Rock that traditional chord

Bangalore-based rock band Aagam has its roots in Kerala
They are software engineers by profession and rock stars by choice. They are a Bangalore-based rock band that brags of having a traditional touch – so much so that one often sees the crowd head banging to Carnatic tunes! The Theyyam face, on their logo, hints at a strong Kerala connect, and rightfully so, two of the founder members of this seven-piece are from rural Kerala.
Lead vocalist Harish Sivaramakrishna, who’s from Kerala, is not just an accomplished Carnatic singer but violinist as well. The band’s keyboardist and lyricist, Swami, is a poet in his own right. Not surprisingly, Agam has turned many a rock fan into a Carnatic fan.
“That’s what our aim is too, to make the young urban audience understand that Carnatic is cool,” says Harish. The band also features Ganesh on drums, Praveen and Suraj on guitars, Vignesh on the bass and Shiva on percussions.
“Five of us were in the same college in Bangalore. We used to jam quite often,” recalls Harish when asked about how the band came about. The students went on to pursue a career as software engineers, but years later, passion for music brought together a brand new set up. Agam, in its current form, was born only in 2007, when the group decided to try their luck in a reality show Óolalala, and went on to win it. The icing on the cake was the fact that it was music maestro A R Rahman who happened to be one of the judges. Later, the band even recorded a single at Rahman’s studio and has been in touch with him. “The amazing fact about the composer is that even now, post his winning his Oscars, he replies to each of our emails personally,” reveals Harish.
Agam continues to perform at major music festivals and events. It is only a matter of time before they perform in their hometown too. Watch out people!