Interview with Visan Yonjan Vocalist of Visan N' The Groover from Kathmandu Nepal.

Before we enter the interview I would like to give some brief biography about Visan Yonjon and his journey to Visan and the Groovers:-

Visan Yonjan was born in India on Oct 2nd, 1981. From his early teens, he used to perform in his high school shows, being convinced that one day he would be a rock star. Influenced from the bands such as Guns n' Roses, Bon Jovi, Audioslave, Alterbridge and many rock bands, he dreamed the life he is living now.

In 90s, he used to be in a band called "SPIRAL" and released an album though the album was underrated. After leaving SPIRAL, Yonjan moved on and continued his musical career by releasing his first debut solo album, PREMIERE. It was released in 2007 with back-up studio musician like Raju Lama (The Angels) and Dibesh Mulmi (COBWEB). PREMIERE got noticed as it had got some good musician of  Nepal  and  then he realized that he'd need more session players if he wanted to capitalize on his success.

Than Visan came up with his another band  STOND AMP with other musicians. Their self-titled debut came out in 2009. Underscored by soaring guitar riffs and well-crafted melodies, the band caught the attention. Stond Amp was nominated in different national music awards as well. After that, Band released their 3 videos. "VANANA" AND "PRASHNA" become much liked songs among rock enthusiasts.

Their album gained more popularity after their tour in the Eastern Nepal, Darjeeling and Sikkim garnering critical acclaim for their songs like VANANA, PRASHNA, FARKI AAU and SAPANA. Now, Yonjan has defined his sound and vision to encompass new music and new collaborations and formed Visan N' THE GROOVERS.

Visan N’ the Groovers is a unique band that blends experience of years with fresh passion for music. And now they are working on their upcoming debut album.

Visan N' The Groovers is a Nepali rock band formed in 2011 by Sudip Singh and Visan Yonjan. Before the band formed, Visan Yonjan was in a band called Stond Amp which was disbanded in 2010.

This new band hooked up with ex-band The Buds Band, Sudip Singh (Rhythm Guitar), with Kabeen Shakya (Drums), Sajin Maharjan (Bass), Prajwol Shakya (Lead Guitar) and the former Stond Amp front man Visan Yonjan.

In 2011, the band recorded and released their debut singles, Kaaran. It was well received and the band noticed that they have established a separate identity. The band performed in various shows and gigs inside the country in 2011. The Groovers released their second singles Chaahanna Ma in 2012. Although all the threats visible in Nepali music scenario, Visan N' The Groovers is resiliently moved ahead to create wave in the rock music filed in Nepal by giving away their best.

Bibek:-How did your band start?

Visan:- I used to have a band named as Spiral in 90’s but it didn’t last for long so I tried something new by doing solo.After few months of releasing solo, I formed another band named Stoned Amp but after 2 years we disbanded and again I moved on and formed a new band called Visan N' The Groovers. It was formed with the member of Stoned Amp and The Buds Band.

Bibek: - Have you ever played outside Nepal

Visan: - Yes...Outside valley likes Dharan, Pokhara, Narayangharh, Butwal and Hongkong as in abroad...

Bibek: - From which band have you been inspired?

Visan: - I do listen all international rock bands. I don’t have a particular cause I I have respect for all kind of music. So I listen all type of music.

Bibk: - Which was the first song you played for the first time in your guitar?

Visan: - Oh I can’t remember it might be gun n rose’s stuffs...

Bibek: - How do you feel when sound man is blamed for the bad sound system?

Visan: - Of course we feel bad for bad sound system but is it their mistake? Many times I have seen young kids doing this thing. They are even unknown about their gadgets and blame it to the sound system. Hahaha I just want to say before you become a musician please guys get some knowledge about your gadgets.

Bibek: - Are you supported by your family?

Vison: - Yes I am...

Bibek: - People think unsuccessful person listen and join metal band. Is that true?

Visan: - Who said you such things? There are many people who are just not only musician but also have mastered in many fields other than music. So it doesn’t make any sense.

Bibek:- How often do you jam with your band?

Visan:- We do when we get free time from our work.

Bibek:- Except music what do you do for your living?

Visan:- I have one video production office. So, except music I work behind the scene.

Bibek:- Do you believe a bit of exposure is required for uplifting our local rock and metal scenario??

