Striking the right chord

Lesle Lewis, the veteran of Hindi-pop, shares his musical journey with Anita Iyer

Did you have a musical lineage?

Being a son of P.L. Raj, the renowned choreographer in Bollywood, I was at an advantage. I have been on recordings with my father and have seen music being composed by known music directors like R D Burman, Zakhirji, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji and later accompanied them as a guitarist.

Did you always want to be a guitarist?

In my teens, I wanted to be a drummer, but it was difficult to carry the drum kit so I shifted to guitar because it was easy to carry. I remember on the last day of our school, when asked what my ambitions were, I said, ‘I want to play the guitar’ and the whole class laughed at me but today I am proud that I am a guitarist.

How were you introduced to rock music?

I did my schooling in a boarding school and once a week we could play records there. So, there I got acquainted with the best of rock music with works of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Beatles, among others. These later become my role models.

How did you start your career?

After my schooling, I came back to Bombay and decided to play the guitar. I started playing in Dharavi, Fisherman’s Colony, Police Quarters, and on railway stations. I remember earning Rs. 30 per show and performing once a month. I had to spend Re. 1 each day to carry my amplifiers and instruments in the cab for rehearsals and Re 1 back home. So my income was just Rs.30 and my expenses were nearly Rs. 60 a month. So at that time, playing the guitar was more of a passion for me than a profession. My dad was furious about the fact that being a son of a renowned person in Bollywood, I was performing on the streets but my mother used to cover up for me.

You also played at the Oberoi Towers in the early days?

Yes, while doing jingles alongside, I was also playing at Mumbai's Cafe Royale, Oberoi Towers. I still visit the place; the structure is the same, the podium I used to perform is still there, only the name has changed. Even today some of the waiters know me and it feels great to revert to the old memories sometimes, seeing what I have achieved.

How did you think of making albums when it was not a viable option? How did you perceive of doing something distinct?

I didn’t want to do something that was distinct but something that I liked. My dad, who was a part of Bollywood, always said if you wanted to do music and establish yourself it had to be Bollywood. Anything outside Bollywood wouldn’t work. But I had made my mind to do something alternative to Hindi cinema. I had a panga with my dad and I am happy I opted for non-filmi music.

How did you take the risk of introducing an alternative music at the time when filmi-music ruled?

I would say, maybe I was just lucky that my music clicked. I have played with the aam-janta dancing to my tunes in Umbergaon, Dharavi, so I knew what would stay. It’s all about striking the right chord and making the janta groove to the music.

Tell us something about your love for jingles, which also won you the Indian Academy of Advertising Film Art in 1989.

I was into making jingles with Louis Banks, who was also crazy about electronics and technology oriented like me. There was a time when we did nothing but compose three to four jingles a day. It was fun to make a short tune, which would create waves for 30 seconds. Later, I came up with my own company to record jingles for commercials.

How did Colonial Cousins happen?

Once while I was playing my guitar, Hariharan just hummed some lines and it sounded good. We thought of doing something concrete and Colonial Cousins happened. The Indo-western fusion was rare and it clicked.

You are into jingles and your songs have a lot of western influence, so how was it working with Hariharan, who hails from a classical background?

Not many people know that I am well versed with Indian folk and Bollywood songs, owing to the fact that my dad was into Bollywood. Although coming from a classical gharana, Hariharan had a fair exposure to western music from his schooling days and western music is not alien to him. So, the harmonious blend of western with Indian music came unsurprisingly to us.

All your compositions, right from Paree hu mein to Piyu tu, are distinct…

I make songs specifically for the artist. I design songs keeping in mind the strengths and weakness of the singer. For every artist I have worked with - Suneeta Rao, Alisha, Ashaji, Band of Boys, KK – the compositions are made suiting their voice quality, bringing out the strong points

What do you think about the Hindi-Pop scenario today?

Pop has come up so high today and it is very much become a part of Bollywood. Bollywood does not allow anything bigger than it to survive; it assimilates and makes it a part of Bollywood. Bollywood film music, which had its own identity, has made pop music its property, and therefore today Bollywood music sounds like pop. It is just because Hindi-pop has become a part of Bollywood that it has survived.

What do you think about the remixes in today's music scenario?

Today remixes have become more of video than audio where models dance in skimpy clothes. Remixes entirely depend on taste and if it is done in a good way, it is acceptable or else it’s bad.

What is your take on the endless reality shows which are aired on channels?

The main question that arises about reality shows is - How many know the Indian idols so we actually know who made it real big? It is all about shaping your career and making the right moves to sustain yourself in the industry. Today reality shows have become just an entertainment drama for the viewers with all masala guaranteed.

Tell us something about your new academy for budding artists?

It is an academy for youngsters who believe in music and want to make it big in the musical world. Today in this cut-throat competition, singing is no more about liking, it is about hard-core money. So you have to invest money and at this academy we style you, design you and make sure you get a hearing at the record companies. We would make the artist sound as polished as we can and this academy would be creating lot of opportunities for music directors, technicians and so on.