Life is all about losing and finding
crossing bridges changing tracks
moving ever onward
to newer destinies

 

Musical Influences: Singer-songwriters Bob Dylan, Eddie Vedder, Michael Stipe, jazz-fusion guitar greats from Jeff Beck to Larry Carlton, progressive groups like Yes and King Crimson, African and Indian music.

Born in Calcutta in 1972, Rahul spent his early years in Arusha, Tanzania where he studied at the European Public School. As part of the curriculum he studied piano, received voice training and learnt to conduct the school orchestra under the tutelage of S. Ngalianguo, one of Tanzania's best-known music instructors. His ability to sing in 'different voices' was noticed and he was further groomed to sing for school musicals. He was among the three chosen child artistes to perform for the then President Julius K. Nyerere at a civic reception in 1981.

For all the Western Classical training he received, music was on the outer periphery of his activities - a slightly more enjoyable subject than Math (which he dreads to this day). At this point the Guha Roy family was in transit accommodation at the Safari Hotel - the most happening nightspot for Arusha's burgeoning soukos (also called Congo jazz) groups. One night he managed to slip into the hotel disco and witnessed a live jam by the Afrika Union Band. After 15 minutes he knew that music was 'it' for him. 'It was the most important experience of my life till that time, 'coz I never knew that music could get so wild and exciting before watching these cats - it all sounded like it was happening on some other planet, man!', says Rahul. Subsequently his father introduced him to the music of the Beatles: he hasn't looked back since then.

On returning to India at age 14, Rahul lived in Shillong, home to one of the country's most vibrant rock scenes in the late '80s. He acted in musicals like Wizard of Oz and Smike, finished school and took up studying English at graduate level. By this time Rahul was writing lyrics, playing guitar and singing for local prog-rockers Quasimyd. From the late eighties to the mid nineties he got involved in technical music, studying jazz, fusion and prog rock and working to develop his instrumental skills. He also performed original compositions for All India Radio's North Eastern Service.

Rahul moved to Calcutta in 1992, and from '95, worked with the band Sweet Leaf for two years, playing a fusion of rock and Indian musical styles, and not necessarily the Classical sort at that. Ex-Division drummer Arka shared percussion duties in that band. The group split when Rahul moved to Kathmandu to take up an advertising job. Between 1996 and 1999 he was musically inactive. He returned to Calcutta in I999. Next, Cassini's Division took shape in 2001.

Today Rahul wants to play "music that is more about the vibe and sound than technique or flash." Writing both the lyrics and a large share of music for Cassini's Division is just the gig he wants to do. "I am both surprised by and confident of the music this band is doing - it's fresh., ego-less and totally devoted to highlighting the song as opposed to getting out there and trying to impress people with stunt guitar whines and screaming vocals," smiles Rahul.

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