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Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani are just some of the legendary guitar players in the world, musicians that transformed their art and influenced a generation of ‘I want to be like that’ grunge rockers and other like-minded youngsters.
See more at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani are just some of the legendary guitar players in the world, musicians that transformed their art and influenced a generation of ‘I want to be like that’ grunge rockers and other like-minded youngsters.
See more at https://gulfnews.com/videos
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hi guys, my name is Leslie Wilson Jr. and I'm here in the Gulf News Newsroom in Dubai,
00:17a place that I like to call the engine room actually.
00:20And we have a very special guest with us and I'm so excited to introduce you to him, him
00:25to you and I mean to all my colleagues out here in the Gulf News Newsroom.
00:30This is Rhythm Shah, he's one of the most talked about guitarists, not just in India
00:35where he comes from, but around the world.
00:38So Rhythm, welcome to the Gulf News Newsroom, we're so excited to have you here.
00:42Thank you so much, it feels really a pleasure to be a part of this thing and also talk about
00:49music a little bit, maybe on the way.
00:51Have you ever done this before?
00:52I mean, do you feel strange sitting in the newsroom which generates stories, but you're
00:57a story to be told at the same time.
00:59This is the first time actually in a newsroom, but other than that I think I did a few interviews
01:03in my career, but yeah, this is really cool and a different kind of a setup.
01:09And getting to know about speakers and stuff which I didn't really play at all in my life,
01:14but yeah, new things, but it's always fun to you know, like get into new things and
01:22just try new things out and play it.
01:24That's awesome, and Gulf News is a very forward thinking newspaper, we know the whole business
01:29of storytelling is evolving all the time, it's moving strongly towards social media,
01:34so having you here is a new way of telling a story I think.
01:37So I'm sure you must be excited to be part of it as well.
01:40Definitely, I actually came for this specifically and I'm really looking forward to the whole
01:46thing and thanks for calling me up in here.
01:49It's our pleasure.
01:50How did you first start by telling us how you got the name Rhythm?
01:53I mean, I was intrigued, I'm sure everybody was intrigued, you must be asked this question
01:58a million times.
01:59I belong from a musical family and my dad named me Rhythm because he thinks rhythm is
02:04more important in music, more than melody at some point, because we can still mess up
02:09with melody, you know, and that's fine, that's human error.
02:13But if you think about rhythm, if you're not in rhythm, you're really not part of anything.
02:17Yeah, that makes sense.
02:18It's like a heartbeat, it's around 70-80 bpm, which is also counted, you know, so you have
02:23to be really on time with everything.
02:26So I think that's one of the reasons why he named me Rhythm and actually it helped me
02:31a lot because I've learned tabla for 11 years, which gave me so much more opportunity in
02:38guitar playing to do different kind of stuff and made my guitar playing a little different
02:43than, I don't know, other people maybe, but it's just a cool thing.
02:47That's pretty awesome, yeah.
02:48Yeah, I love my name.
02:49That Carnatic, very Indian vibe to guitar playing, I would imagine.
02:54It does, it does.
02:55Yeah.
02:56I heard stories that your dad or parents put plectrums, picks, what they call it, under
03:00your pillow, knowing that you're destined to become a musician.
03:04Yeah, when I was born, that's what my mom told me, that when I was born, the bed I was
03:09in and there was really a small, tiny pillow and underneath that I had some staff notation
03:15books, which he really loved, the music which was in it, and he thought that it's really
03:19important for me to get infused to it and plectrums because, I don't know, something
03:25maybe passed through the pillow in my head or something.
03:29I have no idea.
03:30That's an amazing story.
03:31But yeah, it just, it happened and I used to have plectrums in...
03:34They're like charms, aren't they, to you now, I suppose, yeah.
03:37But yeah, it's basically about the guitar.
03:39So could you just give us a little sample of what kind of stuff you play?
03:44You want a little sample or one full song?
03:46Yeah, go ahead.
03:47A song wouldn't be bad.
03:48Perfect.
03:49Perfect.
03:50So I'll be playing one of my songs from my album called The Opening Act, which came out
03:54in 2015 from Germany and I did quite a lot of tour out in there, like one of the most
04:00prestigious international guitar night tour, which had 28 concerts in 28 days.
04:07Wow.
04:08So I was traveling all over Germany and Spain.
04:11We did a few masterclasses and stuff like that.
04:14And this song is called The Latino Bliss.
04:17Yeah.
04:18So without further ado, let's hear it from you.
04:20Everybody must be dying to hear what you sound like.
04:23Thank you so much.
04:24Let's do this.
04:25One, two, one, two, three.
04:26One, two, one, two, three.
04:56One, two, one, two, three.
05:26One, two, one, two, three.
05:57That's awesome.
05:58I'm afraid we've got to call the technicians in to see in case the roof is still alive.
06:06But amazing rhythm.
06:08You showcased so many styles and techniques and you said that was an original composition.
06:12Right.
06:13And you're just 23.
06:14I'm scared to think of what you're going to play when you're 24 or 25 or even older.
06:19Thank you so much.
06:20It means a lot.
06:21I really appreciate that.
