namaskar! here's the interview. pls. read it only if bored otherwise.. don't waste your time! thankx.
Q: Guys I have to start with this one, why is the band named “Koshi� Does it mean the river or does it have a different meaning to it?
Rajan: Yes, the name Koshi is derived from the river that crosses eastern part of Nepal. It was chosen for a metaphoric meaning, “a river is always flowing… but it’s always thereâ€. It is also the river that I am most familiar with in childhood.
Q: Okay, the band is still very mysterious. Where is the band located at and tell us about how you got formed.
Unfortunately, we are still stuck on earth! Originally formed in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii in 1995. Back then the band was known as Moksha. In the summer of 2005, I moved to Omaha, Nebraska then continued the band with local Nepalese musicians. We are now known as “Koshi†featuring debut Nepalese songs. And hopefully no one steals this name again!!
Koshi is:
Bishal Bishwa Karma - Guitar
Kalpu Rai - Drums
Pawan Kunwar - Bass
Rajan Rai: Vocal, Guitar
Nirpesh Thapa (newest member) - Solo/keyboard/percussion
Q: Who/what are your musical influences?
Kalpu Rai: robin and looza:
Pawan Kunwar: Pearl Jam
Rajan Rai: Incubus or Bhajans
Bishal B.K.: Barney & Friends
Nirpesh Thapa: Joe Satriani.
Q: How would you categorize the type of music you play? (I know you have mentioned post-grunge, neo alternative on your website.) Explain.
We’d settle for “post-grungeâ€. Neo would be bit on the heavier side… like Korn, Linkin Park etc. Our new upcoming album “Love and Tragedy†(will not be free online anymore) would more define the type of our music genre.
Q: As I heard and downloaded most of the songs from your website I definitely felt that you have used that acoustic vibe with drums and guitar creating a very unique ambiance around the music. Was this a choice or a limitation?
That’d be more like “confusionâ€. Friend of ours, Garima R. said using distortion would be too heavy for nepali music? So we are slamming the break on the distortion (for now) and gearing towards acoustic ambiance and electronica. However, when it comes to live performance, distortion is certainly our no.1 choice.
Q: Tell us about what you guys do besides music? (School/ work? Individually if possible)
Pawan Kunwar: College and work
Kalpu Rai: College and work and party
Bishal B.K.: work and back to work
Rajan Rai: work and dreamer
Q: I myself being here in the US know first hand how hard it is to find time for music let alone practice and cut albums, how do you manage it?
Excellent question! You must be very intelligent to ask this question Ashish bro. This is the reason why we are taking (took) forever to graduate and became the professional students.
Q: Where/how did you record the two albums? And was there an external financial help or is this a passion driven self financed thing? You mentioned that the second album is being recorded at “Koshi studioâ€. Do you guys have your own setup?
We had several financial and non financial sponsorships from Miraclecalm, Vibe Asylum Studios, Martin & co. Guitars, Ephiphone, Old Navy, Einstein Academy Nepal, California Shades etc. for our first album.
Since 80 to 90% of the time is spent in mixing in the studio, we decided to build a home studio for Koshi. Now we are using our own home baked music for the 2nd album “Love & Tragedyâ€
Q: If one wants to see “Koshi†where should one go? How often to you get gigs?
Come to Omaha, Nebraska to see not just us, but other rising bands and musicians like volume, 72nd street, Rajendra Rai, Nirpesh Thapa...etc. Now we are trying to put up shows once every two weeks in local joints.
If we are still alive, we are planning to attend ANA NY (American Nepalese Association convention in New York) on Sunday July 2nd, ‘06. So be there!
Q: Koshi, together with Einstein Academy is sponsoring less fortunate college students’ education in Kathmandu, Nepal. How did this thought come around?
It is one’s duty to realize one’s destiny. I guess it is a start.
Q: Have you guys thought about releasing the albums back home?
Yes. After completion of our 2nd album, we are working on finding us a distributors/marketing company in Ktm. In fact, will you be able to hook us up?? Haha…
Q: How about record labels have you approached anyone or vice versa?
We received an offer from BMG records in ’98 while Koshi was managed by Tonori Productions in Hawaii. But it was a ridiculous catch 22 offer as the music would not belong to us if we got assigned and we’d make $$ on tours only and nothing on royalties.
Q: Do you guys get paid for your gigs?
Yes and no… depends on the venue.
Q: Rajan bro I have seen some digital art around the band site and I like it. You emit a dreamy depiction of things in your art. I read the lyrics and it sort of has the same theme. “you were in my dream, dancing to my songs, I was in your dream, singing all my songs†How dreamy are you?
In a scale from 1 to 10, I’d say 13.
Life in a nutshell is just the longest dream there is. Nobody escapes. In that dream, there is so much to leave behind and love… in return one can take something back, fulfillment.
Q: What kind of fan following do you have? What’s the best comment you received and what’s the worst yet?
For the 1st album (1995-2005), our audience was mostly Americans in Hawaii and Cali. All the songs were in English and we had just over 85,000 songs downloaded from koshimusic.com and just over 26,000 visitors.
Just few months back in march this year ‘06, we released “demo†Nepali songs. Going forward, we hope to enter the Nepalese rock culture.
Best comment: “off the stage now!!!! You are scaring kids and families!†– Musicians Expo, Hawaii.
Worse comment: “bhai.. Can you play pan ko pattt??â€
Q: How aware are you of the growing rock/metal scene in kathmandu? Have you heard or like any of the local musicians?
Not much. Need to catch up on that.
Q: There was a rumor spread around ktmrocks.com forum dwellers that you opened for “Rage against the Machine†at Hawaii. Is that true? What’s the story?
Good question! Did we?? The room was spinning faster than the fan.
Q: What do you have to say about the current political situation of Nepal?
I’m not so much into politics. But my basic understanding is that we need to think beyond the religion, race, cast, gender in order to bring unity in diversity.
One thing we all can do is… give love, respect and pray… wish good for the neighbors, love the person in the street dying of hunger, pray for the stranger who is going against your values. When this “reiki†or energy is felt amongst us, harmony is to follow.
If the readers are not bored yet… here’s a little song we’d like to share in dedication to a young child who lost his father in the political overthrown in Nepal.
Shanti (mp3 coming soon on www.koshimusic.com)
Aja bihana manama
Ayo maya tyo balakahko
Ousko buba bitera gayo
Nepalko itihasma bilayera
Kasale samjhane ho ousko prana lai
Kasale pushane ousko ansu lai
Kasale bujhane ousko kahani lai
Chodera gayeka ti balaka lai
Aba bhana
Tyo balaka lai
Aba bhana
Tyo prana lai
Khola nabagau aba ragatko
Aamar bana maya diyera
Bachna chaa eka din
Bachne haru lakhau din
Lakha batti balera prathana garau
Biteka pranalai samnjhau aba
jati jati janma bhaye pani
Nepali ma prema rahun
Interview conducted by Aashish Adhikari through e-mail.
Website:www.koshimusic.com
