Three bands celebrate classic rock at Taj Gateway Revolutions next month
Think Floyd, Grey Shack and Luke Kenny select the tribute songs they’d like to hear from each other
Luke Kenny. Photo: Monisha Ajgaonkar
Next month, Mumbai’s classic rock fans are in for a treat with the Taj Gateway Revolutions finale show. This year’s edition will feature tributes to no less than three legendary bands that shaped rock music for generations to come ”“ Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Doors. Delhi-based project Think Floyd, Chennai rock band Grey Shack, and actor and singer Luke Kenny will perform with his band at the show.
ROLLING STONE INDIA caught up with each of these bands to ask them about the classic rock songs that they would like to hear from the other bands in the lineup.
Luke Kenny [Vocalist, Luke Kenny & the Band]
Says Kenny, “Most Pink Floyd tribute bands tend to play their greatest hits like ”˜Comfortably Numb,’ ”˜Another Brick in the Wall,’ etcetera, etcetera. Personally, I’d like a nice surprise from those bands by hearing them cover these lesser-known tracks.”
Keep Talking [The Division Bell, 1994]
I love the voice-over by Stephen Hawking that starts off the track. The song itself is about how man learnt to talk and converse with his fellow men from the dawn of his existence. I see a parallel of this song to our way of life today, because I feel we’re steadily forgetting to talk to each other due to constant texting through our cellphones.
Free Four [Obscured by Clouds, 1972]
It’s just such a nice philosophical song, with singalong parts and a great guitar solo. Plus, it has one of the greatest intro lines I’ve ever heard in a song: “The memories of a man in his old age/
Are the deeds of a man in his prime.”
The Dogs of War [A Momentary Lapse of Reason, 1987]
A lot of Floyd songs after the Syd Barrett era have been very conscientious. I feel that the theme of this song in particular is just so relevant. War and hate is such a recurring thing in the world these days.
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun [A Saucerful of Secrets, 1968]
This is one of my favorite songs from the Syd Barrett era; it just sounds so psychedelic! I like its other version in Ummagumma as well. Again, it’ll be a nice surprise for me if any Pink Floyd tribute band covers a track like this.
Arnold Layne [Single, 1967]
If I were playing a tribute to any classic rock band, the first song in my set would be the first song that band ever released, which in Pink Floyd’s case is “Arnold Layne.” It’s just a thing with me. For example, if I were covering Led Zeppelin, the first song I’d perform would definitely be “Good Times Bad Times.”
Vikram Vivekanand [Guitarist, Grey Shack]
Grey Shack | Courtesy of the artist
“It’s hard for me to single out one Doors song and describe it in detail,” says Vivekanand. “Each live performance by The Doors was a collective experience. If you’ve ever listened to a classic 90-minute live set of theirs, you’d know that their songs overlap each other and create this one big trip that you could just lose yourself in. However, we have played Doors tribute sets before, and I’ll say that these are some of the most exciting and challenging songs that I’d love to hear a band cover.”
L.A. Woman [L.A. Woman, 1971]
When the Music’s Over [Strange Days, 1967]
Soul Kitchen [The Doors, 1967]
Moonlight Drive [Strange Days, 1967]
Five to One [Waiting for the Sun, 1968]
Chintan Kalra [Bassist/Vocalist, Think Floyd]
Think Floyd | Image: Courtesy of the Artist
“A lot of moments in my life are associated with these songs,” confesses Kalra. “Led Zeppelin’s songs have a lot of moods to them, and are groundbreaking and even gut-wrenching at times. I personally like to listen to their more complex, seven to eight minute long tracks, and these are some of those tracks I’d most like to hear at a tribute gig.”
Since I’ve Been Loving You [Led Zeppelin III, 1970]
The Lemon Song [Led Zeppelin II, 1969]
Dazed and Confused [Led Zeppelin, 1969]
No Quarter [Houses of the Holy, 1973]
Gallows Pole [Led Zeppelin III, 1970]
Taj Gateway Revolutions will take place on June 4th in the Hard Rock Café Worli from 7:30pm onwards. Entry: Rs 500 /- cover only. The line-up will feature Think Floyd, Grey Shack and Luke Kenny and the Band. Event details here.
Audience members at the gig will also have a chance to participate in contests and win goodies from Taj Gateway and Associate Partners Ed Hardy.