Visan:- It’s all about market brother .. As we know we have very small market in Nepali music scenario... We have to do exposure to bring new talents in it.

Bibek:- How much you struggled in this field?

Visan:- Yeah I struggled to some extent and I guess everyone does and did..

Bibek:- What do you want to say to the upcoming Bands in Nepal and to those, organizers and other bands?

Visan:- Play it loud!! Learn something more before u enter in this music stuff. And for organizer you must have to respect us in order to expect 100% from us guys. And when we are on stage it’s your duty to make the police away from all the stuff. When we are playing music we are working for you.

And other band please stop copying someone else music. It’s a crime brother!

 

Interview with Binay Yadav; Vocalist of Circle's End from Darjeeling, Gorkhaland.

The band was formed in the year 2004 comprising Ajit on skins, Dipendra on guitars, Adeep on bass guitars and finally with Binay on vocals. We were good friends from the same locality and from the same school, where, the band was formed. But the band first kicked off on stage in the year 2006. Between the intervals of two years from 2004-2006 we tried to know the musical taste of each other and we were experimenting with a new sound under the shelter of genre, “metal”. 

There is no pre planned vision of the band, but we are moving on and on hoping to influence people in large and reflecting back the image of the society and the world around us. We as a band believe that there should be some sorts of contribution by our side towards the society we are live in and the message we convey through music must be true, specific and reflect the true picture of natives. 

That are the anti-social things which is burning inside of us and it’s just because of those things we create our music in the way we are creating. We want to rule people’s heart and that will be our biggest achievement.

We believe in ourselves, some people may not understand what we are doing but that is also needed. We welcome both criticism and appreciation because there is no value of light without dark. I hope u know what I mean Ha.. Ha... Ha...

As a band there were many hurdles which we were trying to overcome but as we were likely to solve that, again new snags stood at the way to our success. So we tried to relate our problems, and each and everything in this universe with a circle, which has no end or beginning and in the same way beginning and ending of music cannot be defined. So like this we finally came up with a new name “circle’s end”.

For me “Binay”, music is a means to express my feelings and the way I see the world around me. Whatever we think and see we channel it through our music. The lyrical contents of our songs are filled with anger and aggression and against the anti socials and as our music is kind of fast and heavy, this is the way of my music. As we listen to all types of music but often we listen to the bands like, Black Sabbath, Death, Megadeth, Machine Head, Annihilator, Mudvayne,Iron maiden etc. We listen to various types of music but we do our music it in our own cause it’s the reflection of what we see and what we feel.

I always going to remember the first show of ours, it was late December of 2006, we had took part in a rock competition in our own home town but after playing through the finals we lost that competition but the way audience and other competing bands reacted to us was a kind of a green signal to the band and we realized that its gonna work, the way we are doing but, we have to work a lot in our music and team work.

We are really glad that people are always by our side and they like the music we play. We promise as a band to come up with materials to quench the thirst of metal to all our fans and whoever supports us directly or any indirect ways, ”horns up”. 

There are no worst experiences but if I will have to mention the best experiences, there are many. Everywhere we perform we get the positive reaction from the audience and that is the best part we enjoy and adds up to our best experiences.

The greatest achievement which we believe is that through the music we play and through our lyrical contents we influence people in each and every time we perform and every time they listen to us. But as to name few of the achievements are: Winner of blossom fest Sikkim 2011, Winner of youthopia (SIT) 2010 and Winner of pyrokinesis, Assam 2011.

Currently we are we are doing some studio for our Ep which is likely to be out at the end of this year and with the release of the Ep we will be out for the promotional tours in India this year.

It is hard to survive in Underground scene. Many good band disbanded just they can’t survive in here. But it doesn’t mean it is easier in mainstream too. People have to struggle every where no one can be in top in once. Everyone have to think a new way to be in heart of people if they can, they will survive in any scene. In my opinion on people thought on metal should be underground, depends upon place to place. 

In a place where there peace and prosperity it should not be underground and there is no field for that. But in a place where metal is suppressed by social diseases its obvious for the band to be underground but as there is message in each and every song the band should try to go mainstream and make people understand and spread the message to the people in large what they really mean.

We thank Bibek Bhattrai for giving us space and beautiful opportunity to reach to our fans and to the people at large. It was a great pleasure to share our ideas and views through this interview.