Pune Prog Rockers Hourglass Inversion Recruit New Drummer

Hourglass Inversion and (right) Arka Das. Photo: Rohit Rao (Hourglass Inversion) and Red Bantoo Photography (Arka Das)

Jam sessions often have a fantastical twist ”“ sometimes, a brand new song writes itself and as was the case with Pune band Hourglass Inversion, a new lineup takes shape. The prog rock band announced yesterday that they had recruited Pune-based drummer Arka Das, who has previously played with Kolkata rockers such as The Ganesh Talkies, Span and Five Little Indians. Says the band’s guitarist and founding member Amit Khadikar, “He knew our band and even wanted to jam with us, but we still had a drummer [Amit Godse] back then. When he left, it was our first thought to ask Arka to join.”

Das replaces Amit Godse, who has left the band due to other commitments. Says Khadikar, “To say we’re parting with Amit sounds negative, because there was no problem per se. It’s just that he had too much on his plate and this band also has a lot of things coming up, so it didn’t make sense to push him.” On the occasion of Independence Day last month, the band released their rendition of national song “Vande Mataram,” which included Godse on drums. Godse had originally joined the band in October 2013. Das, who shifted from Kolkata to Pune last year said he “wasn’t keen on doing anything [music-related] for a while” but his love for Nineties alt rock drew him to play with Hourglass Inversion. Says Das, “It doesn’t matter what genre it is. The only thing I can’t play is metal and jazz. Apart from that, I only look out for good music. The aim is ultimately making music.”

Hourglass Inversion, who got together in 2008 and released their debut EP Our Time Is Now in 2011, are now reworking older material with Das and also readying new songs. While Khadikar says the band are working to release a new track and a music video later this year, Das adds that there is an eight or 10-track album in the works as well. Says Das, “By November, things will settle down. We’ll look at having material out by then, in time for the festivals.”

Watch Hourglass Inversion’s version of “Vande Mataram”