06:23How did the percussion come for that piece here or that composition that had almost all
06:27the great influences in there but very much your own rhythm?
06:30Well, again, it's a very Latin-based kind of a song.
06:34I mean, throughout the song I had percussion going on which is based on the claves and
06:39everything if you think about technically.
06:41And then also I had a start of a Carnatic-influenced thing going on.
06:47I saw that.
06:48Yeah, that was amazing.
06:49There's a lot of jazz going on in there but keeping the groove going.
06:52So, it's an influence of all these kind of genres put together.
06:56Yeah.
06:57And trying to make my solos come out, pop out through it.
07:00You know, that's how I kind of wrote it.
07:02Yeah.
07:03And I mean, this is one of those performance songs.
07:05I thought about how to perform live with not having a band but having a band with me.
07:12And this is…
07:13Your band.
07:14Yeah, not any other musician with me.
07:17A band that you can totally control.
07:18Exactly.
07:19So, having the bass line, having the piano kind of chord lines going on with the percussion.
07:23So, I have a band on which I'm kind of trying to solo on top of it.
07:26Yeah.
07:27So, we have tried to…
07:28So, you're a one-man band.
07:29Exactly.
07:30That's what I'm trying to do in here and this particular song.
07:32Awesome.
07:33I've heard that you've won competitions, you know, not just in India where you come
07:37from.
07:38You're originally from Calcutta.
07:39Right.
07:40But you're now based in Bombay.
07:41Yeah.
07:42That's your music hub.
07:43Right.
07:44So, you can do a lot more things musically and explore all the opportunities in India.
07:49But I believe you've won many competitions internationally and seeing you play just now,
07:55I'm not surprised.
07:56I've heard the whole music world is talking about you.
07:59Guitar manufacturers, the great guitar manufacturers, the fenders, you name it, they're all calling
08:06you up to endorse their guitars, to test their guitars.
08:09And you've got an interesting guitar in front of you, a Chinese guitar, I believe,
08:13who you've been endorsing.
08:14Right.
08:15It's a Kepma guitar.
08:16I recently got into this company and they gave me and showed me and just wanted to have
08:19my opinion about the guitar itself because it's a new company coming to India and before
08:23they actually launched it, they were like, let's just try it out.
08:27So, what's so special about this particular guitar that you have?
08:30It's an amazing guitar because by itself, it has got a few things going inside.
08:36So, there's a mic and a pick-up, technically, again, a little in-depth.
08:41But there's a speaker inside as well, which is kind of throwing the sound to the back
08:46of the body.
08:47It's resonating inside, coming out of this hole here.
08:52So, that's making it really acoustically good sounding, not like a digital kind of a thing.
08:58And it's got great controls.
09:00I mean, this is my normal guitar sound, which is beautiful by itself.
09:07But then I can add chorus just from here.
09:15And then I have got options for delays.
09:20I can write a pop song right now.
09:30I mean, just with the delay right in here and there's a lot more options of reverbs
09:34and tonal control and everything.
09:36That's extraordinary.
09:37Yeah, but you can have all the tools, but you've got to know how to use them.
09:40And I can see they couldn't have given this guitar to a better guitar player.
09:44So, tell us a bit about what is the future hold in store for Rhythm.
09:48What do you want to see yourself doing in the next couple of years or as you mature
09:53even more into this fine art that you have discovered in giving the world?
09:57Definitely practice more and find time to do that because it's kind of really getting
10:02tiring in a bit that I'm into a lot of bands and sessions,
10:07doing a lot of projects for Bollywood, playing in a lot of movies, doing a lot of jingles
10:12and producing as well a lot.
10:16So that's your bread and butter, is it?
10:18Kind of, and I love doing it as well because that's kind of taking me to a different direction.
10:23Not only playing guitar, but know how to get a good sound of the guitar.
10:26You know, it's not only about great technique, but how it sounds to other people.
10:31When I was looping, I kind of thought about what should be louder and what should not be.
10:36So I have to play accordingly because I'm thinking about the mix as well,
10:40how I want it at the end as a result.
10:43So that's all coming out when I'm actually producing, when I'm mixing stuff,
10:47when I'm panning everything.
10:49So producing, helping me out to give me and show me that direction in my mind.
10:55So producing, writing a lot of compositions and playing a lot of Bollywood stuff
11:01and doing my own projects.
11:03Also, inevitably you rub shoulders with some of India's finest musicians,
11:07A. R. Rahman, U. Srinivas and Ramaswamy, Subramanian, the Carnatic guitar.
11:14Yeah, I'm a good fan of them. I played with A. R. Rahman.
11:17And I mean, Ranjit Bharat is one of the best drummer,
11:20playing with Fourth Dimension, John McLaughlin's band.
11:24I mean, so many other musicians I play with and regularly hang.
11:28I mean, it's not only about the playing, but when you hang,
11:30you actually get to know about the old stories, which they came up with.
11:34And that inspires so much, honestly.
11:37And you want to live that life too. So that's how you head.
11:42And I think one of the defining moments in your life was
11:46when you played at the NH7 concert in Meghalaya,
11:50where one of your idols, Steve Vai, was playing on another stage.
