Interview with the talented duo, Anupam and Shashwat, who run the promo/label management company Grey & Saurian

Guys, both of you were playing for ‘Narsil’, why a transition from playing to promotion/label/band management?
ANUPAM Narsil, as enjoyable as it was, unfortunately came to a grinding halt the minute Kshetty (Kshitish Purohit) announced that he’d gotten into NID. We’d decided a long time back that Narsil would never play even if a single member of the band was absent. Also, once I started working full time in organizing shows, album productions, live sound and what not, it became next to impossible for me to keep up my guitar playing with a genre as demanding as death metal. Also, I was always more into making the whole independent music scene better, to infuse as much quality into it as possible. To me, it holds more meaning than playing in a band. Everyone’s got their roles I guess, and day jobs this was my job, and I just wanted to do it really well. Also, Shashwat and I complement each other’s skill sets amazingly, and we think alike on many of the issues, not to mention that both of us are firm believers in impeccable quality.
SHASHWAT I believe in the Indian music scene and want to do my bit for it. Narsil was more fun, GnS is more work.

What was the first step you took to launch yourself?
ANUPAM It’s funny actually we had been working together for quite some time, talking about our ideas and about forming a company. The day that we had to open a bank account together was basically the day we named ourselves! The first step we took was probably to sign Bhayanak Maut, Rudra and bring bands Shashwat was already managing like Undying Inc. & IIIrd Sovereign under one roof. We also integrated everything we were doing whether it was my studio, Shashwat’s management, his law, my live sound all the services we were already offering, and all the ones we planned to offer – we just brought it all together. Our first public step was probably the Bhayanak Maut album launch, which was the first real Grey & Saurian effort.
SHASHWAT Things happened overtime, the first step was to combine management with studio then eventually art and design, production house, merchandising and record label followed.

Apart from RSJ/RSJ records not many have attempted such a concept? How has it been till now? And what are the future challenges?
ANUPAM RSJ is, and always will be, a major source of inspiration to everyone working in the ‘scene’. But it’s tough, I’ll give you that! There’s one central thing to the music business that almost everyone tends to forget that it’s a business! We’re doing this because we LOVE what we do, we love the music. But let’s not mistake love of music with love of poverty! That is the real challenge maintaining our integrity and earning a decent living together. We would like this, in the future, to be a viable career option for kids you know, a break from the standard IIT/IIM grind. Also, it’s been a strange mix of a rough and a smooth ride people think just because you’re doing independent music, and that you’re playing rock, people mistake it for a hobby. It’s not it’s our bloody jobs! The biggest challenge probably is breaking through this mentality, to infuse this culture of professionalism, yet keeping the vibe alive!
SHASHWAT Not sure what concept you are referring to but there are companies like OML, DSR, Infinite dreams, Parikrama inc, Oidua productions, Blue Frog, Roadcrew records that are doing excellent jobs in innovating and fusing ideas. It has been really good and a lot of fun. Future challenges is something I am not sure as present challenges and work needs a lot of attention.

Deviating a little, tell us about the idea behind the name ‘Grey & Saurian’?
ANUPAM It’s simple my first solo project, a black metal band which I’d formed in 2002, was called ‘Grey’. The name stuck I named my studio ‘Grey Studios’, the moniker just stuck I guess. For Shashwat, Karl Sanders’ ‘Saurian Meditation’ was an album that greatly inspired him, and opened his mind to a sort of music he had no clue existed. So the name ‘Saurian’ stuck for him. Since we’re a partnership, it’s Grey & Saurian. Simple, no?
SHASHWAT Grey was Anupam’s studios name which was named after his black metal band which wasn’t so black. Saurian Meditation by Karl Sanders is one of my favorite non metal albums, plus I love Nile.

