13 Defunct Indian Acts We’d Love to See Come Back

There is something inherently tragic about a popular band breaking up. Their fans come to the painful realization that they will no longer be able to look forward to the act making new music, that the thrill of anticipation about a new album being announced has been snuffed out forever. It doesn’t matter what the reason for the members parting ways is, whether it is internal differences, people embarking on solo careers or something else. The fact remains that there is a feeling of emptiness that engulfs the fans, one that can be worse than, say, the feeling you get when your favorite restaurant shuts down. 

There have been many such instances in the history of Indian independent music, where bands built a legion of fans over time before leaving them in the lurch all of a sudden. We have listed out 13 such outfits who we’d love to see make a comeback after they went out of action for various reasons. But we’ve only taken into account acts that have members who are alive, so that there is indeed a real possibility of them making a return (think about how ecstatic fans of Zero were when the band played a rare, one-off set at the recently concluded Mahindra Independence Rock festival). That’s why the list excludes names like Mohiner Ghoraguli whose founding member, Gautam Chattopadhyay, passed away in 1999. When it comes to the following bands, though, there is hope that they might return. There is no guarantee, of course, but as the saying goes, ‘Once you choose hope, anything is possible.’ 

The Supersonics 

The Supersonics are a classic example of a musical act disbanding because of internal differences among the members. And that’s a shame, really, because while they were active, the band embodied an unfiltered western aesthetic that led to accolades pouring in even from countries like the U.K. Their first album, Maby Baking, often had a brash sound and their evolving maturity was in full evidence in their second album, Heads Up, which – as things unfortunately turned out – would also be their last. Drummer Avinash Chordia has now relocated to Australia while vocalist-guitarist Ananda Sen has shifted to Goa. The two other members – guitarist Rohan Ganguli and bassist Nitin Mani – remain in their hometown of Kolkata, meaning that the group is all over the place. But then again, life is young, and here’s hoping that the quartet can ultimately resolve their differences and make music together again.  

Them Clones 

New Delhi’s seasoned rock hellraisers Them Clones officially called time on their 17-year run in 2018 due to band members’ different commitments, with drummer Surojit Dev noting that they had been defunct since 2017. In 2012, the passing of their bassist Clarence Gonsalves affected the Delhi scene deeply, including his work with Them Clones. Inspired by the likes of Rage Against the Machine and Alice In Chains (the band name is inspired by the American act’s song “Them Bones”), the band released songs like “In The Name of The God” and their seminal 2009 album Love.Hate.Heroes that finally gave a home to favorites like “Zephyretta,” “The Bomb Song,” “Sindrome” and “My Life.” We certainly wouldn’t mind seeing Dev, his brother and vocalist Prithwish, guitarist Joseph Lalhmachhuana and keyboardist Akshay Raheja bring the energy back. 

Spud In The Box 

The last time Mumbai alt-rockers Spud in the Box – comprising vocalist-guitarist Ankit Dayal, vocalist-keyboardist Rohan Rajadhyaksha, guitarists Hartej Sawhney and Siddharth Talwar, bassist Zubin Bhathena and drummer Joshua Singh – announced that they were playing a show was in late 2017 at camping gig series BandCamp on the outskirts of the city. Five years on and the band haven’t returned with their robust, harmonious sound best heard on their four-track debut EP Attention Please (2013) and 2016’s splendid 12-track LP Lead Feet Paper Shoes. 

Pangea 

Mumbai-based instrumental prog/drone band Pangea formed in 2007 and comprised a powerful trio of guitarists and producers – Akshay Rajpurohit from Scribe, Shadaab Kadri and Kuber Sharma from Black Hole Theory. Their last lineup went on to include drummer Jai Row Kavi and bassist Krishna Jhaveri, making Pangea one of the most spellbinding live experiences that wowed both, metal fans as well as anyone who looked beyond genres to immerse themselves in a rare journey. Pangea released their debut album Snails Are When I Was Young in 2011 and went on to release a few other singles, including “The Life of Epson Printer” and “This Is NG Taking” in 2013 and 2014. 

The Mavyns  

It was last year that four-piece Mumbai rock outfit The Mavyns – comprising vocalist-guitarist-keyboardist Vivek Nair, guitarist Pradeep Mathews, bassist Varoon Nair and drummer Kristofer Mendonca – uploaded their discography to streaming platforms, including 2010’s 11-track live album Lick The Blue Frog and their 13-track full-length debut album From The Tree of No Ledge. However, apart from that, things have been very quiet from The Mavyns since 2013.  

