People don’t want to pay for music anymore: Prem Joshua

‘Only loud

music

wins. A lot has been taken over by very commercial music now. Folk became less,” says

Prem Joshua

with over 15 recorded albums to his credit when asked about the contemporary music scene in India during his 31st visit to Ahmedabad in the past 15 years.

Born in Germany, Joshua who considers music sacred and feels ‘it is something that has to come from within and for which even one lifetime is not enough’ spends six months touring India with his

fusion

band. He and other

band

members Satgyan Fukuda (Japanese-Italian bass player), Raul Sengupta (German-Bengali drummer) and Dondieu Divin (French-Tamil pianist) spend the rest six months in other countries, mainly Europe playing crossover music. When not playing flute or sitar, Joshua loves to cook baigan ka bharta and daal and always makes it a point to have the quintessential patra whenever in Gujarat.

“When I am not travelling, I do a lot of riyaaz, work on new music and eventually record it. It might become a song for the band. With music, it’s a bit like painting. Everything lies in the process of creating something new,” Joshua who has a sweet tooth and loves to stay far from the maddening crowd be it Goa or Tuscany says in an exclusive chat with us. Excerpts:

Q. You are here in Ahmedabad just a few days ahead of Christmas. You are touring most of the time. Don’t you miss Germany? That sense of nostalgia, does it ever come to you?

A. Actually not. I might be born in Germany but I have spent so many years in India that I feel Indian. I am happier here. Also, I don’t like cold.

Q. There has been a lot of gap between your albums? Why so? When can your fans get to hear more of you?

A. Let me tell you that my last album was released a year or two back. Music industry has changed so much. Nobody buys albums anymore. Everybody does streaming and downloads and its all track based. People just want tracks. They don’t want albums anymore. I feel it is very sad.

Q. How do you think social media has changed the world of artists?

A. We used to have CDs. It’s totally fine that a certain concept is being outdated. But, these days people don’t want to pay for music anymore. And if a musician doesn’t earn anything from his music, how do you think artists will survive? How do you think somebody will produce music? Obviously, everybody will make cheap music, electronic music. Something that doesn’t cost much. Something that you can do in your bedroom. I am old school. If I do an album, I need a proper studio, microphones…and all these costs money. But if nobody buys music, artists won’t produce music anymore.

Q. What would be your suggestion or guidance for a newcomer in music industry? If someone is planning to take it up as a profession?

A. Don’t compromise. If you really want to be a sincere musician, learn properly. I know it’s very hard but it eventually will pay off. Because if you keep playing other people’s music or if you keep making sacrifices creatively, thinking you might earn more money - you might earn more money, but that’s not what music is really about. It is something sacred and it has to come from within.

Q. Any regrets regarding music that you would like to share?

A. No regrets. (Long pause) the only regret would be if I stop learning. I will always remain a student.

Q. A lot of musicians have left the world this year? What was your response on hearing about DJ Avicii who died at the age of 28?

A. May be I have to feel ashamed but I didn’t hear about this death.I did hear about the death of Annapurna Devi who used to be the guru of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and others. Whenever a great artist passes away, it’s unavoidable but they leave a gap. It also reminds us that one day everybody has to go.

Q. Artists are known for throwing some light on the current social and political scenario through what they create. What are your views on yoga, spirituality and meditation?

A. I am not the guru or anything. I avoid speaking about it because in the name of spirituality, there is so much blah blah going on. Although I feel there is a deep connection between spirituality and music.

Q. What are your thoughts on the raging debate about pollution and global warming?

A. This generation is very much about a quick buck. It is destroying a lot of things for making money. It was never like this before. People don’t care. The only god is money. Everybody throws garbage all over. There is a lake of education and respect for mother earth. It should be taught to school children to regain this respect.

Q. Any of your songs dedicated to nature?

A. All my songs are for nature.

Q. Right now a lot of Indians are mesmerised by Tuscany weddings. Be it Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh or Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, they chose to tie the knot in Italy. You live there when not in India. Your thoughts?

A. Tuscany is very very beautiful. It’s understood why a lot of people want to go there. Many years back I chose to move there. There too I live very much away from the crowd just like Goa.

Q. If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing in life?

A. Maybe I would be a bum sleeping under a bridge. (Smiles). Actually, I always wanted to become an architect before I became a musician. I am still very much interested in architecture and arts. I am not a party person. I love the greenery and nature.

Q. Have you ever got a chance to visit any heritage or modern buildings in Ahmedabad like Amdavad Ni Gufa, IIM-A or CEPT?

A. I am somehow always happy to be in Ahmedabad. It’s nice to be back for playing for people who really appreciate music. But all my visits have been short trips. If I had time, I would surely like to visit these places.



Related video: https://thetimesofindia.online/videos/entertainment/events/ahmedabad/prem-joshua-and-band-make-people-groove-to-their-music-in-ahmedabad/videoshow/67132259.cms



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