Which bands are signed up with you? And how did you select these bands?
ANUPAM Currently we have Rudra (Singapore), Bhayanak Maut, Undying Inc., IIIrd Sovereign, Scribe, The Circus & De Profundis (UK). And there’s not a thing we want to change in this roster. We firmly believe in all of our bands and more than us selecting our bands, I think we just selected each other. The bands believe in our work, and we believe in our bands. Personally, I think each one of our bands is unique and all of them are probably the best in what they do. The ‘selection’ was probably nothing more than a discussion on our ideals and then deciding to go ahead together. It’s extremely important for both us, and our bands, to have faith in what either of us do. It works beautifully!
SHASHWAT I have always admired this band, have grown up listening to them. I have immense respect for all the members and their music. I am always looking upto Kathi and bugging him often for advice when I get stuck. Bhayanak Maut One of the finest metal bands in the country. Their performances are mindblowing. They are an extremely creative bunch of people both on and off stage. Getting a change to work on releasing their album was great. Scribe Metal with a twist. They have a very unique approach with their music. I love what they do on stage and how they innovate on promoting their music. They should be playing the Inferno festival in Norway along with Mayhem, Marduk, Fintroll, take, ragnarok, DR etc. http://www.infernofestival.net/festival/news.aspx. Third Sovereign – It is my favorite Death Metal band in the country. Undying inc. It is ridiculous how good this band has become. I have seen this band from its initial years, and I am very proud of Undying inc. I love their song writing. The Circus Another very diligent group of musicians. They have one of the most interesting rock sounds I have heard in a long time. De Profundis, is going well, their first album was released by Sony and Second one is going to be released very soon as well.

What kind of support/service does G & S provides to the bands?
ANUPAM There is no more ‘Anupam’ really, everything is Grey & Saurian. Whatever both of us can do for our bands, we will. And our roles sometime overlap sometimes I’ll manage a band’s tour if Shashwat is unable to come along, and sometime, if I’m not there, then Shashwat stands at the console telling the in-house engineer what to do. Before G&S, I would produce albums, do live sound, help a band plan a tour, organize shows. I still do all of that and more!
SHASHWAT A recording studio, artist management, art and design, a production house, merchandising and record label.

How difficult/easy is it to sign up a band and get their music out and generate revenue?
ANUPAM It’s not difficult at all to sign a band! All it requires is a meeting of the minds. It’s VERY difficult to generate revenue from it though! We’re trying out some stuff, if it works out, you guys will be the first to know it! Heck, we’ll announce it in every way we can. But let’s try it out first.
SHASHWAT It’s easy if you work hard and long enough. You have to be updated and innovative as well.

What means of promotion do you use? Facebook? Twitter? How effect are they in spreading the music and getting customers?
ANUPAM I think Shashwat’s the best person to answer this question.
SHASHWAT We use both online and print for promotion. Both are effective, but if the product is good then it sells anyway, promotions only send the message of availability.

How can a band get in touch with you?
ANUPAM They can e-mail us, catch us at shows, call us. Anything. But it depends what they’d like us to do. We’re NOT signing any more bands. However, we do a lot of promotions for other bands, handling their marketing etc. We’re also a record label, so we’re also looking at album releases, so bands can probably get in touch with us for that. And last, but nowhere the least, we have the most kickass destination in India you can hope for to get your album produced and recorded! We also help bands in a tour if they’re in need of a tour manager. We’re also into merchandising, and made the best metal band T Shirts in the world just pick up a Bhayanak Maut or Undying Inc. tee we can almost guarantee a jaw drop! So as long as a band doesn’t hope for us to sign them up, they can call us for almost every other service they could possibly want as a band.
SHASHWAT email me at saurian@greyandsaurian.com. Don’t call me to get any band signed or to get gigs. If there is any help required or want to discuss a plan or idea then don’t hesitate. I support anyone who is willing to work hard and if there is potential we will do something with your band.

You were in involved in bring India’s first HM calendar? Could you share your experience with us?
ANUPAM I think Shashwat is the best person for this question!
SHASHWAT Well, Headbangers.in is releasing the calendar. They have done an excellent and I cant wait to get the calendar in hand. I really dint do much for this. The calendar is great and everyone should get one.

