post so much.