JD Rock Awards: Eccentric Pendulum Talk About Their Song of the Year Nomination

Eccentric Pendulum’s drummer Vibhas Venkatram spoke to ROLLING STONE INDIA about the eccentric nature of their song ”˜Mathematicians Of Ambient Waters’ and how the band fell into place.

”˜The lyrics are way too weird for the rest of the band to interpret.  Only our bassie Arun (Natrajan), who wrote it, understands it,” laughs Venkatram. “But it’s interesting because it’s about a lonely mathematician, trying to solve a problem, and the torrent of emotion that that quandary brings on. I think it was Arun’s love/hate for math that made him write this song. Also, on some level I think we all identify with that. Trying to fix something that consumes us, that no one else understands.”

The band is trying to work around their demanding schedules to make it to the awards. “This is our first time being nominated, and we’re terribly excited about it. It should be a wicked fun event to attend, whichever way the vote goes.”

He is elated about the progress the band has made “It all started with a studio project.  But a bunch of post jam lunches at a nearby dhaba, and a yearning to make fresh, genre-free music, and Eccentric Pendulum was born. It unearthed this kind of freedom in all of us; we were making music not for critics, but ourselves. And, of course, as you know, Arun took over the lyrics and the rest of us try to remain blissfully unaware.”

Venkatram diplomatically maintains that the bands that deserve to will win at the JD Rock Awards this year, but on further prodding, casts his vote for Peter Cat Recording Co. and Undying Inc.

Eccentric Pendulum are nominated in three categories this year: Best Song (”˜Mathematicians of Ambient Waters’), Best Guitarist (both Arjun Mulky and Faheemul Hasan) and Best Drummer (Vibhas Venkatram).

Interviewed by Saumyaa Vohra.