We’ve been a people’s band, says Ramit

Set against the backdrop of inspiring lyrics, uniquely fused rock music, The Local Train’s latest song Khudi, features a young delivery boy who yearns for his dreams amidst a hectic job.

His struggles include waking up early every morning, rushing to his work place, climbing several stairs of multi-storey buildings, just to deliver food. But he does it all with a hearty smile. He probably dreams of becoming a traveller or joining a music band. But the need for bread and butter compels him to continue dropping food at people’s doorsteps.

“Lyrically the term ‘khudi means self-actualisation. We wanted to make a song which is inspiring to us and to our audience,” says Ramit Mehra, the bass guitarist of the band.  

“It’s not just the story about that guy in the video,” he continues, “It’s something we all can relate to. We are all in jobs which we don’t want, and are always looking forward to something better. As band members, we’ve also had our respective journeys. We have struggled and had our tough times. We wanted to say that out loud this time.”

As a band, The Local Train has been in the industry for seven years. They have experienced their set of highs and lows, but the lack of sufficient support system for indie bands further hampered their growth.

Says Ramit, “We’ve been very independent and didn’t have the support of many producers. All that we have been able to do has been because of our audience. We are a people’s band. We just made music and put it out. That’s how we’ve had a fan base and that’s how we have been sustaining ourselves,” says Ramit.

“There are a lot of people who want to buy music, but very few people are ready to invest money in a band. This is the reason why many indie bands are very directionless in their nascent stages. There is no support system for the musicians, like there is in the West. There are talent agencies which guide the band about their growth and

promotions,” says Ramit while agreeing that the indie music scene is growing in the country.

The Delhi-based band, comprising Raman Negi as the vocalist, Paras Thakur as the guitarist and Sahil Sarin on drums, released their first album Aalas Ke Pedh in 2015. The album was an instant hit, so much so that it’s track Aaoge Tum Kabhi was featured in Pan Nalin’s film Angry Indian Goddesses.

Now, after a gap of two long years, The Local Train will be releasing its second album in September, which is yet untitled.

“This time, we are trying to do something which we haven’t done before. It’s going to be a leap from our previous album. We are trying to touch on themes like individualism, existentialism and superstition,” informs Ramit.

In the meantime, while Bollywood continues to rule the music space, the struggle of indie bands to be heard, continues to be a difficult journey. So, does The Local Train plan to venture into Bollywood?

“Of course,” he says and adds, “As long as we don’t have to give up on our creative freedom, we have no problem in associating with Bollywood.”