Chinese Democracy

Kerala rock band Avial collaborates with Singapore-based Naomi Stafford for a Mallu Cantorock single on world peace

Kerala rock band Avial collaborates with Singapore-based Naomi Stafford for a Mallu Cantorock single on world peace

Avial, the iconoclastic folk rock band from Kerala that broke through the Indian rock scene with a YouTube link to Nada Nada, thumbing their nose at the mainstream music set-up, have been busy since their album launch last year. Avial lead vocalist Tony John tells us that the band is working on a Malayali-Chinese single based on world peace. The collaboration with Naomi Stafford, UK-bred, Singapore-based vocalist of Chinese origin, is taking shape inside John's studio and the rehearsals are in full swing in his home right above the studio. "She's a fantastic singer and pianist," says Tony generous with his praise for Naomi, "The track will include Chinese folk and Malayali folk."

(L-R) Avial's guitarist Rex Vijayan, vocalist Tony John, Naomi Stafford and an unidentified hippo in Tony's makeshift bedroom studio

The artists are aware of the soaring expectations from Avial considering the power rock numbers they put out in their self-titled debut, including Chekele and Karukara which was based on celebrated Malayalam poet Kavalam Narayana Panicker's work. "We're listening to the track we're working on over and over again. We want to make sure it's authentic and world class," says Naomi, who is a professional pianist and has also written songs for South-East Asian pop stars such as Kelly Chen and Gigi Leung. Naomi, who connected with Avial a year ago through a common link on Facebook, is a big fan of the band. Naomi says that she's falling back on her Chinese roots to drive the track and has always been impressed with Avial's folk connect. "This whole thing was her idea. She started jamming with us," says Tony. Adds Naomi, "Friendship came way ahead of music and we were sure that just another Malayalam English track would be no big deal. It wouldn't make people sit up."

The vocal parts and lyrics for Naomi are studio-ready and Avial is working on the Malayalam lyrics and instrumentation. "The track won't be like a regular Avial number," says Tony, "Both the languages are quite different and even the vocals of a traditional Chinese track are on quite a different scale so we have to find a way to incorporate both."

The artists also have plans to rope in a guzheng player on the track. Naomi, who also teaches music back home in Singapore, hopes to get one of her students to play the guzheng or the Chinese zither. "We want every instrument on the track to sound as authentic as possible," says Naomi. Tony and guitarist Rex Vijayan who are extremely particular about Avial's production standards have a new musician in the band bassist Benjamin Issac u2014 who has stepped into Naresh Kamath's shoes. "Naresh is busy with his other bands but if we're in the same city and he wants to play, then we're all for it. He knows all our songs," says Tony.

A video to promote the new single is also on the cards. "We don't have a concept down but maybe it will be shot in China and India. We have to push it across all the main music channels," says Tony. And of course on YouTube.

Although, this isn't the first time that Avial is collaborating with an international artist. The band was invited by A67, a critically acclaimed five-piece Italian funk rock band based in Scampia, to team up for a fire-bellied track titled Chi Me Sape (Who Knows Me Knows It) last year. "The band found us on MySpace," says Tony, "Rex actually played the sitar on the track." A67's MySpace site https://www.myspace.com/sessantasette shows a whopping 21,000 plays for the track which is off the Italian band's concept album.

"We're actually interested in a lot more collaborations," says Tony. Whether these collaborations prove to be a mainstream breakthrough for Indian bands such as Avial is a long shot, but they're sure a great way for the
band to get set sparks flying outside the sub-continent.

Dragonball Evolution
Much before Avial set up links with our neighbour, Academy award-winner AR Rahman was asked to score the soundtrack of Warriors of Heaven And Earth by the international major label Sony Music. What began as a potential collaboration with the world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell soon turned out to be a solo effort with Rahman roping in the Czech Film Orchestra for the the Chinese action flick that released in 2003.