Formed in August 2011, Clown with a Frown (CWAF) went on to win the all-exclusive Strawberry Fields. An interesting mix, the now 9 member set up sees crowds swaying regularly. We speak to the band about their journey so far and the one they are up for…
Eight Octaves: How did the band form?
CWAF: Like most other bands, Clown with a frown was born out of an impromptu jam session at the drummer, Pramod’s house. Things clicked among us and we began composing and creating music. Finding like-minded musicians is generally hard, but with the band that’s never been a problem.
Eight Octaves: Why form a band?CWAF: Well, with all of us currently being in college we have the time and space to meet and jam, without the commitments that a full time job would require. Our main purpose for starting the band is to create and play music that we love. It’s been an incredible journey thus far.
Eight Octaves: When did all of you come together?
CWAF: ‘Clown With A Frown’ was originally formed in August 2011 as a 5-piece band, we soon grew to a 9 member band including a Brass section consisting of 3 trumpets & and trombone.
Eight Octaves: What made you choose the genre you did?
CWAF: We usually compose music not with a particular genre in mind but jam out different ideas, usually revolving around a central theme. Our ‘genre’ is an amalgamation of various styles of music, although we do predominantly play Funk/Pop Rock. Our sound has definitely been streamlined into being more definitive over the past few months.
Eight Octaves: Where does the band see itself in 5 years?
CWAF: We are constantly evolving both as musically and individually. In 5-years we hope to have release a full- length album as well as a couple of music videos (which are already in the pipeline) , reach a wider audience & play more national and international shows.
Eight Octaves: How much has your life changed since winning Strawberry Fields?
CWAF: Winning Strawberry Fields has been a huge dream-come-true for all of us individually. We’ve definitely gotten more exposure and gigs, But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, we’re sure that there’s SO much more out there. Although it’s a huge step forward, we make sure we constantly push ourselves to become better.
Eight Octaves: Clown with a frown admires:
Eight Octaves: Jonathan Reuben (Guitar)
Biggest fan?
CWAF: An ardent fan of jazz, funk rock and mainstream pop, he admires the works of Elvis Presley, Dave Matthews, Miles Davis, Eric Clapton and Jamiroquai among others. He also plays guitar for the choir of Garden City Assembly of God Church and enjoys singing.
Eight Octaves: Abheet Anand (Bass)
Spends his free time doing?
 CWAF: Influenced by bassists and artists such as Stuart Zender, Heiko Jung, Stefan Lessard, Flea, Dan Briggs, and Brandon Boyd, Abheet in his free time he likes to play football & rugby as well as read.
Eight Octaves: Reuben Jacob (Guitar)
What’s does he like apart from music?
CWAF: Inspired by Maroon 5, Kings of Leon, Rascal Flatts , Lincoln Brewster BB King, David Gilmour, Andy Timmons and Eric Clapton and Tommy Emmanuel. He loves playing basketball when he’s not involved with music.
Eight Octaves: Abigail Attavar (Vox)
Her future plans?
CWAF: She intends to take up music professionally.
Her influences include Lou Rhodes, Holly Brook, Lil’ Hardin Armstrong, Nina Simone and bands like Incubus, Phish, Tool and Poets of The Fall.
Eight Octaves: Pramod Pratap (Percussion)
What inspires him?
CWAF: He draws his inspiration from a variety of artists like The Beatles, Rush, Queen, Iron Maiden, Toto, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and other music from the 70s and 80s. He enjoys experimenting with new instruments and even creates his own instruments
Eight Octaves: Rahul Joshua Thomas (Trombone)
Who else does he play with?
CWAF: Apart from playing with Clown with a Frown, he also plays for the Bangalore School of Music: Chamber Orchestra and the India National Youth Orchestra. His influences range from The Dave Matthews Band to Louis Armstrong.  His passions include playback theatre and photography .Â
Eight Octaves: Kavya Lakshminarayanan (Trumpet)
What are her other musical talents?
CWAF: She loves to sing and is an avid listener of all genres of music.
She has played with the Bangalore School of Music: Chamber Orchestra, the FAPS Brass Band and the India National Youth Orchestra.
Eight Octaves: Rahul Richard (Trumpet)
How does he spend his spare time?
CWAF: Rahul teaches part-time at an orphanage with Make A Difference.
He is inspired by artists like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Queen and Led Zeppelin.
Eight Octaves: Amrita Jain (Trumpet)
What’s on top on her music list?
CWAF: She enjoys playing all genres but puts blues on the top of the list. Apart from playing the trumpet, she likes to take to vocals too and is keen on pursuing a career in music. She loves reading in her spare time
