Eight Octaves: It’s been about 10 years since Soulmate began making waves in the Indian Music Scene.
How did it all start?
Rudy: I t all started back home in Shillong when I happened to meet Tips at a recording session in my then home studio. I was recording a Gospel album for a client and Tips happened to be one of the singers … I was with a band called MOJO then and I asked her to join as backup singer. So she did and we played a few gigs together. MOJO broke up and then Tips and me played a couple of gigs where I would program drums and bass and keys on a Roland VS-880 that I had. I would plug in my guitar and she would sing, but, it was not the same as playing with musicians, as a band. It was very limiting. That’s when, one day I told Tips that we should hire musicians to back us up and I had already written the song ‘Blues Is My Soulmate’, so we decided to call ourselves ‘SOULMATE’ and here we are today J
Eight Octaves: “The blues” happen to be a very complex topic of discussion. Some people get it, some people don’t. How would you describe the genre for people who don’t get it?
Rudy: First of all, The Blues is not about 3 chords or 1 chord or whatever. Its all about FEELINGS and FEEL. People can sing Blues songs but not necessarily sing the Blues, if you know what I mean. The Blues is about singing and playing your song with your heart and soul. Crying if you have to, smiling if you have to, angry if you are FEELING it all and bring all these emotions out at that point in time. Now, for a lot of people, bringing out these emotions in front of a crowd is not easy. This is the ‘complex’ bit. To be emotionally naked in front of people and singing with all you heart and soul knowing that you will never sing and play this song again the same way, ever again!!!! That is The Blues!!
Eight Octaves: We just HAVE to ask – What was it like opening for Carlos Santana in Gurgaon in October?
Rudy: The way I see it now, this was a gift from God. All these years I had been dreaming of meeting and playing with my Blues guitar Hero’s and some of these dreams have come true…but Carlos Santana, this we never expected! I first heard Black Magic Woman when I was 10 or 11 years old and I was hooked! Subconsciously, Santana’s ‘Tone’ has been in my heart ever since J
When we were asked to open for Carlos, we were on top of the world!! And then finally getting on that stage, playing and then Carlos himself walking on stage and joining us on one of our songs!! UNREAL!! I had tears in my eyes and Tips started crying J J J we are blessed!!
Eight Octaves: If there was any artist with whom you would like to jam on stage with, who would it be?
Rudy: Man, there are so many good musicians that we would love to jam with.. Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Gary Clark Jr, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, The Wailers to name a few J J
Eight Octaves: What inspires and influences you the most while making music?
Rudy: Life, and Love. Simple!
Eight Octaves: There are many Indian Bands coming out with albums nowadays. Will we be seeing a new Soulmate album soon? Any spoilers?
Rudy: There will be a new Soulmate album but we can’t say how soon it’s going to be out. In the meantime, we have been singing a lot of new songs at our gigs and we have been gigging quite a bit. We are slating mid Feb for recording the album. We will keep you’ll informed as to what’s happening J J
Eight Octaves: We don’t see many women musicians in underground bands nowadays, especially ones who play and sing the blues. Do you ever feel threatened in this ever growing male dominant industry?
Tipriti: Well, I don’t think there is anything to be afraid of!! I sing and play my music the way I feel and I do it my way! I can’t be compared to anyone else just as anyone else can’t be compared with me. It’s all about being ME. Remember the song ‘I Am’ from our first album? That’s what I’m talking about LOL!!
Eight Octaves: If you weren’t professional musicians today, what would you be doing right now?
Rudy: I would or could have been a welder (I did a course in welding for 2 years in Don Bosco’s Shillong) or I might have been working with some children’s NGO some where J
Tipriti: I guess I would have been a chef. I love to cook and I love it more when people enjoy my cooking! Or I could have been a cop. LOL hahahaha!! And straightened out the traffic here in Shillong J J
Eight Octaves: What message would you like to share with upcoming bands and your fans?
Rudy: We would like to thank ALL our Friends, our Fans and Supporters, all over India and other parts of the world for taking this amazing ride with us on this Blues Bus called ‘Soulmate’ …We still have a long, beautiful way to travel so if you’ll like, hop on the bus, travel with us and lets experience this amazing trip together! And for all you young musicians and bands out there, remember, nothing comes easy in life. You’ll have to work hard, be dedicated and respect yourselves and others around you. Then you will reap what you sow. All the Best!!