Workshop  

Mumbai comedy-rock band Workshop fronted by guitarist-vocalist Sahil Makhija aka the Demonstealer also consisted of musicians such as guitarist Devesh Dayal, bassist Aditya Kadam and drummer Hamza Kazi, as well as previous members including bassist Riju Dasgupta and guitarist The Rajbot. The band were known for their quirky lyrics, dressing up as construction workers and riffs galore. The group released two records – the 10-track Khooni Murga in 2008 and Made Love To The Dragon in 2013.  

The Ganesh Talkies 

The Ganesh Talkies burst into the scene around a decade ago with their brand of dance-pop music that was guaranteed to bring you to your feet. The group of young musicians from Kolkata exuded so much fun on stage that their energy was infectious. Tracks like “Dancing! Dancing!” and “Item Song” helped spread their fame across the country in a short period of time. But then guitarist Ronodeep Bose suffered a tragic motorcycle accident, and though the other members tried playing with replacements for him, they eventually called it quits. Vocalist Suyasha Sengupta concentrated on her solo avatar, Plastic Parvati, before shifting base to Goa. Drummer Sambit Chatterjee shifted his energies to other projects he’s part of, including Aswekeepsearching. And that was that, though we do hope that they – along with bassist Roheet Mukherjee – find some way to bring The Ganesh Talkies back to life again. 

Reverrse Polarity 

Post-hardcore/progressive metal band Reverrse Polarity from Mumbai gained quite a following when they formed in 2008. Although the band – that included vocalist Gaurav Kataria, guitarists Shikhar Manchanda and Sameer Suri, and bassist Jordan Veigas – lost their drummer Jonathan Fernandes in 2011, the group powered on with the addition of sticksmith Gautam Deb. With a number of singles under their belt, the band’s euphoric and high-octane sound is best heard on their blistering 2013 eponymous album. 

Shaa’ir + Func 

Alternative-electro duo Shaa’ir + Func consisting of vocalist Monica Dogra and guitarist-producer Randolph Correia made quite the impression with their outlandish soundscapes and visuals. The pair’s massive body of work through the years includes 2007’s 19-track album New Day: The Love Album, the 20-track Light Tribe (2008), the 11-track Mantis (2010), 2014’s eight-track Re:cover and the 12-track Align. 

Cassini’s Division 

Cassini’s Division are one of those acts who missed out on the Indian independent music scene really taking off because they parted ways too early. Their last album, Ringside View, was released in 2010, which is also the year that NH7 Weekender launched in India, changing the way the country viewed music festivals. But between 2001 and 2010, they built a solid, no-nonsense reputation for themselves, which was cemented with appearances on talent shows including Channel [V] Launchpad. There was some talk of them launching an album in 2014 (they even started recording it). But though the band have played have made a few rare appearances on stage in their hometown of Kolkata since then, that record, sadly, never saw the light of day. 

Sky Rabbit  

There was a certain melancholy-laced sense of new wave that Sky Rabbit brought to Indian independent music that never quite has been replicated. Although we hear a tinge of it in vocalist-guitarist and producer Raxit Tewari’s solo project Your Chin, Sky Rabbit – formerly known as Medusa – transformed a few times over, delivering songs like “Anti-Coke Ganpati” and “Hilltop” from their 2012 self-titled album, and “Maybe Is Open Tonight” and “Over the Ride” from their 2013 EP Where.  

Jalebee Cartel  

Between 2004 and 2014, Jalebee Cartel became one of the most well-known electronic acts from India. Comprising producers like Arjun Vagale, Ash Roy, Ashvin Mani Sharma and bassist “G-Force” Arjun, they released their self-titled debut album in 2009, riding the electronic music boom and representing the country at festivals around the world. While everyone from Jalebee Cartel has been thriving in their own space as solo artists for years now, it might just be time to remind a whole new generation of the power they yielded over dance floors. 

The Circus 

New Delhi rock band The Circus shape-shifted every step of the way ever since they came together in 2007. Comprising guitarist, vocalist and producer Arsh Sharma (now more known for his project FuzzCulture), vocalist-guitarist and producer Abhishek Bhatia (aka Curtain Blue), bassist Abhinav Chaudhary and drummer Anshul Lall, the band were chaotically delightful. Albums like From Space (2010) birthed anthems like “FOPS” and “Welcome (To the Body Game),” while Bats in 2013 gave us more hormonal yet soul-searching experimental rock with the songs “In This Laboratory There Are No Rules” and “Spontaneous Combustion Love Song.” The last and most recent glimpse of their inimitable rock style came in 2016, thanks to With Love. Although there was a bit of activity spurred on by the pandemic in 2020, we’re yet to see them return to the stage or studio since at least 2018.