11:55You could almost play together. So close and yet so far.
11:58That must have been a great vibe, wasn't it?
12:00Yeah, definitely. I mean, he's one of the biggest influences
12:03I've got in my life in terms of guitar playing.
12:07Because I was, again, an acoustic guitar player.
12:10My dad wanted me to really get the basics right, all the techniques right.
12:14And then I saw Steve Vai in G3, where he was just blowing it apart.
12:19And that really influenced me a lot to plug into amp,
12:23crank it, have that gain and just go for it.
12:26You know, that was the first reaction.
12:28That's a different kind of a vibe.
12:31And again, that's the start of it.
12:35And then getting better and better and just trying to, you know,
12:39develop myself to be a better musician.
12:41Not only a guitarist, but musician overall.
12:44Wow. And I think in this little short time that you've been with us,
12:47you've showcased so much of your talent and ability.
12:50And we know a lot more about you than just reading or going to YouTube.
12:55But is there anything that we don't know about you that you'd like to share with us?
13:00I recently started cooking, man. I love cooking now.
13:04You're cooking up some great music.
13:06But then it tastes really bad. That's a different thing.
13:09I need to practice a lot and get better.
13:11But yeah, that's the fun part.
13:13I mean, I'm mostly inclined to music
13:16and just trying to find out new things,
13:18new ways to play and express myself
13:21because that's the most important thing.
13:23And yeah, it's kind of happening.
13:26You want to be learning something new every day.
13:29Yeah. I mean, actually, you get influenced from anything.
13:33Honestly, when I used to practice back in the days,
13:35I used to watch a lot of YouTube videos of Ronaldo doing dribbles and stuff like that.
13:40And then Valentino Rossi winning a freaking race and doing the wheelie at the end.
13:45But that, you know, at a point, it kind of inspires you that,
13:49why is it making me happy?
13:51Yeah.
13:52They won it, right?
13:53Yeah.
13:54It's making me happy.
13:55So just like that, if I do something good, you guys are smiling.
13:59And that's making me happy.
14:01I'm kind of doing it for you guys.
14:03It's probably a way to correlate bringing the sports.
14:05Yeah, it inspired me so much.
14:07I can't tell you.
14:08And then switch off the laptop.
14:09And then the whole night I'm just practicing, trying to develop new techniques.
14:13I'm sorry.
14:14So, yeah, I mean, I don't know, some weird influences.
14:19I mean, you know, but then it just worked for me.
14:22I mean, somehow.
14:23Things which makes you happy kind of inspires you a lot, unknowingly.
14:27I totally agree with you.
14:28You should definitely straight up take your thing and just, you know, move forward to it.
14:33I just took my guitar and started practicing.
14:35And it kind of made me happy at that point.
14:38Yeah, you already inspired me.
14:40I'm just going to go out after work and buy myself a couple of guitars.
14:43I hope my credit card works.
14:45But I'm going to get some guitars.
14:47And yeah, by the way, Rhythm doesn't just play the box guitar.
14:50He also plays the electric guitar.
14:52The friend of Stratocaster.
14:54The Yamaha Pacific.
14:55The Yamaha Pacific.
14:56That's his guitar.
14:57That's a company he endorses.
14:58And maybe another time you'll hear him play electric.
15:02But you can still go to his YouTube channel.
15:05Or you could follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
15:09So you can get to see the other side of Rhythm, the electric guitarist in him.
15:14So it's been an absolute pleasure to have you here.
15:18I think this is a kind of historic day for Gulf News at least.
15:22To have a musician, a musician of your ability and talent, perform live in the newsroom.
15:28And I hope this message that you've just sent out goes around the world.
15:33People really keep following you.
15:35And following not just you, following the Gulf News.
15:37Because hopefully we have more surprises in store for our readers out there.
15:42And the new fans we're trying to encourage.
15:44Thank you so much.
15:45It's lovely having you here.
15:47It's a pleasure to be here and to share what I do.
15:51And to talk about my life.
15:54Thank you, Leslie.
15:55It's an amazing thing.
15:56Is there one message you want to send out to young musicians?
15:59Because we need to support people with talent and ability.
16:03There are maybe people who are not getting the right support that you probably got from your wonderful parents.
16:08But is there a message that you want to send out to any youngster who has a little talent?
16:12I mean there's a cheesy one but love what you do and do what you love.
16:15I mean that just works.
16:17Go with your heart.
16:18Yeah, I mean just do with your passion.
16:19Then you'll reach that level the way you want to do your thing.
16:23I mean if you don't do it like that, you'll just work on something you don't want to get into.
16:29But yeah, trying to keep a balance of that just makes wonders.
16:35And that's what I'm doing right now.
16:37I'm just so happy to be doing what I do with love.
16:41Thank you once again, Rhythm.
16:43And thanks guys for watching.
16:44It's been a huge experience not just for myself but for the entire team in Gulf News.
16:51To have this experience before us.
16:53Thank you so much.
16:54Thanks guys. See you soon.
16:55See you soon.
16:56See you soon Rhythm as well.