Where do you see G&S 5 years down the line?
ANUPAM We see ourselves as a one stop destination for bands across the world whether it’s for an album release, to record & produce their album, to promote their music, to manage their tours, to do their PR, almost everything a band can think of, we’ll do. We’ll also aim at making our studio one of the best studios in a tight budget, at always taking our recordings one step higher. And to top it off, we’re also looking at establishing a music library a place where a movie director, a game company, or anybody looking to get an exclusively composed music track, or license a band’s existing tracks, can do so with ease.
SHASHWAT I can’t really say right now. I cant really think that far.

Could you tell us something about The Bhayanak Maut CD launch show? I suppose this is the first of its kind?
ANUPAM This is mostly Shashwat’s baby, so I guess he’s the best person to answer this question!
SHASHWAT I guess It was one of the first metal show at Hard Rock Café. And Appy Fizz sponsored the album. It was great and he is really a cool guy to hang out with and It was awesome to find out he listens to heavy metal.

ANUPAM supported bands played at the recently concluded ‘Deccan rock fest’ in Bangalore (which was headlined by Amon Amarth) tell us how was that experience?
ANUPAM Again, Grey & Saurian as a whole helped out in that show in every way we could. We just wanted there to be a kickass gig and we all worked our asses off in it. Personally, I engineered for all the bands in a very extreme time crunch, with 103 degrees fever! With those conditions, I think the show ended up fabulously for the crowd which is what matters it was an experience, and even with such high fever, I couldn’t stop banging my head throughout the show. And even though my entire body was screaming in pain, I couldn’t stop myself going ape shit during Textures. Definitely a show to remember!
SHASHWAT It had its ups and down.

Any other projects you are working on right now apart from band management etc?
ANUPAM There’s always the studio, and then we’re looking at a bunch of releases but we can’t tell you about that much right now. We’re also expanding our merchandising options and looking at various new ways for a band to get stuff out to their fans. There’s a lot of stuff happening, a lot of which we can’t talk about right now because it’s just too early!

Name few Indian bands that have an international future? Are you planning international exposure platform for these?
ANUPAM I think Indian bands should realize one thing if you want to go play international,you have to be very, very, VERY good! Otherwise no one’s going to come to listen to a band from India playing music that is mostly played by and in the West. Also, bands need to have a very professional approach and attitude on stage and off if they expect promoters and festival organizers to give them shows! Indian bands are also very pampered during sound checks. Most international bands, when they’re small, never see a sound check. They just plug in and play. Our bands are so used to long sound checks that I think if they ever go to a Roskilde or a Download, they’ll crap their pants!
Our bands are all tightening up their performances and are ready to hit an international stage. Other than our bands, I think Demonic Resurrection is one band who’ll do great on an international stage they’re one of the most professional bands I’ve ever worked with and take their performances very seriously.
SHASHWAT Not really. I mean a lot of bands have international standards. But the Indian rock scene and gigging culture is doing really well as of now.

A lot of G & S fans would like to know, whether G & S is planning to get an international act to India?
ANUPAM Hey man, I don’t get acts to India!!!!
SHASHWAT Hopefully something should happen. But as of now nothing much is up on that front. We are not an events company.

What do you see the Indian metal scene 5 yrs from now?
ANUPAM Dunno about what, but we do see a where! And hopefully, going by how mature the metal bands and audiences have become in the last 5 years, all I can see is the scene just getting better and better. Metal is probably the most popular non mainstream music in India, and with the number of International acts coming down, our own bands diversifying and experimenting with their music it can only get better!
SHASHWAT Apna future toh dikh nahi raha, metal scene ka kahan se dekhun?

Final thoughts!. the space is all yours!
ANUPAM Thanks a ton MetalIndia for this interview! Also, visit www.greyandsaurian.com to check out what we’re up to! Cheers!
SHASHWAT To all musicians and music lovers I suggest to support what you like. I hate the way the term ‘support’ is used. It’s made to sound like charity. The scene does not need support by buying cds or spending money, if you can work towards and give a bit of your time for some work in the music industry of putting in skills whatever job you do or are good at, it’s good enough, else enjoy the music. There is no need for anyone to buy a cd to support an Indian band, if the band is good enough it will sell cds. If you don’t like it but buying it for support then you are supporting a wrong cause.

Interview by – Atul Sharma & Hetal Bhagat