The Loss of Himanshu

Dear Nikhil

It's been a long time since I had a chat with you, (still wondering whether *** would publish your piece about us, but not too much now, I have almost lost hope) and because I am better at writing than I am at talking, I have decided to mail to you something sad that's happened to the band.

Himanshu is no longer with us.

So that you do not get the wrong impression, he is pretty much alive and kicking (bless his soul), but his hands and legs would no longer be drumming for us, or any one else for that matter. He has quit.

We are beatless.

I don't know if it has created a void, or what the future holds for us. But I am getting ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning.

Alex had just finished mastering 'One Last Breath', and we decided that it would be the next song to add to our set list. Loading ourselves with the Bass, the guitar, the vocalist, (minus PC, don't know where he was) and by somehow persuading Himanshu to come with us we headed for KP. Pushpi came with us for good measure, being chief groupie/roadie.

Things went fine for the song until the drums kick in, you know, just before the start of the second verse there is a neat roll, and then 4/4. (Of course you would be familiar with the song) The main problem was that the drums didn't kick in. Himanshu stared at us blankly, sitting behind the drum kit.

And he is a good drummer, has a great knowledge about Tabla, etc etc.

We had a few false starts, in fact, too numerous to count. And in the end he got up, looked at us gravely, and with genuine sincerity apologized.

"I am sorry guys, doesn't seem to be working. Sorry." And then he left us, just like that. Hung up his drumsticks, and left. Pushpi was hanging around, he mentioned "You know, I wouldn't mind being the drummer. I have always wanted to be. In fact, in the first year, it was just the three of us, Adi, Pablo and me who wanted to make the band."

And our faces lit up a little when he picked up the drumsticks and started playing 4/4. Then his tempo increased, and then slowed down, and then increased again. And then he missed a beat, and then several....you get the general idea.

We had a hurried band-meeting in KP's balcony,with each of us looking in separate directions, fixing our eyes to respective horizons. Alex broke the...well I cannot call it 'silence' since we had Pushpi's erratic drumming in the background. He said, "I don't see a future for this band."

I noted the fact, that he had used 'this'. "Himanshu is a good drummer." I said, "He has impeccable beat sense."

"He may be the greatest drummer in the world dude, but if he doesn't play, then he is of no use dude. The world's greatest drummer, if he doesn't play is equal to the world's worst drummer." Adi spoke, more vocal than usual.

We listened again to Pushpi's drumming, and shuddered a bit. I was hesitant, still ventured to ask, "Pushpi?"

"No." Alex and Adi spoke in unison.

"We need someone, someone who can actually play. Not anyone who wants to play."

"Jauhri?" I asked, "Can we get him?"

"Or that guy from first year," Adi said.

"Who?" Alex asked.

"You know, that guy we met on the day of your singing competition. The tall guy, the one Alex borrowed a 100 bucks from. I could see that he had real passion for rock music."

"The fatchcha?"

"Yes, whatsisname?"

"Nandit." I said, I knew of the said fachcha. "Yes, I have tested his love for rock music, so as to say. And I believe he was born playing the tabla, he has some twenty years of experience in that. And the bird can sing pretty well too. I believe he is forming some first year band. We can try him, but we won't take him on without an audition."

Alex and Adi laughed, "It's a funny notion. Us taking auditions. I believe 'we' have to be good enough first."

Presently there was silence, as Pushpi quit banging the drums and joined us, a lit cigarette in his hand, "What are you guys talking about?"

We broke it to him silently, the cigarette passing around. "Dude, you need a lot of work."

"I can learn." He said, with the same sincerity as Himanshu had apologized.

We patted him on the back, and locked KP and left. The future didn't look blank, it seemed as if it wasn't there.

I don't know when we would get a drummer, and what would happen next. A few months later we might have gigs, and then I would invite you. Will tell you if we do get a drummer.

Till Then,

Take Care
Pablo
Vocalist
Broken Tooth