What inspired the name of the band? What are your influences and are they the same as when you started out?
Hi! My name is Takar Nabam. ‘Takar’ means ‘star’ in the Nyishi dialect of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Not sure if I’ve even remotely lived upto my name.
I grew up watching a lot of music videos on Mtv, especially all the rock n roll bands, and 90s Pop.
Rock guitar players like John Petrucci, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Eric Johnson Joe Satriani, bands like Extreme, Incubus, Guns N Roses, Porcupine Tree, to name a few, were on my daily playlist.
A little later, I got into John Mayer, Derek Trucks, and a lot of Jazz improvisors like Charlie Parker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John coltrane, Robert Glasper, and Singer Songwriters like Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake, Damien Rice, etc. It was only during this phase that I got into songwriting, and I started to appreciate minimalism, the idea of space in a song situation.
By 2010-11, I started to beyond just the guitar and tried my hands at writing my own lyrics and melodies. It only felt natural and I’m happy my music took that direction and didn’t limit itself only to the Guitar.
How do you approach songwriting?
I think it’s a mix of a lot of things. The people I meet, the music I listen to, the places I visit. The initial part of the song may start with me penning down my thoughts while travelling to different parts of the country. Emotionally, the inspiration for most of the songs stem from a low, sad and even from an introspective space. It’s liberating to vent out my emotions through my songs.
When it comes down to working on the song structures, I’ve arranged songs in my bedroom and also while jamming with a group of musicians I usually enjoy playing with. The best example is my second album, This Home That Home – https://open.spotify.com/
The best example of a song that I’ve worked on from my mini home studio is my latest single, Further – https://open.spotify.com/
– I mostly write songs about life and love, but sometimes I do try to write about soical issues prevalent in Arunachal Pradesh, India, like polygamy, child labour, etc. Although there have been some tremendous improvements in the last few years, there’s still a long way to go.
Here’s a song I wrote in my native dialect, the Nyishi dialect.
I also wrote a song about love, which was beautifully interpreted in the context of a Dog. In this case, Laika, the first dog to be spent to space.
How do you approach songwriting?
I think it’s a mix of a lot of things. The people I meet, the music I listen to, the places I visit. The initial part of the song may start with me penning down my thoughts while travelling to different parts of the country. Emotionally, the inspiration for most of the songs stem from a low, sad and even from an introspective space. It’s liberating to vent out my emotions through my songs.
When it comes down to working on the song structures, I’ve arranged songs in my bedroom and also while jamming with a group of musicians I usually enjoy playing with. The best example is my second album, This Home That Home – https://open.spotify.com/
The best example of a song that I’ve worked on from my mini home studio is my latest single, Further – https://open.spotify.com/
– I mostly write songs about life and love, but sometimes I do try to write about soical issues prevalent in Arunachal Pradesh, India, like polygamy, child labour, etc. Although there have been some tremendous improvements in the last few years, there’s still a long way to go.
Here’s a song I wrote in my native dialect, the Nyishi dialect.
I also wrote a song about love, which was beautifully interpreted in the context of a Dog. In this case, Laika, the first dog to be spent to space.
Why do you write the sort of music that you do?
Although I grew listening to a lot of rock and heavy metal, back when I was a kid, I started to develop a taste for Blues, Pop, Funk, Progressive, while I was in college. It was during this phase, I started to pen down my silly thoughts on my notepad. Little did I know that I’d get hooked onto writing my own songs.
After college, I got a chance to go to a Music School for about a year and I came out a changed man! A lot had happened during this phase. I got introduced to Jazz Improvisation, World Music, Composition and Arranging, Ensemble playing, Konnokol (Carnatic rhythm study) etc. This was a total eye opener for me!
To sum it up, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to listen and learn from so many different styles Music. It, sometimes, gets hard for listeners to easily pin point to one similar Artist.
My music is usually dreamy, calming, romantic, and I think my personality comes out in it.
How do you decide what to perform live?
A lot depends on the vibe of the venue and the kind of people who are at the gig. I do write my own set list, but I do take suggestions from my fellow band mates and we take a call together.
I have written a wide range of songs, ranging from ballads (Table for Two, Melodrama, Sang Be Yurey) to uptempo songs to make people groove along (Made Me Believe, Surfer) and even dance to it (Nyokum Sokhi To, Receding), so I think about starting on a higher energy side, dropping the energy and then building up the energy again until we play our last and most hard hitting song. I definitely like to end my shows on a higher note.
How do you decide what to perform live?
A lot depends on the vibe of the venue and the kind of people who are at the gig. I do write my own set list, but I do take suggestions from my fellow band mates and we take a call together.
I have written a wide range of songs, ranging from ballads (Table for Two, Melodrama, Sang Be Yurey) to uptempo songs to make people groove along (Made Me Believe, Surfer) and even dance to it (Nyokum Sokhi To, Receding), so I think about starting on a higher energy side, dropping the energy and then building up the energy again until we play our last and most hard hitting song. I definitely like to end my shows on a higher note.
What plans do you have for the future?
– Short term plans : Put out all the new singles that I’ve been working on, maybe release them as an album. Do a pan India tour and play some notable festivals in the country.
Mid term goals : Try to play some notable music showcases like SXSW, Music Matters, etc.
Long term goals : Tour with my full band in the US, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc.