CAPTION: From L-R : Andre DeLaCruz Adi on guitars, Nithin Sasikumar as bassist, Greg Brown on vocals, Sultan Al Ameri on drums and Theo Mahmuti on guitars.
There’s a band that has been leading the UAE vanguard in a mash-up of funk, alternative rock, and different styles of music that take listeners back to the times when the term ‘alternative rock’ was coined. The name of the band: Daisygrim – a musical powerhouse made up of Greg Brown on vocals, Nithin Sasikumar on bass, Theo Mahmuti on guitars and Sultan Al Ameri on drums. TEMPO caught up with front man Greg Brown…
TEMPO: Why the name ‘’Daisygrim’’?
Greg: Daisygrim is a collective collaboration of locally based artists with varying musical backgrounds. We enjoy experimenting with different types of genres in the rock category and try to create a unique blend of music that is not only hard-hitting but also has the potential to make people dance. The name came up in conversation when drummer, Sultan Al Ameri or “Sully” for short mentioned that he had known someone named “Edith Grim”. He said something along the lines of “With a name like that, she should at least have a pretty first name, something like Daisy, Daisy Grim.“ After that the name Daisygrim just kind of stuck with us, and the rest is history.
TEMPO: Which musical artists inspire you?
Greg: Oh wow, there are so many! Everyone from classic rock n roll bands like Zepp all the way too other rock bands like the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, to more modern acts like the Unknown Mortal Orchestra and everything in between.
TEMPO: Do you have a name for your new album?
Greg: We’re still deciding on the name, but we’re open to suggestions!
TEMPO: Have you achieved success?
Greg: Success is a pretty big word. I wouldn’t say we’re successful; we’ve done things we could only dream about doing before starting the band, so I guess in that sense we’re successful in the eyes of our younger selves. But I think definitely we’ve got a long road ahead of us if we truly want to be successful as a band.
TEMPO: How does your audience receive your performance?
Greg: Family and friends have always been super supportive of us shooting for the stars, whether it be with music or anything for that matter. And our audiences over the past couple years have been incredible as well. The best kind of crowds are the ones that have no problem getting involved and essentially becoming part of the music itself through either singing or dancing along. We have a better time on stage when the crowd is enjoying it; I think that probably goes with any band out there.
TEMPO: Have you experienced any awkward situations?
Greg: Umm, this one time, right at the beginning of a show, probably around 2011 or 2012. As I went to hit the first chord of the first song of the set, I managed to step on my cable and unplug my guitar, snap a string, and managed to break the guitar strap too, it was the worst! We had to take a break before even starting the show so I could fix up the guitar, and then had to play the rest of the show sitting down because my guitar strap was buggered. Strap locks – worth the investment!
TEMPO: What role does having an online presence place for your band?
Greg: Definitely, In this day and age the Internet is the biggest platform in which one can share their music or anything else with the world. Bands no longer need to be signed to a label in order for them to get recognized for the music they make; you can only get so far with only playing gigs. But when people want to follow your band or check out the band after a show, or even find out when the next show is, they need a place online to be able to go, to see all of this information… I think online presence is pretty important.
TEMPO: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a band?
Greg: The biggest challenge was trying to put together a new band just two weeks before playing our first ever international show at a rock festival in Goa. Both our guitarists couldn’t make the trip last minute for various reasons, so our bassist played lead on the night and we had to find a new bassist in a hurry, just before we left. And to this day he is still the bassist of the band; big Nith is a champ!
TEMPO: What advice would you like to give to aspiring musicians?
Greg: Just to not stop pushing. Don’t make music with the intention of getting popular; do it for yourself first and foremost, and because you love it!
TEMPO: As an artist, how would you define success?
Greg: I don’t know, still trying to discover it.
Connect with DAISYGRIM :
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DAISYGRIM/info?tab=page_info
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/user/DaisyGrimOfficial
By Yashmita Hattangdi
